2024-03-28T22:06:02Zhttp://digital.csic.es/dspace-oai/requestoai:digital.csic.es:10261/1463022021-10-01T12:27:41Zcom_10261_13com_10261_8col_10261_266
Recent changes in the abundance of Common Pochard Aythya ferina breeding in Europe
Fox, A.D.
Caicergues, A.
Banik, M.V.
Devos, K.
Dvorak, M.
Ellermaa, M.
Folliot, B.
Green, Andy J.
Grünenberg, C.
Guillemain, M.
Aythya ferina
Breeding
Common Pochard
Population declines
Population stressors
National accounts suggest that the Common Pochard Aythya ferina was an uncommon
breeding bird throughout western Europe before 1850. Extensions to the breeding
range in the late 19th century were potentially aided by the rapid development of
managed fish-ponds in eastern Europe, which provided suitable novel habitat at that
time. Expansion into western Europe followed in subsequent decades. Wetland and
waterbody eutrophication throughout Europe, which likely provided food and cover
for the birds, may have accelerated the rapid expansion from the 1950s until the early
1980s. Widespread declines in the last 30 years, especially in eastern Europe, where
breeding numbers are highest, are possibly linked to intensification and/or
abandonment of freshwater fish farming and changes in water quality. Studies show
that Pochard gain fitness benefits from nesting in Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus
ridibundus colonies and hence has been affected by major losses of European gull
colonies in the last 30 years. The spread of alien fish species such as the Carp Cyprinus
carpio, which compete with Pochard for food resources, is a problem in the
Mediterranean region. Changing predation pressures (in some cases linked to invasive
alien mammals) are also implicated in some areas. Relatively modest numbers breeding
in the UK, France and the Netherlands have remained stable or increased over the
same recent span of years, confirming that different factors currently affect Pochard
breeding abundance throughout its range. We urgently need better information
relating to key factors affecting Pochard breeding success and abundance, which is
currently showing an unfavourable conservation status throughout much of Europe
Peer reviewed
2017-03-07T12:06:10Z
2017-03-07T12:06:10Z
2016
artículo
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Wildfowl, 66: 22-40 (2016)
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/146302
en
Publisher's version
http://wildfowl.wwt.org.uk/index.php/wildfowl/article/view/2638
Sí
open
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust