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Effects of Habitat Disturbance from Residential Development on Breeding Bird Communities in Riparian Corridors

Environmental Management volume 38, pages 504–521 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

This study assessed the relationship among land use, riparian vegetation, and avian populations at two spatial scales. Our objective was to compare the vegetated habitat in riparian corridors with breeding bird guilds in eight Rhode Island subwatersheds along a range of increasing residential land use. Riparian habitats were characterized with fine-scale techniques (used field transects to measure riparian vegetation structure and plant species richness) at the reach spatial scale, and with coarse-scale landscape techniques (a Geographic Information System to document land-cover attributes) at the subwatershed scale. Bird surveys were conducted in the riparian zone, and the observed bird species were separated into guilds based on tolerance to human disturbance, habitat preference, foraging type, and diet preference. Bird guilds were correlated with riparian vegetation metrics, percent impervious surface, and percent residential land use, revealing patterns of breeding bird distribution. The number of intolerant species predominated below 12% residential development and 3% impervious surface, whereas tolerant species predominated above these levels. Habitat guilds of edge, forest, and wetland bird species correlated with riparian vegetation. This study showed that the application of avian guilds at both stream reach and subwatershed scales offers a comprehensive assessment of effects from disturbed habitat, but that the subwatershed scale is a more efficient method of evaluation for environmental management.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Ken Rahn for editing assistance and to Jim Heltshe for statistical advice. We also thank Stephan Hames, Walter Berry, Wayne Munns, Tim Gleason, and Jason Grear for their support and helpful discussions during the preparation of this article. Although the research described in this article has been funded wholly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it has not been subjected to Agency-level review. Therefore, it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Contribution number NHEERL-AED-04-132.

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Affiliations

  1. Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, Rhode Island, 02882, USA

    Suzanne M. Lussier

  2. R.I. Department of Environmental Management, Natural Heritage Program, 235 Promenade Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02908, USA

    Richard W. Enser

  3. Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, LLC, 572 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, New York, 11747, USA

    Sara N. Dasilva

  4. Computer Sciences Corporation, c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, Rhode Island, 02882, USA

    Michael Charpentier

Authors
  1. Suzanne M. Lussier
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  2. Richard W. Enser
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  3. Sara N. Dasilva
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  4. Michael Charpentier
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne M. Lussier.

Appendix

Appendix

Table A1 List of bird species, diet, and guilds
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Table A2 List of bird species counted at survey sites along Residential land use gradient, categorized by tolerant and intolerant bird guilds.
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Lussier, S.M., Enser, R.W., Dasilva, S.N. et al. Effects of Habitat Disturbance from Residential Development on Breeding Bird Communities in Riparian Corridors. Environmental Management 38, 504–521 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-005-0088-3

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Keywords

  • Birds
  • Habitat
  • Urbanization
  • Riparian
  • Watershed assessment
  • Land use
  • Monitoring