Graf Roland

Effekt von Erholungs- und Freizeitaktivitäten auf Waldvögel

Project Number: CH-5662

Project Type:	Bachelor
Project Duration:	01/05/2015 - 10/31/2015 project completed
Funding Source:	other ,
Leading Institution:	Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften ZHAW, Wädenswil
Project Leader:	Dr. Roland Graf Institut Umwelt & Natürliche Ressourcen (IUNR) ZHAW Grüntal 8820 Wädenswil Phone: ; +41 (0) 58 934 55 78 FAX: +41 (0) 58 934 59 11 e-Mail: roland.graf(at)zhaw.ch http://www.unr.ch/

related to this project.

for which the project has a relevance.

Research Areas:

Biodiversity

Disciplines:

zoology

Abstract:
Outdoor recreation is increasing in intensity and space. Areas previously inaccessible are now being visited by ever-growing numbers of people, which increases human-wildlife encounters across taxa. Animals often perceive humans as predators and mount physiological and behavioural responses that can have negative consequences. Still, surprisingly little is known about the effects of human recreation activities on woodland birds, although woods are frequently used for recreation.
I did point counts of birds within 50 m during the breeding season to compare locations which differ in human recreation activities (two heavily frequented sites and two hardly ever visited forests) to study the possible effect of recreation upon bird densities and species. In particular, we aim at disentangling the effects of forest roads (habitat alteration) from human disturbance. Within both highly frequented forests we could measure significantly less individuals and less species (only significant for one of the forests) in point counts next to the road than in point counts more apart from the road. Also less species were counted in both of the previous mentioned forest.
With the present knowledge, it is still hardly possible to identify a threshold value of visitor intensity, below which no effect on bird density and species composition can be expected. Therefore more studies are needed which examine the effect of human recreation activities on the decrease of bird densities and species and propose to develop appropriate, practical conservation measures.

Publications:
Scherl, Daniel. 2015. Effekt von Erholungs- und Freizeitaktivitäten auf die Bestände von Waldvögeln. Bachelorthesis, ZHAW Wädenswil, Dep. LSFM, mit Unterstützung der Schweizerischen Vogelwarte Sempach.
pdf Bachelorthesis


Last update: 7/18/17
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-5662

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