Invasive plants v. birds: scientists looking for birds in black locust ****************************************************************************************** * Invasive plants v. birds: scientists looking for birds in black locust ****************************************************************************************** One topic that is closely followed by ecologists is the spontaneous spread of non-native s countryside. Amongst the most well-known of these in the Czech Republic is the black locus which in some areas creates unbroken, impenetrable ‘forests’, destroying the original vege Reif and his team from the CU Faculty of Science [ URL "http://www.natur.cuni.cz/fakulta"] starting a new study which aims to clarify the effect that invasive plants have on birdlif Republic. Which plants, in view of your scientific focus, are of greatest interest to you? Birds essentially don’t mind if there is just a single non-native tree in the middle of a therefore concentrate on plants that create continuous growth, one of which is the black l also considering including the Weymouth pine, which is widespread in the Czech Switzerland major steps have been taken to limit the tree and its growth levels have been significantl Widespread in the Křivoklát area is the northern red oak; however this species does not, c black locust, create such large, continuous growths. As far as the oak is concerned we wil try to determine how high a percentage of this tree species in a forest can change the spe of birdlife in the given locality. We will compare growths of black locust with the origin Invasive herbs do not appear to have a great influence on birdlife. I have read that the black locust has toxic effects on plants in its vicinity (except for and it is therefore unsafe for native species, which it destroys. How does this affect bir While the more in-depth research is still to come, we already have a certain, preliminary effect growths of black locust have on birds. Typical for this type of plant is a well-dev phase, which houses primarily undemanding bird species – e.g. the Eurasian blackcap – and the outskirts of towns. Species that are less restricted in ecological terms can generally black locust more. On the other hand, species dependent on hollows and ecological speciali middle spotted woodpecker, are disappearing. What form does the actual measuring and monitoring process take? We want to study the effect invasive plant species have on birdlife. We will focus primari season, when birds reproduce and stay in one place. We will mark out certain areas measuri 100 x100 metres, corresponding to the territory of small songbirds such as the chaffinch, robin and tit. We will count the number of birds in these areas, chiefly focusing on the m out their territory with song. One male usually means one pair nesting at a particular loc out several counts to ensure that we have precise data. Based on this data we will estimat species in defined areas and create models of the various ecological relationships that in The study will also include an entomological survey. We will install a light trap at certa catch insects to help us determine how much food there is for birds. Our starting thesis i the amount of food, the lower the number of bird species present. We will then also attemp predatory pressure in growths of invasive plants. We will create artificial nests in which place eggs of the Japanese quail, distribute them around several locations and then check period corresponding to the time the birds take care of the nest. The number of eggs remai used to assess the predatory pressure in plant growths. How will you monitor non-songbirds? For example, while woodpeckers don’t sing, they do make noises. Their chief means of marki territory is ‘drumming’, i.e. they perch on a branch, preferably a dry one, on which they beak. Every species has a slightly different way of drumming that can be used to distingui Is there a chance that some species will disappear entirely from the Czech landscape due t spreading growths of non-native plants? Theoretically yes, but there’s no risk of that at the present time. We haven’t heard of an acutely threatened. In the medium term there could be a reduction in population, but not t It’s the same as if, for example, a meadow was turned into a field: this would mean a fata many species; however, if such a change was not on a large scale, species would not disapp new conditions could suit some of them. I read a study from Poland, where goldenrod, an in spreads on abandoned meadows, changing the vegetation structure in such a way that, while survive in it, it suits one specific species – the march warbler. Could new plant growths, on the other hand, attract non-native bird species to the Czech R Not completely, but my colleagues from Palacký University in Olomouc have found that Euras like black locusts, even though they lose a lot of broods there. It’s a kind of ecological Some bird species that do not have so many ecological limitations and which are, furthermo and clever, are now moving into towns. These species have large brains and are capable of opportunities. These include, for example, tits and jays. It is therefore possible that we in new plant growths species that occur more frequently in towns. I don’t, however, expect species new to the Czech Republic. Do you agree with the targeted destruction of invasive plants in the countryside? That’s a difficult question that I can’t give an entirely simple answer to. It’s definitel intervene in cases where such growths could cause major changes to the environment and whe is also technically feasible. That’s what happened in the case of the Weymouth pine in Cze where its destruction was both justified and successful. However, we probably won’t be able to totally eliminate the black locust. The struggle aga is justified in places that are valuable, for example the Podyjí National Park. However, i are growing on top of a hill that would otherwise be covered by a species-thin (even if na where no-one minds it, there’s no reason to get rid of it. The approach to be taken is dependent on the local context, so can’t just make a blanket s non-native species must be combated. It would, however, be good to consider their reductio of view of overall priorities for environmental protection. Mgr. Jiří Reif, Ph.D. [ URL "http://"] (born 1980) is a graduate of the CU Faculty of Scie in the quantity and distribution of birds, macroecology and tropical ecology. For his project Natural relations in long-term changes in bird numbers: from the descripti supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GA CR), he was nominated for the Awar received the Dean’s Prize of the CU Faculty of Science for young scientists up to the age birdlife. Dr. Reif has successfully completed the habilitation process and is awaiting appointment a