Department of Animal Science, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Avd. Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Cà Fornacetta, 9, I-40064, Ozzano Emilia BO, Italy.
Environ Monit Assess. 2024 Feb 14;196(3):266. doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-12277-4.
The increasing impact of human activities on ecosystems is provoking a profound and dangerous effect, particularly in wildlife. Examining the historical migration patterns of quail (Coturnix coturnix) offers a compelling case study to demonstrate the repercussions of human actions on biodiversity. Urbanization trends, where people gravitate toward mega-urban areas, amplify this effect. The proliferation of artificial urban ecosystems extends its influence across every biome, as human reliance on infrastructure and food sources alters ecological dynamics extensively. We examine European quail migrations pre- and post-World War II and in the present day. Our study concentrates on the Italian peninsula, investigating the historical and contemporary recovery of ringed quail populations. To comprehend changes in quail migration, we utilize trajectory analysis, open statistical data, and linear generalized models. We found that while human population and economic growth have shown a linear increase, quail recovery rates exhibit a U-shaped trajectory, and cereal and legume production displays an inverse U-shaped pattern. Generalized linear models have unveiled the significant influence of several key factors-time periods, cereal and legume production, and human demographics-on quail recovery rates. These factors closely correlate with the levels of urbanization observed across these timeframes. These insights underscore the profound impact of expanding human populations and the rise of mega-urbanization on ecosystem dynamics and services. As our planet becomes more urbanized, the pressure on ecosystems intensifies, highlighting the urgent need for concerted efforts directed toward conserving and revitalizing ecosystem integrity. Simultaneously, manage the needs and demands of burgeoning mega-urban areas. Achieving this balance is pivotal to ensuring sustainable coexistence between urban improvement and the preservation of our natural environment.
人类活动对生态系统的影响日益加剧，正在引发深远而危险的后果，尤其是对野生动物。通过研究鹌鹑（Coturnix coturnix）的历史迁徙模式，我们可以得到一个强有力的案例研究，以说明人类活动对生物多样性的影响。人们倾向于涌向大都市的城市化趋势加剧了这种影响。人工城市生态系统的扩散使其影响延伸到每一个生物群落，因为人类对基础设施和食物来源的依赖极大地改变了生态动态。我们研究了二战前后以及现在欧洲鹌鹑的迁徙情况。我们的研究集中在意大利半岛，调查了环颈鹌鹑种群的历史和当代恢复情况。为了理解鹌鹑迁徙的变化，我们利用轨迹分析、公开的统计数据和线性广义模型。我们发现，虽然人口和经济增长呈线性增长，但鹌鹑的恢复率呈 U 形轨迹，而谷物和豆类产量则呈倒 U 形模式。广义线性模型揭示了几个关键因素——时间阶段、谷物和豆类产量以及人口统计学因素——对鹌鹑恢复率的显著影响。这些因素与这些时间范围内观察到的城市化水平密切相关。这些发现强调了不断增长的人口和大规模城市化对生态系统动态和服务的深远影响。随着我们的星球变得更加城市化，生态系统所承受的压力加剧，突显了迫切需要协调努力，以保护和恢复生态系统的完整性。同时，管理新兴的大都市地区的需求。实现这一平衡对于确保城市改善与保护我们自然环境之间的可持续共存至关重要。
