Description
We conducted an inventory and characterization of Laro-limicolae settlement at three Ramsar sites located in Eastern Numidia (Lake Tonga, Lake Oubeira and El Mellah lagoon) between 2014 and 2016. We identified 27 species belonging to six families, dominated by Scolopacidae (10 sp.) and Laridae (9 sp.) followed by Charadriidae (4 sp.), Recurvirostridae (2 sp.) and for Glareolidae and Haematopodidae families (1sp.) Inventoried species exhibited different phenological status: resident (26%), wintering (44%), migratory breeders (19%) and wintering/breeding (11%). Population analysis showed the presence of protected species such as black-tailed godwit and Northern lapwing. Bird counts showed monthly variations in total abundance and richness, peaking during winter. Highest numbers were recorded in January and lowest numbers in August. Analysis of diversity and equitability indices indicated that maximum values (H’ = 3.01 and E = 0.94) were noted at El Mellah lagoon in November and at Lake Oubeira in June. Our study provides recent and unpublished data on a group of birds that are little- documented for North Africa, particularly for Algeria. Our findings open the way for further, more detailed work on the subject, and may serve to develop action plans for the management and conservation of these bird populations and their habitats.
Data Records
The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 144 records.
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How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Nebbache, M., Lazli, A., Boucheker, A., 2023. An ecological survey of Laro-limicolae in Northeastern Algeria. Version 1.5. Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona. Datapaper. DOI:
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The publisher and rights holder of this work is Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 89624736-2b0e-455c-83c7-13778d59db1b. Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Spain.
Keywords
Laro-limicolae; Eastern Numidia; Inventory; Count; Ecological indices; Samplingevent
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Geographic Coverage
The study was carried out at three Ramsar wetlands in the El-Kala National Park, located in the extreme north eastern Algeria: 1) Lake Tonga (36° 51’ N/ 8°29’ E), a large shallow exorheic lake with an area of 2,700 ha and an average depth of 1 m. It is fed by three tributaries: the El-Hout wadi from the southeast, the El-Eurg wadi from the east, and the Messida Channel from the north. Due to the richness and diversity of its habitats, it is a renowned wintering and breeding site for a multitude of waterbird species, some of which are rare and declining in range, such as the white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala and the marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris (Boumezbeur, 1993; Lazli et al., 2011a, 2011b, 2012; Menasria and Lazli, 2017; Mecif et al., 2020; Gherib et al., 2021). 2) Lake Oubeïra (36° 50’ N/ 8°23’ E), an endorheic freshwater lake with an area of 2,200 ha and an average depth of 2.15 m. With a typical spatial organisation of belt vegetation, it is considered a wintering and nesting site, hosting numerous species, such as the Greylag Goose Anser anser, the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and several shorebird species, such as the Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, the black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus, the little ringed plover Charadrius dubius and the Eurasian bittern Botaurus stellaris (DGF, 2002; Lazli et al., 2018). 3) - El-Mellah lagoon (36° 53’ N / 8° 19’ E), the only lagoon on the Algeria coast, connected to the sea by a 900 meter channel. It has a surface area of 860 ha and is ranked fifth largest among the 14 North African lagoons (Baba Ahmed, 2008). This lagoon is not only fueled by marine waters, which are partly responsible for its brackish nature, but also by the gentle waters of two wadis: R'guibet and Boularoug.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [36.83, 8.3], North East [36.85, 8.5] |
|---|
Taxonomic Coverage
No Description available
| Order | Charadriiformes |
|---|---|
| Family | Glareolidae, Haematopodidae, Recurvirostridae, Scolopacidae, Charadriidae, Laridae |
Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2014-09-01 / 2016-08-31 |
|---|
Project Data
Mediterranean coast wetlands constitute outstanding hotspots for numerous taxa in this region and are one of the richest places in the world in terms of waterbirds (Cuttelod et al., 2008). Each spring and autumn, billions of birds migrate between wintering and breeding grounds along well-established routes known as flyways (Barnagaud et al., 2019). Situated on the western Paleartic-African flyway, Eastern Numidia wetlands (North-East Algeria) play a very important role for many species of birds. During migration, the Eastern Numidia are the most important stopover sites for birds in Algeria (Samraoui and Samraoui, 2008). Migratory birds (particularly Charadriidae, Scolopacidae, Laridaes and several other families (hereafter, Laro-Limicolae) are strict invertebrates or piscivores, and thus occupy a top-position in trophic networks, making them an important component of the dynamics of the wetland, and they are considered an efficient indicator of their ecological integrity (Burger, 1984; Boere et al., 2006; Amat and Green, 2010). Laro-limicolae occur on nearly every shoreline of the world and many other biotopes, with the exception of Antarctica (Cramp and Simmons, 1977). They are attractive birds, of economic and ecological importance, and accordingly, they are well-studied