Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Long-Term Dynamics of the Community Structure of Larks (Alaudidae, Aves) in the Northwestern Caspian Lowland

  • Published:
Biology Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract—We studied the population structure and the number of larks in the steppe and semidesert zones of the Caspian Lowland (within the territories of the Alexandrov-Gai district of Saratov region, Russian Federation, and Dzhanybek and Bokey-Ordyn districts of the Western Kazakhstan region, Republic of Kazakhstan) in six key areas in 2011–2018. From the data obtained, dynamic series of the density dynamics were calculated for each lark species (Tgr, growth rate). The group statistical indicators were R, which is the fluctuation magnitude of the lark density, and u, the coefficient of variation, etc.; using Pearson’s χ2 statistics, the normal type of lark distribution was checked in their habitats. A correlation analysis between the density of larks and values of the vegetation index (NDVI) was performed. It has been established that four species of lark (calandra lark, white-winged, black and lesser short-toed larks) show a tendency toward a decrease in their density in the Alexandrov-Gai district. The maximum decrease in abundance was observed for the white-winged lark (Tgr = –28.4%, R2 = 0.785). In the Western Kazakhstan part of the habitat, the highest negative growth rate was recorded for the skylark (Tgr = –99.9%), while the maximum positive one was observed for the white-winged lark (Tgr = +25.2). It has been revealed that the lark density dynamics and the structure of their nesting population are influenced by the vegetation level in the previous year, as well as the vegetation structure associated with the soil and ground conditions of this mosaic landscape and the anthropogenic press, such as cattle pasture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Bibby, C., Jones, M., and Marsden, S., Field Research Techniques: Bird Study and Census, Moscow: Soyuz Okhrany Ptits Rossii, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Box, E.O., Holben, B.N., and Kalb, V., Accuracy of the AVHRR vegetation index as a predictor of biomass, primary productivity and net CO2 flux, Vegetatio, 1989, vol. 80, no. 2, pp. 71–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Doskach, A.G., Prirodnoye rayonirovaniye Prikaspiyskoy polupustyni (Natural Zoning of the Cis-Caspian Semidesert), Moscow: Nauka, 1979.

  4. Fedorova, N.L., Structure and dynamics of natural ecosystems and their components in the Chernye Zemli State Biosphere Reserve, Cand. Sci. (Biol.). Dissertation, Saratov, 2012.

  5. Kawamura, K., Akiyama, T., Yokota, H., Tsutsumi, M., Yasuda, T., Watanabe, O., and Wang, S., Comparing MODIS vegetation indices with AVHRR NDVI for monitoring the forage quantity and quality in Inner Mongolia grassland, China, Grassland Sci., 2005, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 33–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kopyl, I.V. and Nikolaev, V.A., Physiographic zoning of the Caspian Lowland based on space imaging, Vestn. Mosk. Gos. Univ., Ser. 5: Geogr., 1984, no. 1, pp. 65–70.

  7. Kruskal, W.H. and Wallis, W.A., The use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis, J. Am. Stat. Assoc., 1952, vol. 47, no. 260, pp. 583–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Makarov, V.Z. and Pichugina, N.V., Polupustynnoye Saratovskoye Priuzenye: struktura pochvennogo pokrova. landshafty i problemy prirodopolzovaniya (Saratob Uzen Semidesert: Soil Cover Structure, Landscapes, and Nature Management Problems), Saratov: Nauka, 2015.

  9. Makarov, V.Z., Pichugina, N.V., and Gusev, V.A., On landscape and agricultural zoning of the Saratov Transvolga region, in Osnovy ratsionalnogo prirodopolzovaniya: Materialy IV Mezhdunar. nauch.-prakt. konf. (Foundations of Rational Nature Management: Proc. Int. Sci.-Pract Conf.), Saratov: Saratovsky Istochnik, 2013, pp. 157–161.

  10. Oparin, M.L., Oparina, O.S., Mamayev, A.B., and Ruban, O.A., Population structure of ground-nesting birds in the Saratov Transvolga Region and its centennial and interannual dynamics, Povolzh. Ekol. Zh., 2013, no. 3, pp. 280–290.

