Habitat Use and Population Viability of the Red Kite (Milvus Milvus) in Germany
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Habitat use and population viability of the Red Kite (Milvus milvus) in Germany Dissertation for the award of the degree "Doctor rerum naturalium" Dr. rer. nat. Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen within the doctoral program Biology of the Georg-August University School of Science (GAUSS) submitted by Jakob Kaspar Katzenberger from Schwalmstadt (j. Ziegenhain), Germany Göttingen, 2021 Thesis Committee: Prof. Dr. Matthias Waltert, Conservation Biology/Workgroup on Endangered Species, Johann- Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Prof. Dr. Niko Balkenhol, Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology Dr. Eckhard Gottschalk, Conservation Biology/Workgroup on Endangered Species, Johann-Friedrich- Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Members of the Examination Board: Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Matthias Waltert, Conservation Biology/Workgroup on Endangered Species, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Second Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Niko Balkenhol, Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology Further Members of the Examination Board: Dr. Eckhard Gottschalk, Conservation Biology/Workgroup on Endangered Species, Johann-Friedrich- Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Prof. Dr. Johannes Kamp, Department of Conservation Biology Prof. Dr. Andreas Schuldt, Forest Nature Conservation, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology Prof. Dr. Christoph Leuschner, Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences Date of the oral examination: 29.03.2021 Table of contents Danksagung ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Chapter 1: General introduction ........................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Rise and fall of the Red Kite in Europe and in Germany ............................................................. 10 1.2 The Red Kite: A sentinel for human impacts? ............................................................................. 11 1.3 The peculiar population ecology of the Red Kite ........................................................................ 12 1.4 Research objectives and thesis outline ....................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: An estimation of age-specific survival rates in the German Red Kite population from 1970-2015 .................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 17 2.3 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Bird ringing data ............................................................................................................................ 19 Multinomial ring-recovery model ................................................................................................. 20 2.4 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Annual Red Kite survival and recovery probabilities .................................................................... 22 Red Kite survival probabilities in different time periods .............................................................. 23 Spatial and temporal patterns and causes of juvenile mortality .................................................. 25 2.5 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 28 Estimation of age-specific recovery probabilities ......................................................................... 28 Survival probabilities over time in the German Red Kite population ........................................... 29 Causes of Red Kite mortality ......................................................................................................... 32 2.6 Supplementary Material ............................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 3: A model of distribution and habitat suitability for the Red Kite in Germany ..................... 37 3.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 37 3.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 38 3 3.3 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Red Kite distribution data ............................................................................................................. 39 Environmental variables ............................................................................................................... 39 Statistical analysis ......................................................................................................................... 41 3.4 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 42 Model validation ........................................................................................................................... 42 Factors determining breeding occurrence .................................................................................... 44 Model predictions ......................................................................................................................... 49 3.5 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter 4: A reconstruction of the long-term population dynamics for the Red Kite in Germany ..... 55 4.1 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 55 4.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 56 4.3 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 58 Estimating density-dependent age of first reproduction for the Red Kite ................................... 58 Simulation models ........................................................................................................................ 61 4.4 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 65 Model-based reconstruction of Red Kite breeding population .................................................... 65 Population dynamics and density-dependent age of first reproduction ...................................... 67 4.5 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 70 Density-dependent age of first reproduction ............................................................................... 70 Population dynamics and conservation status ............................................................................. 71 Future research needs .................................................................................................................. 72 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 74 4.6 Supporting information............................................................................................................... 75 Chapter 5: Synopis ................................................................................................................................ 78 5.1 Perspective on the ecology and conservation of the Red Kite ................................................... 78 5.2 Important avenues for further research in Germany ................................................................. 82 References ............................................................................................................................................ 86 4 Declaration ............................................................................................................................................ 99 5 Danksagung Zunächst möchte ich mich für die durchgängige Unterstützung während der vergangenen vier Jahre bei meinen Betreuern Eckhard, Matthias und Niko bedanken. Nicht nur habt ihr meine Promotion fachlich betreut und hilfreiche Anregungen einfließen lassen, sondern auch darüber hinaus konnte ich immer auf eure Hilfe zählen und wir hatten ein sehr gutes und vertrauensvolles