in some parts of the world (Stroud et al., 2006). Despite the protective measures that have been instituted around the world, most populations of Laro-limicolae show a declining trend (Boere et al., 2006). The reasons for such decline are diverse but are generally caused by loss of habitat or degradation (Zöckler et al., 2003). In Algeria, Laro-limicolae have benefited from the following two protective measures: i: Decree 83-509, 20 August 1983, which covers protected non-domestic animal species; and ii: Decree No. 12-235, 24 May 2012, that establishes a list of protected, non-domestic animal species. Nevertheless, the role of wetlands as Laro-limicolae diversity reservoirs remains relatively poorly known in this areas despite the studies carried out in the region to date (Heim de Balsac and Mayaud, 1962; Le Fur, 1975; Ledant al., 1981; Boucheker et al., 2009), and information about Laro-limicolae phenology and richness in Eastern Numidia is scant, with the exception of a few studies describing waterbirds wintering and breeding patterns (e.g., Saheb et al., 2009, Maazi et al., 2010, Bourafa et al., 2018; Lazli et al., 2018; Bediaf et al., 2020; Loucif et al., 2020; Gherib et al., 2021). Our study is the first to show the structure and migration phenology of Laro-limicolae in the North-Eastern Algerian wetlands, particularly in three Ramsar sites in the El-Kala National Park. This study thus provides a new Laro-limicolae assessment of these sites. We aimed to increase our knowledge of Laro-limicolae migration in these poorly known North-African areas and to monitor abundances and species distribution in these sites. This is the first study to monitor and evaluate Laro-limicolae diversity in the El-Kala national park sites over two consecutive years, and may serve as a scientific baseline for the sustainable management and conservation of these wetlands.
| Title | An ecological survey of Laro-limicolae in Northeastern Algeria |
|---|---|
| Identifier | https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2023.21.0261 |
| Funding | This research was supported by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) and the General Directorate for Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRS¬DT). |
| Study Area Description | The study was carried out at three Ramsar wetlands in the El-Kala National Park, located in the extreme north eastern Algeria (fig. 1): 1) Lake Tonga (36° 51’ N/ 8°29’ E), a large shallow exorheic lake with an area of 2,700 ha and an average depth of 1 m. It is fed by three tributaries: the El-Hout wadi from the southeast, the El-Eurg wadi from the east, and the Messida Channel from the north (fig. 1). Due to the richness and diversity of its habitats, it is a renowned wintering and breeding site for a multitude of waterbird species, some of which are rare and declining in range, such as the white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala and the marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris (Boumezbeur, 1993; Lazli et al., 2011a, 2011b, 2012; Menasria and Lazli, 2017; Mecif et al., 2020; Gherib et al., 2021). 2) Lake Oubeïra (36° 50’ N/ 8°23’ E), an endorheic freshwater lake with an area of 2,200 ha and an average depth of 2.15 m (fig. 1). With a typical spatial organisation of belt vegetation, it is considered a wintering and nesting site, hosting numerous species, such as the Greylag Goose Anser anser, the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and several shorebird species, such as the Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, the black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus, the little ringed plover Charadrius dubius and the Eurasian bittern Botaurus stellaris (DGF, 2002; Lazli et al., 2018). 3) - El-Mellah lagoon (36° 53’ N / 8° 19’ E), the only lagoon on the Algeria coast, connected to the sea by a 900 meter channel. It has a surface area of 860 ha and is ranked fifth largest among the 14 North African lagoons (Baba Ahmed, 2008). This lagoon is not only fueled by marine waters, which are partly responsible for its brackish nature, but also by the gentle waters of two wadis: R'guibet and Boularoug (fig. 1). |
| Design Description | To assess richness and abundance of Laro-limicolae species in the three Ramsar sites we made bi-weekly visits from September to August 2014/2015 and from September to August 2015/2016. We conducted a total of 192 counts. At each visit, the sites were systematically covered, following a course chosen in advance (fig. 1). Censuses of avian populations were carried out from various points to allow the most exhaustive count of species and their numbers. Observations of Laro-limicolae were made from 8:00 h to 16:00 h using a telescope (Kowa™ 20 x 60). Because we were able to count the birds at short range it was easy to determine the exact number of birds and their species using the scanning sampling protocol. |
The personnel involved in the project:
Sampling Methods
To assess richness and abundance of Laro-limicolae species in the three Ramsar sites we made bi-weekly visits from September to August 2014/2015 and from September to August 2015/2016. We conducted a total of 192 counts. At each visit, the sites were systematically covered, following a course chosen in advance (fig. 1). Censuses of avian populations were carried out from various points to allow the most exhaustive count of species and their numbers. Observations of Laro-limicolae were made from 8:00 h to 16:00 h using a telescope (Kowa™ 20 x 60). Because we were able to count the birds at short range it was easy to determine the exact number of birds and their species using the scanning sampling protocol.
