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Nest-Site Selection by Ammomanes Deserti in Deserts of Southern Iran

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Nest-Site Selection by Ammomanes Deserti in Deserts of Southern Iran Use the following type of citation: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e212601 Paper Submitted to The North-Western Journal of Zoology 1 *Handling editor: Kornélia Kurucz 2 *Manuscript Domain: Ornithology 3 *Manuscript code: NwJZ_20_OR_02 4 *Submission date: 29_03_2020 5 *Revised: 28_12_2020 6 *Accepted / Rejected: 07_01_2021 7 *No. of words (without abstract, acknowledgement, references, tables, captions): 8 (papers under 700 words are not accepted) 9 *Editors only: 10 11 Title of the paper: Nest-site selection by Ammomanes deserti in deserts of southern Iran 12 Running head: Nest-site selection by desert lark 13 Authors: Davood PAKNIAT, Mohsen AHMADI, Gilda SHAHNASERI, Mahmoud-Reza 14 HEMAMI 15 Key Words: Arid environment, ground-nesting birds, nest microclimate, nest structure, nest 16 entrance orientation 17 No. of Tables: 2 18 No. of Figures: 2 North-western Journal of Zoology 19 No. of Files: 1 Accepted paper until proofing 20 Use the following type of citation: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e212601 nwjz-2 21 {NEST-SITE SELECTION BY AMMOMANES DESERTI OF SOUTHERN IRAN} 22 {Davood, PAKNIAT} 1, {Mohsen, AHMADI} 1, {Gilda, SHAHNASERI} 1 and {Mahmoud- 23 Reza HEMAMI} 1 24 1. Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran 25 * Corresponding authors name and email address: Mahmoud-Reza HEMAMI, 26 [email protected] 27 Abstract. We evaluated the effect of habitat characteristics on nest-site selection of desert 28 lark (Ammomanes deserti) in southern Iran. Habitat variables were measured within a 1- and a 29 4-m radius circle plots around 20 active nests and 20 randomly selected control locations. All 30 the detected nests were located beside a big stone with a maximum weight of 6.5 kg. The 31 percentage cover of <50mm sized gravel and non-vegetated areas within both plot sizes as 32 well as the percentage cover of ≥50mm sized gravel in 4-m radius plots were the most 33 important variables affecting nest-site selection by desert lark. About 40% of the nests were 34 built on flat plains, 30% on eastern domains, 15% on southeastern domains, and 10% on 35 southern domains. The majority of the nests’ entrances were oriented toward the east (50%) 36 and the south (25%) directions to reduce fluctuations in the nests’ microclimate from adverse 37 wind and direct exposure to sunlight. Our results revealed that desert lark’s nest-sites are 38 mainly characterisedNorth-western by the availability of bigJournal stones, a ppropriatenessof Zoology of geographical aspect, Accepted paper until proofing 39 the internal slope of the stone, and nest entrance orientation. Environmental characteristics 40 contributing to stabilising nest microclimate are the most important variables influencing the 41 pattern of nest-site selection by desert lark. 42 Key Words: Arid environment, ground-nesting birds, nest microclimate, nest structure, nest 43 entrance orientation 44 Running title: Nest-site selection by desert lark 45 Use the following type of citation: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e212601 nwjz-3 46 Introduction 47 The assessment of nest-site selection is important due to the impact of habitat variables on 48 the reproductive success of birds. From an evolutionary perspective, selecting habitat and 49 nest site should bring about increasing reproduction success and survival rate of birds (Smith 50 et al 2003; Hosseini-Moosavi et al 2017). 51 The exact location and the shape and the size of bird’s nest have evolved to provide a 52 suitable micro-environment with regard to temperature and humidity, a secure environment 53 for egg-laying, and hatchlings (Hansell 2000; Ar & Sidis 2002; Ardia et al. 2006; Burton 54 2006), and in some birds signal the phenotypic quality of the builder (Mainwaring et al. 55 2014). 56 Microclimate variables such as wind, rain and solar radiation can influence the nest site 57 selection behaviour of birds (Hartman and Oring 2003; Mezquida 2004; Burton 2006; Schaaf 58 et al. 2018b). Nest entrance orientation is one of the most salient determinants of the nest’s 59 microenvironment (Rauter et al. 2002; Burton 2006). Recent studies have shown that nest 60 entrance orientation is largely influenced by latitude, solar radiation (Burton 2006, Schaaf et 61 al. 2018a, Carroll et al 2020), nest-site vegetation (Schaaf 2020a, Hoekman et al. 2002), 62 topography (Porneluzi 2011), and prevailing winds (Long et al. 2009). The nest’s 63 microenvironment/microclimateNorth-western has a significant Journal impact of onZoology the cost of reproduction and Accepted paper until proofing 64 offspring development. For instance, nest’s temperature affects the viability of eggs (Webb 65 & King 1983; Cook et al. 2003, Heenan 2013), energy balance during incubation (Vleck 