Influence of climatic conditions and hazelnut farming on the temporal trends and spatial distribution of waterbirds at wintering grounds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30456/avo.29818Parole chiave:
Intensive farming, waterfowls, volcanic lake, nutrient enrichment, wetlandAbstract
Waterbird distribution in Mediterranean wetlands during winter is influenced by habitat conditions, climate, food availability, and human activities. We analysed count data from the International Waterbird Census (2009–2025) at a volcanic lake in central Italy heavily impacted by intensive hazelnut cultivation. Our goal was to assess spatio-temporal trends of long-distance migratory waterbirds and evaluate the influence of large-scale climate (North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO) and the impact of hazelnut farming near the lake. Temporal trends were analysed using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), while spatial patterns were assessed with Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) using a negative binomial distribution. Analyses were performed at both species level and by grouping species into taxonomic and trophic categories. In total, 74,207 individuals from 28 species were recorded. Five species showed significant declines, particularly among dabbling and diving ducks, as well as herbivorous and omnivorous birds. These declines may be linked to nutrient enrichment from hazelnut farming, which degrades aquatic vegetation and reduces food availability. Despite overall declines, waterbirds were still found—across most taxonomic groups (except herons) and trophic guilds—along lake shores adjacent to hazelnut orchards. This spatial pattern may reflect the presence of remnant patches of palatable aquatic plants in these areas due to eutrophication. We found no significant relationship between bird abundance and the NAO index, suggesting that local temperature anomalies and habitat degradation may play a more decisive role than broad climatic patterns. Our findings highlight the importance of local environmental conditions, particularly land use practices, in shaping wintering waterbird distribution in Mediterranean wetlands. We encourage the replication of this study across other sites to assess if the impact of hazelnut orchards is circumstantial.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Gianpasquale Chiatante, Giampiero Tirone, Fabio Scarfò, Giuseppe Puddu, David Costantini
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Accettato 2025-12-26
Pubblicato 2026-06-19
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Università degli Studi della Tuscia
Numeri delle sovvenzioni project ECS00000024 Rome Technopole