| Study Extent | The study was carried out at three Ramsar wetlands in the El-Kala National Park, located in the extreme north eastern Algeria (fig. 1): 1) Lake Tonga (36° 51’ N/ 8°29’ E), a large shallow exorheic lake with an area of 2,700 ha and an average depth of 1 m. It is fed by three tributaries: the El-Hout wadi from the southeast, the El-Eurg wadi from the east, and the Messida Channel from the north (fig. 1). Due to the richness and diversity of its habitats, it is a renowned wintering and breeding site for a multitude of waterbird species, some of which are rare and declining in range, such as the white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala and the marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris (Boumezbeur, 1993; Lazli et al., 2011a, 2011b, 2012; Menasria and Lazli, 2017; Mecif et al., 2020; Gherib et al., 2021). 2) Lake Oubeïra (36° 50’ N/ 8°23’ E), an endorheic freshwater lake with an area of 2,200 ha and an average depth of 2.15 m (fig. 1). With a typical spatial organisation of belt vegetation, it is considered a wintering and nesting site, hosting numerous species, such as the Greylag Goose Anser anser, the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and several shorebird species, such as the Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, the black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus, the little ringed plover Charadrius dubius and the Eurasian bittern Botaurus stellaris (DGF, 2002; Lazli et al., 2018). 3) - El-Mellah lagoon (36° 53’ N / 8° 19’ E), the only lagoon on the Algeria coast, connected to the sea by a 900 meter channel. It has a surface area of 860 ha and is ranked fifth largest among the 14 North African lagoons (Baba Ahmed, 2008). This lagoon is not only fueled by marine waters, which are partly responsible for its brackish nature, but also by the gentle waters of two wadis: R'guibet and Boularoug (fig. 1). |
|---|---|
| Quality Control | Laro-limicolae phenology and ecology were measured using the following ecological indices: (1) total abundance, that is, the total number of birds that visited site on a given day; (2) specific richness, that is, the number of species observed at a given visit; and (3); the Shannon-Weaver diversity index, that is a way to measure the diversity of a species in a community (this index was calculated according to the formula H' = ΣPi ln Pi, where Pi is the proportion of each specie in the sample, and (4) equitability index, is a way to measure the evenness of species in a community (this index is calculated as: E = H'/ln(S), where S is the total number of unique species and when E is close to 1; the diversity observed reflects an abundance distribution close to equilibrium (Legendre and Legendre, 1979; Shannon and Weaver, 1949). |
Method step description:
- Phenological status observed: (1) resident; observed throughout the year; (2) wintering; observed only in the winter; (3) migratory breeders; observed only in breeding season; (4) wintering/breeding, observed during winter and breeding season. Statistical data analysis To perform comparisons between years we used a Chi-square test and a multivariate factor analysis (CFA)). Statistical analyses were applied using R- version software. 4.3.1 (R Core Team, 2023).
Bibliographic Citations
- Nebbache, M., Lazli, A., Boucheker, A., 2023. An ecological survey of Laro-limicolae in Northeastern Algeria. Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica, 21 - https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2023.21.0261 https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2023.21.0261
Additional Metadata
| Alternative Identifiers | 10.15470/tehczv |
|---|---|
| 89624736-2b0e-455c-83c7-13778d59db1b | |
| https://ipt.gbif.es/resource?r=laro-limicolas_argelia_23 |