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Optimal habitat conditions for the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler A crocephalus paludicola in eastern Poland and their implications for fen management
Author(s) -
Kloskowski Janusz,
Tanneberger Franziska,
Marczakiewicz Piotr,
Wiśniewska Anna,
Choynowska Agata
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/ibi.12247
Subject(s) - acrocephalus , ecology , netting , habitat , threatened species , vegetation (pathology) , abundance (ecology) , biology , ecological succession , medicine , population , demography , pathology , sociology , political science , law
To identify optimal habitat for the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola , a flagship species of fen mires, we related numbers of singing males to habitat variables in all core breeding sites in eastern Poland. The density of male Aquatic Warblers increased with increasing ground cover by water and mosses and litter layer height, and was highest where vegetation was 60–90 cm tall. Male densities also increased with the biomass of arthropods > 10 mm length, estimated by sweep netting, and with the abundance of spiders, estimated by pan trapping. We suggest that habitat management should take into account species‐specific morphological adaptations, nest safety and arthropod productivity. Prevention of vegetation succession is a conservation priority for open fen mires. However, modern management practices to achieve this, especially mowing using tracked vehicles, should be evaluated and optimized to ensure that such practices do not adversely affect the long‐term development of moss cover and litter structure.