The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats
The establishment of large populations of yellow-legged gull <i>Larus michahellis</i> in coastal and urban areas can lead to strong changes in vegetation cover and composition through creating physical disturbance in the vegetation and impacting the soil quality through defecation. In th...
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/589 |
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| author | Diogo Portela Jorge M. Pereira Lara R. Cerveira Vitor H. Paiva Jaime A. Ramos |
| author_facet | Diogo Portela Jorge M. Pereira Lara R. Cerveira Vitor H. Paiva Jaime A. Ramos |
| author_sort | Diogo Portela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The establishment of large populations of yellow-legged gull <i>Larus michahellis</i> in coastal and urban areas can lead to strong changes in vegetation cover and composition through creating physical disturbance in the vegetation and impacting the soil quality through defecation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of breeding yellow-legged gull populations on tall and short vegetation cover and plant species composition in old (occupied for 13 years) and new (occupied for 3 years) colony sites in grey dunes of the Algarve, southern Portugal. In each site, sampling plots were used to measure the percentage of vegetation cover in areas with and without breeding gulls. In the old colony site, the cover by tall vegetation was substantially reduced and the cover by short vegetation substantially increased in the areas where gulls are breeding in comparison with the adjacent areas. In the new colony sites, there were only minor differences. The increase in cover of short vegetation in the breeding area of the old colony site was mostly by nitrophilous species (<i>Paronychia argentea</i> and <i>Malcolmia littorea</i>) and should be explained by the decrease in vegetation cover of tall plant species and by feces deposition. Tall and slow-growing species <i>Suaeda maritima</i> and <i>Helichrysum italicum</i> covers were negatively affected. Our results showed that yellow-legged gulls affected vegetation cover and composition of grey dunes after 3 years of consecutive breeding, and this should be considered in the management of these habitats where breeding yellow-legged gulls are increasing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:47:46Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:47:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-731d784207004f35b7f8a2337a2b66f12023-11-18T01:05:58ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-04-0115558910.3390/d15050589The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune HabitatsDiogo Portela0Jorge M. Pereira1Lara R. Cerveira2Vitor H. Paiva3Jaime A. Ramos4Faculty of Sciences and Technologies (FCT), Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, PortugalThe establishment of large populations of yellow-legged gull <i>Larus michahellis</i> in coastal and urban areas can lead to strong changes in vegetation cover and composition through creating physical disturbance in the vegetation and impacting the soil quality through defecation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of breeding yellow-legged gull populations on tall and short vegetation cover and plant species composition in old (occupied for 13 years) and new (occupied for 3 years) colony sites in grey dunes of the Algarve, southern Portugal. In each site, sampling plots were used to measure the percentage of vegetation cover in areas with and without breeding gulls. In the old colony site, the cover by tall vegetation was substantially reduced and the cover by short vegetation substantially increased in the areas where gulls are breeding in comparison with the adjacent areas. In the new colony sites, there were only minor differences. The increase in cover of short vegetation in the breeding area of the old colony site was mostly by nitrophilous species (<i>Paronychia argentea</i> and <i>Malcolmia littorea</i>) and should be explained by the decrease in vegetation cover of tall plant species and by feces deposition. Tall and slow-growing species <i>Suaeda maritima</i> and <i>Helichrysum italicum</i> covers were negatively affected. Our results showed that yellow-legged gulls affected vegetation cover and composition of grey dunes after 3 years of consecutive breeding, and this should be considered in the management of these habitats where breeding yellow-legged gulls are increasing.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/589colonial seabirddune vegetation<i>Larus michahellis</i>microhabitat preferencesnest vegetationnitrophilous species |
| spellingShingle | Diogo Portela Jorge M. Pereira Lara R. Cerveira Vitor H. Paiva Jaime A. Ramos The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats Diversity colonial seabird dune vegetation <i>Larus michahellis</i> microhabitat preferences nest vegetation nitrophilous species |
| title | The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats |
| title_full | The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats |
| title_short | The Impact of Breeding Yellow-Legged Gulls on Vegetation Cover and Plant Composition of Grey Dune Habitats |
| title_sort | impact of breeding yellow legged gulls on vegetation cover and plant composition of grey dune habitats |
| topic | colonial seabird dune vegetation <i>Larus michahellis</i> microhabitat preferences nest vegetation nitrophilous species |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/589 |
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