Effects of light and noise pollution on avian communities of European cities are correlated with the species' diet.

ABSTRACT: Urbanization affects avian community composition in European cities, increasing biotic homogenization. Anthropic pollution (such as light at night and noise) is among the most important drivers shaping bird use in urban areas, where bird species are mainly attracted by urban greenery. In this study, we collected data on 127 breeding bird species at 1349 point counts distributed along a gradient of urbanization in fourteen different European cities. The main aim was to explore the effects of anthropic pollution and city characteristics, on shaping the avian communities, regarding species' diet composition. The green cover of urban areas increased the number of insectivorous and omnivorous bird species, while slightly decreasing the overall diet heterogeneity of the avian communities. The gr

SUBMITTER: Morelli F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10020436 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature