Abstract
We assessed the benefit of 11 gravel pits for the settlement of waterbird communities in an urbanized area lacking natural wetlands. Gravel pits captured 57% of the regional species pool of aquatic birds. We identified 39 species, among which five were regionally rare. We used the Self-Organizing Map algorithm to calculate the probabilities of presence of species, and to bring out habitat conditions that predict assemblage patterns. The age of the pits did not correlate with assemblage composition and species richness. There was a positive influence of macrophyte cover on waterbird species richness. Larger pits did not support more species, but species richness increased with connectivity. As alternative wetland habitats, gravel pits are attractive to waterbirds, when they act as stepping stones that ensure connectivity between larger natural and/or artificial wetlands separated in space.
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Guest editors: B. Oertli, R. Cereghino, A. Hull & R. Miracle
Pond Conservation: From Science to Practice. 3rd Conference of the European Pond Conservation Network, Valencia, Spain, 14–16 May 2008
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Santoul, F., Gaujard, A., Angélibert, S. et al. Gravel pits support waterbird diversity in an urban landscape. Hydrobiologia 634, 107–114 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9886-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9886-6