Vie et Milieu

  • Full Screen
  • Wide Screen
  • Narrow Screen
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

Article 8

Activity patterns in two sympatric duck species in a Mediterranean remnant wetland: performance, seasonal variability and implications

pdf.png
File Size:
1 MB

M. D. E. KHEMIS1, S. HANANE2*, S. TELAILIA3, A. ELAFRI4, O. BOUMAAZA1, H. BOUCHERIT1, H. AMARI1, M. HOUHAMDI1
1 Laboratoire Biologie, Eau et Environnement (lBEE), Faculté SnV-STU, Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, Algeria
2 Forest Research Center, High Commission for Water, Forests and Desertification Control, Avenue Omar Ibn El Khattab, BP 763, Rabat-Agdal 10050, Morocco
3 Laboratory of Agriculture and Ecosystem Functioning, Department of Agronomy Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Chadli Bendjedid University, El Tarf, Algeria
4 Department SNV, Centre Universitaire Abdelhafid Boussouf, Mila, Algeria
* Corresponding author This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ABSTRACT. – In North Africa, the lack of information on the Anatidae population sizes, demographic trends, and activity budget patterns compromises both their management and conservation. In this study, we used a 2-year survey (from October to March in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015) data in an Algerian remnant wetland (El-Feid’s marsh) to determine if diurnal activitybudgets vary depending on the species (Spatula clypeata vs. Anas crecca), phenological phases (post-migratory period vs. winter period vs. pre-migratory period) and year (2013 vs. 2014), by means of Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). Results revealed the presence of an interspecific variation in feeding and preening activities, being markedly more pronounced in S. clypeata than in A. crecca. Preening activity was the most important activity during the postmigratory period, whereas sleeping prevailed during pre-migratory period. In addition to seasonal changes, an inter-annual variation was recorded for these activities in 2014 compared to 2013. This study emphasizes the role of the El-Feid remnant wetland as a resting area for Northern Shovelers and Eurasian Teals, as do other wetlands around the Mediterranean for other duck species. The pursuit of the investigations, while considering other explanatory factors such as water stress and quality, trophic resource availability, weather, predation, parasitology, and human disturbances is of great importance for a better understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of activity budgets of waterbirds in North Africa.

You are here: Volume 67 (2017) Issue 3-4 Article 8
Vie et Milieu
Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago - Sorbonne Université
66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer - France
Email: vimilieu@obs-banyuls.fr

Managing Editor
Franck Lartaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 30 19 24 52
Email: franck.lartaud@obs-banyuls.fr

Editorial Secretary
Véronique Arnaud
Phone: (33) (0)4 68 88 73 29 (morning)
Email: editionvm@obs-banyuls.fr