An Indicator of the Impact of Climatic Change on European Bird Populations
2009

Impact of Climate Change on European Bird Populations

Sample size: 108 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Gregory Richard D., Willis Stephen G., Jiguet Frédéric, Voříšek Petr, Klvaňová Alena, van Strien Arco, Huntley Brian, Collingham Yvonne C., Couvet Denis, Green Rhys E.

Primary Institution: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & European Bird Census Council

Hypothesis

Does climatic change affect the population trends of European bird species?

Conclusion

The study found a significant correlation between bird population trends and projections of potential geographical range changes due to climate change.

Supporting Evidence

  • The study used data from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme.
  • A significant positive correlation was found between population trends and climatic projections.
  • The Climatic Impact Indicator (CII) was developed to summarize the impact of climate change on bird populations.

Takeaway

The study shows that climate change is affecting bird populations in Europe, with some species thriving while others are declining.

Methodology

The study analyzed long-term population trends of 108 bird species across 20 European countries from 1980 to 2005 using climatic envelope models.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from excluding certain species and relying on climatic envelope models that may not fully capture all environmental factors.

Limitations

The study only included data from a subset of bird species and did not account for all potential environmental changes affecting bird populations.

Participant Demographics

The study focused on 108 species of land birds across various European countries.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.0001

Confidence Interval

90%

Statistical Significance

p<0.0001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0004678

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