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Laying date and clutch size of Great Tits(Parus major) in the Mediterranean region: a comparison of four habitat types

Legedatum und Gelegegröße der Kohlmeise(Parus major) in mediterranen Gebieten: Ein Vergleich zwischen vier verschiedenen Biotopen

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Summary

Laying data and clutch size of Great Tits were studied in four different habitats in eastern Spain: two holm oak(Quercus ilex) forests, at 500 and 900–950 m a.s.l., a zeen oak(Quercus faginea) forest, at 900–1100 m a.s.l., a pine(Pinus sylvestris) forest, at 1000–1050 m a.s.l., and orange(Citrus aurantium) plantations, at 30 m a.s.l. All sites were placed at about the same latitude (39–41°N), and all were studied during the same years (1992–95). Our results show that (1) laying date did not differ between the natural habitats at the same altitude (range of the means of yearly means 4–8 May); (2) within the same habitat type (holm oak forest) laying date was earlier at low altitude (30 Aprilvs. 8 May); (3) laying date was earlier in the orange plantations (21 April) than in natural habitats; (4) among natural habitats at the same altitude, clutch size decreased from zeen oak (mean of yearly means 7.3 eggs) to holm oak (7.0 eggs) to pine forests (6.4 eggs), though only the difference between zeen oak and pine forests was significant; (5) within the same habitat type (holm oak forest), the clutch size tended to be larger at high altitude (7.0vs. 5.9 eggs); and (6) clutch size in orange plantations (7.7 eggs) did not differ significantly from that of the zeen oak forest, but was larger than in the holm oak and pine forests. We discuss the effect of the habitat type on laying date and clutch size of Great Tits.

Zusammenfassung

Legedatum und Gelegegröße der Kohlmeise wurden in vier unterschiedlichen Biotopen in Ostspanien untersucht: zwei Steineichenwälder(Quercus ilex) in 500 m und 900–950 mNN, ein Bergeichenwald(Quercus faginea) in 900–1100 mNN, ein Kiefernwald(Pinus sylvestris) in 1000–1050 mNN und eine Orangenpflanzung(Citrus aurantium) in 30 mNN. Alle fünf Gebiete lagen auf etwa demselben Breitengrad (39–41°N) und wurden 1992–1995 parallel untersucht.

(1) Auf gleicher Meereshöhe unterscheidet sich der Legebeginn nicht zwischen den verschiedenen Waldbiotopen (im Mittel 4.–8. Mai). (2) Innerhalb desselben Biotoptyps (Steineichenwald) war der Legebeginn auf niedrigerer Meereshöhe früher als in höheren Lagen (30. April vs. 8. Mai). (3) Im Orangenhain wurde früher mit der Eiablage begonnen (21. April) als in den Waldbiotopen. (4) Auf gleicher Meereshöhe nahm die Gelegegröße vom Bergeichenwald (Mittelwert 7.3 Eier) über die Steineichenwälder (7,0 Eier) zum Kiefernwald hin ab (6.4 Eier), jedoch ist nur der Unterschied zwischen Bergeichenwald und Kiefernwald signifikant. (5) Innerhalb der Steineichenwälder besteht die Tendenz zu größerer Gelegegröße in den höheren Lagen (7.0 vs. 5.9 Eier). (6) Im Orangenhain war die Gelegegröße mit durchschnittlich 7.7 Eier ähnlich der im Bergeichenwald, aber größer als in den Steineichen- und Kiefernwälder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Ecología, Universidad de Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain

    Eduardo J. Beldal, Emilio Barba, José A. Gil-Delgado, Domingo J. Iglesias & Juan S. Monrós

  2. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Apartado 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain

    Germán M. López

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  1. Eduardo J. Beldal
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  2. Emilio Barba
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  3. José A. Gil-Delgado
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  4. Domingo J. Iglesias
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  5. Germán M. López
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  6. Juan S. Monrós
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Correspondence to Eduardo J. Beldal.

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Beldal, E.J., Barba, E., Gil-Delgado, J.A. et al. Laying date and clutch size of Great Tits(Parus major) in the Mediterranean region: a comparison of four habitat types. J Ornithol 139, 269–276 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01653337

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