Dieter Wallschläger

Song dialects in the yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella: bioacoustic variation between and within dialects

The yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella is a common European bird that sings in dialects that for decades have been distinguished by the existence of one single element (called a “specific”). In this study we looked into other possibilities for dialect discrimination, measuring 24 different variables. For the first time, multivariate statistics were used to discriminate dialect in yellowhammer song. Two similar dialects (XlB and XsB) that are not clearly defined in the literature were studied. Statistics incorporated (1) all variables, (2) no variables of “specific” elements, and (3) no variables under the influence of these “specific” variables. Multivariate statistics support dialect discrimination by ear and confirmed that only one element in yellowhammer song characterises dialect. In addition, we looked for local differences within two dialects and found that one local observation area showed a higher separation than the other sites (Meck1). However, as yet there is insufficient evidence for the existence of a new subdialect.

Breeding dispersal directions in the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) are affected by spring migration routes

We examined breeding dispersal directions in the white stork (Ciconia ciconia), a migratory bird breeding in large parts of Europe. We asked whether and how the direction of the major spring/autumn migration route (from south-east to north-west and vice versa) affects breeding dispersal directions. Breeding dispersal directions were clearly nonrandomly distributed and were influenced by the major spring migration direction, leading to a bias toward south-eastward and north-westward breeding dispersal.

Einführung: Offene Sandlandschaften Mitteleuropas, Truppenübungsplätze und Naturschutz

Sandboden kommen in Mitteleuropa grosflachig im gesamten pleistozanen Tiefland vor. In raumlich geringerer Ausdehnung sind sie ferner in einem Gurtel im Mittelgebirgsraum vertreten. Einen uberblick Uber die Verbreitung von Sandboden in Deutschland gibt die Verbreitungskarte des Silbergrases (Corynephorus canescens), da diese Pflanzenart eng an offene Sandboden gebunden und auf diesen weit verbreitet ist (Abb. 1.1).

Serological and virological survey and resighting of marked wild geese in Germany

In order to investigate the potential role of arctic geese in the epidemiology, the spatial and temporal spread of selected avian diseases, in autumn 2002, a virological and serological survey designed as capture-mark-resighting study was conducted in one of the most important coastal resting sites for migratory waterfowl in Germany. Oropharyngeal, cloacal swabs and blood samples were collected from a total of 147 birds comprising of three different arctic geese species including White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), Tundra Bean Goose (Anser fabalis rossicus), Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) as well as from 29 non-migratory Canada Geese (Branta canadensis). Altogether, six adeno-like viruses (ALV; 95% CI, 1.74–9.92%) and two avian paramyxoviruses (APMV-4; 95% CI, 0.19–5.53%) were isolated mainly from juvenile White-fronted Geese. In addition, four Canada Geese were infected with lentogenic APMV-1 (95% CI, 3.89–31.66%) at the date of sampling. No avian influenza viruses, reo-like viruses could be isolated despite serological evidence. Likewise, no evidence of current or previous infection by West Nile virus was found. Of the 147 birds tagged in the following years, 137 birds were re-sighted between 2002 and 2008 accumulating to 1925 sightings. About 90% of all sightings were reported from the main wintering and resting sites in Germany and The Netherlands. Eight of the resighted geese were virus positive (ALV and APMV-4) at the time point of sampling in 2002.

Ökologische Datenerfassung für Naturschutzbewertung und Monitoring im Offenland

Offenlandschaften auf ehemaligen und aktiven Truppenubungsplatzen weisen eine Reihe von bereits im Kap. 1 naher erlauterte Spezifika wie Grosflachigkeit und Storungsarmut, geringe Nutzungsintensitat, anhaltende Dynamik und breites Lebensraumspektrum auf, die bei der Auswahl der Methoden zur okologischen Datenerfassung berucksichtigt werden mussen: