Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.31298/sl.142.7-8.4
Results of long-term monitoring of timing of laying in deciduous forest Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus L.) in northwestern Croatia
Zdravko Dolenec
; Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
In the last 100 years, climate warming (climate change) phenomenon has been present on our planet. Numerous biological features of organisms have been linked to climate change and many papers in the last few decades have illustrated changes in natural biological systems. In most cases, these responses are associated with changes in air temperature. In birds, most of the published works are looking at phenology. Such studies suggest that the laying date is advancing. In this study, I examined long-term changes in the date of clutch initiation in sedentary local hole-nesting population of the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) in deciduous forest (dominated Pediculate Oak Quercus robur L. and Common Hornbeam Carpinus betulus L.) from 1980 to 2016 (northwestern Croatia). Also, I examined relationship between timing of breeding and mean spring air temperature. All the records used in this work, as well as numerous ornithological papers around the world have been based on the use of nest-boxes by birds. The boxes were placed on the trees, at 2.5 to 4 m above ground and all nest-boxes had a sliding top in order to monitor nest. All observations were recorded by the author. Spring mean local air temperatures during research period have significant increase. Relationship between laying date and year was also significant. The breeding date in researched species has advanced by 11 days in study period. According to my results, sedentary local population of the Blue Tit in northwestern Croatia was able to respond to spring warming changes during 37-year period.
Keywords
Blue Tit; Cyanistes caeruleus; spring air temperature; laying date; deciduous forest
Hrčak ID:
205264
URI
Publication date:
31.8.2018.
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