  11. Oparin, M.L., Konyushkova, M.V., Oparina, O.S., Mamayev, A.B., Shadrina, M.B., and Ruban, O.A., Structure of nesting lark (Alaudidae, Aves) communities in typical semidesert habitats of the Caspian Lowland, Povolzh. Ekol. Zh., 2014, no. 3, pp. 379–392.

  12. Oparin, M.L., Kondratenkov, I.A., Konyushkova, M.V., Oparina, O.S., Mamayev, A.B., Trofimov, I.A., and Trofimova, L.S., Structural dynamics of nesting lark (Alaudidae, Aves) communities in semidesert of the Saratov Transvolga Region, Povolzh. Ekol. Zh., 2015, no. 3, pp. 277–293.

  13. Oparin, M.L., Nukhimovskaya, Yu.D., Konyushkova, M.V., Trofimova, L.S., Oparina, O.S., Mamaev, A.B., and Trofimov, I.A., Analysis of soil and plant cover from satellite imagery to assess its relation with lark (Alaudidae, Aves) habitats in the Transvolga semidesert, Povolzh. Ekol. Zh., 2017, no. 4, pp. 369–381.

  14. Paruelo, J.M., Epstein, H.E., Lauenroth, W.K., and Burke, I.C., ANPP estimates from NDVI for the Central grassland region of the United States, Ecology, 1997, vol. 78, no. 3, pp. 953–958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Pearson, K., On the criterion that a given system of deviations from the probable in the case of a correlated system of variables is such that it can be reasonably supposed to have arisen from random sampling, Philos. Mag. Ser., 1900, vol. 5, no. 50 (302), pp. 157–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Pichugina, N.V., Landscape structure and functional use of the Uzen semideserts, Saratov oblast, in Materialy mezhdunar. nauch. konf. “Bioresursy i bioraznoobrazie ekosistem Povolzh’ya: proshloe, nastoyaschee, buduschee” (Bioresources and Biodiversity of Volga Ecosystems: Their Past, Present, Future: Proc. Int. Conf.), Saratov: Saratov. Gos. Univ., 2005, pp. 41–43.

  17. Pichugina, N.V., Landscape structure of the Satarov Uzen semidesert, in Materialy XI mezhdunar. landshaftnoi konf. “Landshaftovedenie : teoriya, metody, regional’nye issledovaniya, praktika” (Landscape Science: Theory, Methods, Regional Studies, and Practice, Proc. Int. Landscape Conf.), Moscow: Mosk. Gos. Univ., 2006, pp. 23–32.

  18. Pichugina, N.V., Geoecological aspects of natural resource use in the semidesert Uzen region of Saratov oblast, Cand. Sci. (Geogr.) Dissertation, Astrakhan, 2012.

  19. Ravkin, E.S. and Chelintsev, N.G., Metodicheskiye rekomendatsii po kompleksnomu marshrutnomu uchetu ptits (Methodological Guidelines for Integrated Route Census of Birds), Moscow: Nauchni-Issled. Inst. Okhrany Prirody i Zapovednogo Dela, 1990.

Download references

Funding

This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 16-05-00488) (50%), a Program of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Biodiversity of Natural Systems and Biological Resources of Russia” (project no. 0109-2018-0067 “Patterns of Biodiversity Change in Anthropogenically Transformed Ecosystems”) (20%), and a planned scientific theme (project no. 0109-2018-00010) (30%).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Saratov Branch, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 410028, Saratov, Russia

    M. L. Oparin, A. B. Mamaev & O. S. Oparina

  2. Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology, 141055, Lobnya, Moscow region, Russia

    L. S. Trofimova

Authors
  1. M. L. Oparin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. B. Mamaev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. O. S. Oparina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. S. Trofimova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. L. Oparin.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Translated by L. Solovyova

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Oparin, M.L., Mamaev, A.B., Oparina, O.S. et al. Long-Term Dynamics of the Community Structure of Larks (Alaudidae, Aves) in the Northwestern Caspian Lowland. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 46, 1339–1346 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359019100236

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359019100236

Search

Navigation