Department of Entomology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.
Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 Oct;26(30):31086-31098. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-06245-0. Epub 2019 Aug 27.
With a length exceeding 210,000 km in Europe, railways are common linear features dissecting landscapes. However, the impact of railway networks on biodiversity is equivocal. In this study, we investigated the effect of railway embankments on bird diversity components in an agricultural landscape in southern Poland. Forty transects including 20 along railways and 20 as controls in open fields were established. Birds were counted twice in 2009, and environmental characteristics were estimated for each transect. Ordination techniques and generalized additive models were used to compare species composition, richness, abundance, conservation status, population trends and phylogenetic and functional diversity indices between railway and field transects. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity but not abundance nor functional diversity were higher along railway transects than along field transects. Diversity indices near railways, mostly species richness and phylogenetic diversity, were positively associated with bush cover, wet meadow cover, wetland cover and the slope of the railway but negatively associated with dry meadow cover and field cover. Our study shows that railway embankments may be beneficial for bird diversity but probably do not alter the functional properties of bird communities as much as open fields. Proper management of these linear habitats may increase their value for birds and contribute to long-term bird community persistence.
在欧洲，铁路长度超过 21 万公里，是常见的线性景观特征。然而，铁路网络对生物多样性的影响尚无定论。本研究调查了波兰南部一个农业景观中铁路路堤对鸟类多样性成分的影响。建立了 40 个样带，其中 20 个沿铁路，20 个作为开放田野的对照。2009 年两次对鸟类进行计数，并为每个样带估计了环境特征。排序技术和广义加性模型用于比较铁路和田野样带之间的物种组成、丰富度、丰度、保护状况、种群趋势以及系统发育和功能多样性指数。与田野样带相比，铁路样带的物种丰富度和系统发育多样性较高，但丰度和功能多样性较低。靠近铁路的多样性指数（主要是物种丰富度和系统发育多样性）与灌木覆盖、湿地覆盖、湿地覆盖和铁路坡度呈正相关，与旱地覆盖和田野覆盖呈负相关。本研究表明，铁路路堤可能有利于鸟类多样性，但可能不会像开阔田野那样改变鸟类群落的功能特性。这些线性栖息地的适当管理可以提高它们对鸟类的价值，并有助于长期维持鸟类群落。
