Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests

Nest predation is a major factor limiting avian reproductive success. It depends on factors such as bird community, land use, vegetation structure and landscape. Anthropogenic disturbances in native forests, such as logging and livestock grazing, alter forest structure and understory, potentially a...

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Main Authors: Benitez, Julieta, Peri, Pablo Luis, Barrera, Marcelo Daniel, Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José, Lencinas, María Vanessa
Format: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: MDPI 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24592
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/16/11/1741
https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111741
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author Benitez, Julieta
Peri, Pablo Luis
Barrera, Marcelo Daniel
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Lencinas, María Vanessa
author_browse Barrera, Marcelo Daniel
Benitez, Julieta
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Peri, Pablo Luis
author_facet Benitez, Julieta
Peri, Pablo Luis
Barrera, Marcelo Daniel
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Lencinas, María Vanessa
author_sort Benitez, Julieta
collection INTA Digital
description Nest predation is a major factor limiting avian reproductive success. It depends on factors such as bird community, land use, vegetation structure and landscape. Anthropogenic disturbances in native forests, such as logging and livestock grazing, alter forest structure and understory, potentially affecting nest predation rates. In this study, we analysed the susceptibility of open-cup nests to predation in Nothofagus antarctica forests in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), comparing 15–50 years ago thinned—T and unthinned forests, the latter classified as open—O, closed—C or very closed—VC. We also identified nest predators through camera traps and the main variables influencing predation using a Generalized Lineal Model. Data were collected from 32 sites representing the four studied categories of canopy cover across two years (256 artificial nests per year). Artificial nest predation rates varied between year (9.4% in 2018 and 40.2% in 2022) and among forest types. In 2018, the O forests had the highest predation rate (50%, 12 in total), whereas in 2022, VC forests showed the greatest predation (38%, 39 in total). Camera traps identified three nest predators: Milvago chimango, Campephilus magellanicus and Xolmis pyrope. In 2018, canopy cover was the only variable that influenced artificial nest predation, while in 2022, tree sapling cover, patch shape, open-cup nester density and tree basal area were the most influential (in that order). We found annual variations driven by different ecological factors in N. antarctica forest of southern Patagonia. Although thinning showed no significant long-term effects on artificial nest predation on this study, more research is needed to understand the influence of low impact forest management in austral bird communities.
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institution Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina)
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spelling INTA245922025-12-16T18:04:18Z Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests Benitez, Julieta Peri, Pablo Luis Barrera, Marcelo Daniel Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José Lencinas, María Vanessa Primary Forests Thinning Nothofagus Canopy Land Use Landscape Grazing Ecosystem Disturbance Predation Bosque Primario Aclareo Canopeo Uso de la Tierra Paisaje Pastoreo Perturbación del Ecosistema Tierra del Fuego Nothofagus antarctica Ñire Cobertura de Canopeo Comunidad de Aves Estructura de la Vegetación Milvago chimango Campephilus magellanicus Xolmis pyrope Región patagonica Patagonian region Canopy Cover Bird Community Vegetation Structure Nest predation is a major factor limiting avian reproductive success. It depends on factors such as bird community, land use, vegetation structure and landscape. Anthropogenic disturbances in native forests, such as logging and livestock grazing, alter forest structure and understory, potentially affecting nest predation rates. In this study, we analysed the susceptibility of open-cup nests to predation in Nothofagus antarctica forests in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), comparing 15–50 years ago thinned—T and unthinned forests, the latter classified as open—O, closed—C or very closed—VC. We also identified nest predators through camera traps and the main variables influencing predation using a Generalized Lineal Model. Data were collected from 32 sites representing the four studied categories of canopy cover across two years (256 artificial nests per year). Artificial nest predation rates varied between year (9.4% in 2018 and 40.2% in 2022) and among forest types. In 2018, the O forests had the highest predation rate (50%, 12 in total), whereas in 2022, VC forests showed the greatest predation (38%, 39 in total). Camera traps identified three nest predators: Milvago chimango, Campephilus magellanicus and Xolmis pyrope. In 2018, canopy cover was the only variable that influenced artificial nest predation, while in 2022, tree sapling cover, patch shape, open-cup nester density and tree basal area were the most influential (in that order). We found annual variations driven by different ecological factors in N. antarctica forest of southern Patagonia. Although thinning showed no significant long-term effects on artificial nest predation on this study, more research is needed to understand the influence of low impact forest management in austral bird communities. EEA Santa Cruz Fil: Benitez, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas. Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral (UNPA). Santa Cruz; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fil: Barrera, Marcelo Daniel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Investigación de Sistemas Ecológicos y Ambientales; Argentina. Fil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. 2025-12-16T17:55:30Z 2025-12-16T17:55:30Z 2025-11-18 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24592 https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/16/11/1741 Benitez J.; Peri P.L.; Barrera M.; Martínez Pastur G.; Lencinas M.V. (2025) Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests. Forests 16: 1741. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111741 1999-4907 (electronic) https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111741 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) application/pdf MDPI Forests 16 (11) : 1741. (November 2025)
spellingShingle Primary Forests
Thinning
Nothofagus
Canopy
Land Use
Landscape
Grazing
Ecosystem Disturbance
Predation
Bosque Primario
Aclareo
Canopeo
Uso de la Tierra
Paisaje
Pastoreo
Perturbación del Ecosistema
Tierra del Fuego
Nothofagus antarctica
Ñire
Cobertura de Canopeo
Comunidad de Aves
Estructura de la Vegetación
Milvago chimango
Campephilus magellanicus
Xolmis pyrope
Región patagonica
Patagonian region
Canopy Cover
Bird Community
Vegetation Structure
Benitez, Julieta
Peri, Pablo Luis
Barrera, Marcelo Daniel
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title_full Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title_fullStr Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title_full_unstemmed Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title_short Bird community, forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open-cup nest predation in austral forests
title_sort bird community forest structure and landscape affects the susceptibility to open cup nest predation in austral forests
topic Primary Forests
Thinning
Nothofagus
Canopy
Land Use
Landscape
Grazing
Ecosystem Disturbance
Predation
Bosque Primario
Aclareo
Canopeo
Uso de la Tierra
Paisaje
Pastoreo
Perturbación del Ecosistema
Tierra del Fuego
Nothofagus antarctica
Ñire
Cobertura de Canopeo
Comunidad de Aves
Estructura de la Vegetación
Milvago chimango
Campephilus magellanicus
Xolmis pyrope
Región patagonica
Patagonian region
Canopy Cover
Bird Community
Vegetation Structure
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/24592
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/16/11/1741
https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111741
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