Passeriformes as Indicators of Biodiversity Conservation in the Frontline Zone of Sumy Region

Abstract

Passeriformes are a sensitive group of birds that play a role as indicators of biodiversity, pollution, and environmental change. The military operations taking place in the Sumy region are the main threat to the region’s biodiversity. Undoubtedly, the consequences of these threats can be reflected in a decrease in numbers, phenological changes, and changes in trophic interaction. However, due to their properties and ability to adapt, I assume that birds of the Passeriformes can respond to these environmental changes in different ways. Given the mosaic of different vegetation types and the presence of many transitional areas between them, the study area was divided into five habitats: household plots, pine forest, Vorsklytsia River, pastures, and agrocenoses. During the research period, 48 species of birds belonging to 18 families and 36 genera were identified. This study allowed us to confirm the hypothesis that similar species of birds are found in the three biotopes (pastures, agrocenoses, and household plots) and that most of them may have similar food resources in their diet. The results of grouping in the space of projections of the principal components, PC1 and PC2, taking into account the measured indicators of the number of representatives of the Passeriformes in relation to different habitats, showed a strong positive relationship between the number of bird species of the Passeriformes in pastures and agrocenoses, and the average relationship was determined for household plots and the Vorsklytsia River. A negative correlation was found for the pine forest, which shows a fairly high number of species as well as the originality of the habitat. The basis of the Passeriformes population was formed by sedentary birds. The highest proportion of sedentary species was found in household plots (31.3%) and the pine forest (31.3%). Dendrophiles were the most numerous group: in the pine forest, 95.2% (of all species), household plots, 66.7%, pastures, 50%, and Vorsklytsia River, 37.5%. Hollow-nested species had a high proportion of 57.1% in the pine forest, crown-nested species 46.7% also in the pine forest, shrubs 50% in household plots, and ground-shrubs 60% near the Vorsklytsia River. The highest proportion of species was found for entomophagous birds (30.3%) and polyphagous birds (31.4%) in the pine forest, while the phytophagous bird group had the highest proportion of 50% in the household plots.

Keywords

• birds
• biotopes
• sumy region
• ecological groups of birds
• indicator species
• military actions