Breeding ecology of the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) in the forest-steppe zone of European Russia against the backdrop of climate change
Petr D. Vengerov,Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associated Professor
Voronezh State Pedagogical University, Voronezh, Russia, pvengerov@yandex.ru
Abstract
Ecology of the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) was studied in The Voronezh Nature Reserve (50°21′—52°02′ N, 39°21′—39°47′ E), located in the forest-steppe zone of European Russia. The Chaffinch dominates in numbers in almost all forest types. Its population density is 80—100 pairs/km2 in a pine forest, 170—190 pairs/km2 in a pine-deciduous forest and 190—210 pairs/km2 in a deciduous forest with a predominance of oak. The average date of spring arrival for all years of observations is March 23 (n = 83, min March 6, max April 7). Climate warming in March and April led to earlier arrival and breeding. Average date of arrival for the period 1936—1988 was March 25 (n = 51), for the period 1989—2021 (n = 33) — March 19, differences are statistically significant (p < 0.001). The correlation coefficient between the average temperature in March and the date of arrival is minus 0.69 (p < 0.01). The beginning of egg laying in different years occurs from April 19 to May 9, on average April 26. The correlation coefficient between the average air temperature in the 2nd decade of April and the date of laying the 1st egg minus is 0.9 (p < 0.01), in relation to the 3rd decade of April when it is minus 0.7 (p < 0.01). The peak of the start of egg laying usually occurs in the first decade of May. In the current century, in the warmest springs, early reproduction is observed with a peak of synchronous egg laying in the last ten days of April. The average clutch size is 5.12±0.04 (n = 259, min = 3, max = 7), which exceeds the values in many other parts of the range. The probability of survival of the egg is 51.4%, the chick is 54.1%, the final breeding success is 27.8% (n = 285). The share of successful nests is 36.9%, the rest are ruined by predators. For one breeding attempt, including unsuccessful ones, an average of 1.7 chicks fly out. The pressure of predators in warm weather is noticeably reduced. Correlation coefficients between the mean air temperature on May 1—15 and breeding success parameters range from 0.67 to 0.83
(p ˂ 0.05, p ˂ 0.01). Embryonic mortality (infertile eggs and eggs with dead embryos) is present in 14.4% of nests and is 3.1% of the total number of eggs laid. The studied population is characterized by a high population density, large clutch size, and low embryonic mortality, but it experiences strong predator pressure on the nests, resulting in low breeding success.
Key words
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), breeding ecology of birds, climate change.
Bibliography link to this article:
Vengerov P. D. Breeding ecology of the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) in the forest-steppe zone of European Russia against the backdrop of climate change. Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University. Electronic Scientific Journal, 2022, no. 3 (43), pp. 1—17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32516/2303-9922.2022.43.1.
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