66 1981), fledging success and clutch sizes (Boer 2018) and nestling development (Starck & 67 Ricklefs 1998; Ardia 2005). Decreasing nest temperature fluctuations through suitable 68 selection of nest entrance position can significantly increase reproductive success in harsh 69 environments with low vegetation cover (With & Webb 1993; Hoekman et al. 2002; 70 Hartman & Oring 2003, Carroll et al 2020). Use the following type of citation: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e212601 nwjz-4 71 Habitat and nest-site selection occur through a hierarchical process (Kotliar & Wiens 1990, 72 Jones 2001, Harris et al 2020). The finest level is referred to as nest patch: characteristics of 73 the habitat patch enclosing the nest (Martin & Roper 1988). Studies by Petersen and Best 74 (1985) on Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli), and Martin and Roper (1988) on Hermit Thrush 75 (Catharus guttatus) suggested that nest patch lies within a radius of 5 m (area = 78.5 m2) 76 from the nest site. In other studies, however, nest patch size was determined based on the 77 changes in the condition of variables around nest sites (Petit et al. 1988; Holway 1991; 78 Knopf & Sedgwick 1992; With 1994). Although building a nest made of gravel consumes 79 plenty of time and energy (Afik et al. 1991; Shkedy & Safriel 1992), the nest would be 80 prevented from slipping down slopes (Richardson 1965), protected from wind and rain 81 damage (Ferguson-Lees 1960), camouflaged (Etchécopar & Hüe 1967) and structurally 82 sstabilised (Afik et al. 1991, Aznar et al 2016). 83 Desert lark (Ammomanes deserti) is found in arid steppes and semi-desert regions (Vaurie 84 1951) of 37 countries extending from West Asia and the Middle East to North Africa 85 (Birdlife International 2016). The species breeding season is from early March to late June. 86 They build cup-like nests on the ground near big stones and braid a rampart enclosing the 87 nest (Orr 1970) (Fig. 1). Desert lark is a common species of semi-desert steppes of central 88 and southern Iran andNorth-western represents a typical behaviourJournal of of nest Zoology selection by a wide spectrum of Accepted paper until proofing 89 ground-nesting species in such ecosystems. Accordingly studying patterns of nest-site 90 selection by this species provides more insights into the breeding behaviour of desert birds. 91 We evaluated the effect of habitat characteristics on the nest-site selection of desert lark 92 (Ammomanes deserti) in southern Iran. We hypothesised that nest-site selection by desert lark 93 is not random and the species select sites that provide optimal microclimate for chicks’ 94 development. We also expected that the species further regulates the nest’s microclimate by 95 nest architecture and construction materials. Use the following type of citation: North-western Journal of Zoology 2021: e212601 nwjz-5 96 Material and Methods 97 Study area 98 This study was carried out in an area of approximately 4000 ha in rugged steppes of Zarrin 99 Dasht City, southern Iran (25" 2 28 to 40" 7 28 north latitude and 15" 33 54 to 19" 43 100 54 east longitude). The majority of the landscape is dominated by dry climates. 101 Field surveys and data collection were performed from 21st March to 15th May 2015 at the 102 peak of the species breeding period. Weather parameters at the time of sampling were 103 obtained from Fars Province synoptic weather station (http://www.farsmet.ir; 28 21 54" N, 104 54 25 44" E) . During field investigations, minimum and maximum temperatures were 9.8° C 105 and 33.4° C, respectively (mean of 13.8° C). Strong prevailing wind often occurs during the 106 second half of the day. Nearly 35% of the wind pattern was towards the west and southwest. 107 The wind was calm, less than 0.51 meters per second, on 44% of the days (Fig. 2). The most 108 frequent plant species in the region are Artemisia spp., Fagonia spp., Convolvulus spp., 109 Astragalus spp., and Salsola species. 110 Data collection 111 To find desert lark’s nests, thirty transects with 500 m long, and 800 m distance in between 112 were systematically surveyed. In total, 20 desert lark’s nests were found. Data collected for North-western Journal of Zoology 113 each nest consisted of geographicalAccepted position paper (latitude until and proofinglongitude), elevation (m.a.s.l.), time 114 and date, the number, weight, and size of pebbles used in fencing the nest, and internal slope 115 of the rock beside the nest. We generated a similar number of random points (control 116 locations) within the area surveyed for the desert lark nests in ArcMap 10.3. Subsequently, 117 these random points were located in the field and checked for the absence of the species nests; 118 no random point was located in vicinity of the detected nests. Two circle plots with radii of 1 119 and 4 m were established around each of the detected nests (occupied plot) and the random 120 points (unoccupied plot).
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