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<p>Waders (Charadriiformes) are birds ecologically sensitive to change in water levels in wetlands. In this paper, we report a multi-year trend in abundance of adults, nesting pairs, and chicks in a breeding area of pied avocet (<i>Recurvirostra avosetta</i> L., Aves, Charadriiformes) localized in a salt-water wetland of central Italy where restoration interventions were carried out in 2009. Our hypothesis is that water level regulation efforts, aimed at improving ecological conditions in the wetland, have enabled the establishment of a local breeding area for this rare species. We employed a standardized transect method to measure abundance during the breeding season (April–July) over the period 2006–2022. By comparing data from before and after the interventions, we observed an increasing trend in abundance following the implementation of water regulation measures, culminating in the formation of a new breeding site. The increase in abundance remained evident even after accounting for rainfall variability. When comparing the effects of wetland restoration with rainfall data, we found that restoration was the primary predictor of pied avocet abundance, as indicated by multiple regression analysis. The logistic GLM analysis revealed a clear before–after threshold in the number of individuals, suggesting that the interventions surpassed the ecological threshold necessary for the establishment of a breeding population of this wader species. The pied avocet may thus serve as a valuable indicator for monitoring the effectiveness of ecological restoration efforts in salt wetlands, particularly those targeting wader species sensitive to water level fluctuations.</p>

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Ecological Restoration at a Mediterranean Salt Wetland Successfully Established a Breeding Area for an Iconic Wader Bird

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月5日

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  • Pietro Giovacchini,
  • Corrado Battisti,
  • Claudio Martelli,
  • Paolo Stefanini,
  • Letizia Marsili

摘要

Waders (Charadriiformes) are birds ecologically sensitive to change in water levels in wetlands. In this paper, we report a multi-year trend in abundance of adults, nesting pairs, and chicks in a breeding area of pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta L., Aves, Charadriiformes) localized in a salt-water wetland of central Italy where restoration interventions were carried out in 2009. Our hypothesis is that water level regulation efforts, aimed at improving ecological conditions in the wetland, have enabled the establishment of a local breeding area for this rare species. We employed a standardized transect method to measure abundance during the breeding season (April–July) over the period 2006–2022. By comparing data from before and after the interventions, we observed an increasing trend in abundance following the implementation of water regulation measures, culminating in the formation of a new breeding site. The increase in abundance remained evident even after accounting for rainfall variability. When comparing the effects of wetland restoration with rainfall data, we found that restoration was the primary predictor of pied avocet abundance, as indicated by multiple regression analysis. The logistic GLM analysis revealed a clear before–after threshold in the number of individuals, suggesting that the interventions surpassed the ecological threshold necessary for the establishment of a breeding population of this wader species. The pied avocet may thus serve as a valuable indicator for monitoring the effectiveness of ecological restoration efforts in salt wetlands, particularly those targeting wader species sensitive to water level fluctuations.