Marcin Brzeziński - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Marcin Brzeziński
Folia Zoologica, 2013
Abstract. The diet of otters was studied by the means of spraint analysis in the Bieszczady Mount... more Abstract. The diet of otters was studied by the means of spraint analysis in the Bieszczady Mountains, in southeastern Poland. The study area extended over 25 km long stretch of the River San, about 1 km above Solina dam reservoir. Spraints were collected on seven 2 km long sections in 1993, and on three sections in 2010. In both study periods, otter spraints were collected in August, when the weather conditions were similar. The study revealed high contribution of mountain fish species such as Phoxinus phoxinus, Cottus spp., and Barbatula barbatula in otter diet. Diet composition along the River San showed little variation in 1993, except from the section closest to dam reservoir where it was characterised by the highest frequency of occurrence of perch Perca fluviatilis, cyprinids and amphibians. The share of perch in otter diet decreased, while that of noble crayfish Astacus astacus increased with the distance from Solina reservoir. Changes in otter diet between 1993–2010 were ch...
Biological invasion is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function as the negative impa... more Biological invasion is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function as the negative impacts of invasive on native species can be devastating. Reducing the density of invasive species is an important goal in protected areas. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie com-pensatory responses in populations of invasive species has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of con-trol programmes. American mink ( Neovison vison ) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was introduced in the wild in Europe in the 1930s. In many introduced areas, the American mink has an excessive predation im-pact on waterfowl and riparian mam-mals, leading to a marked decrease in their density. The aim of this study is to analyse colonization rate of mink after eradication in the 3 National Parks of Poland: Drawa National Park (DNP) situated in western Po-land, Biebrza National Park (BNP) and Narew National Park (NNP), sit-uated in eastern Poland (Fig. 1). The American mink e...
American mink (Neovison vison) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was int... more American mink (Neovison vison) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was introduced to the wild in Europe in the 1930s. In many introduced areas, the American mink is a significant predator of waterfowl and riparian mammals, leading to a marked decrease in their density. The aim of this study is to analyze adaptation of mink in their introduced range and to determine factors affecting population dynamics and colonization rate after eradication in the 4 National Parks of Poland (Biebrza, Narew, Warta Mouth and Drawa National Park). Studies have shown that it is possible to reduce the number of mink in protected areas and gain greater knowledge of the biology and ecology of invasive species. Fieldwork and trapping were conducted in each park over 5 days twice a year (March and November 2009, 2010 and 2011). In each park, trapping took place at two sites: an experimental area [EA] (from which the mink were removed) and a control area [CA] where mink were marked and...
Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2011
All manuscripts will be subjected to editorial review. Those that do not comply with the instruct... more All manuscripts will be subjected to editorial review. Those that do not comply with the instructions to authors, or those that are of insufficient interest, will be returned. Retained manuscripts will be sent for peer review. Reviewers and authors will be blinded to each other. The final decision of acceptance rests with the Editorial Board. Rejected manuscripts will be destroyed unless requested by the author, in advance, to be returned.
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
Abstract Pathogens are one of the factors driving wildlife population dynamics. The spread of pat... more Abstract Pathogens are one of the factors driving wildlife population dynamics. The spread of pathogens in wildlife is currently highly related to the transmission of pathogens from farmed animals, which has increased with the constant development of farming. Here, we analysed the spatio‐temporal variation in the prevalence of Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) antibodies in feral American mink (Neovison vison) populations in Poland (1,153 individuals from nine sites) in relation to mink farming intensity. AMDV was detected in feral mink at all study sites and the prevalence ranged from 0.461 in the northern region to 0.826 in the western region. Mink males and adults were infected more often than females and subadults; the infection was also more frequent during the mink breeding season than during non‐breeding. The prevalence of AMDV changed non‐linearly in consecutive years and the peak of prevalence was every 3–4 years. The predicted AMDV prevalence was low at sites where the number of farmed mink was also low and increased linearly with the increase in the number of mink kept on farms. The predicted AMDV prevalence at sites with low mink farming intensity strongly varied between years, whereas at sites with high mink farming intensity, the predicted prevalence did not change significantly. AMDV infection affected the mink's body condition and caused an increase in the size of the spleen, liver and kidneys. This study shows that Aleutian mink disease strongly affects feral mink but the spatio‐temporal variation of its prevalence is complex and partly related to the transmission of the virus from farmed mink to feral populations. The study highlights the complexity of AMDV circulation in feral mink populations and implicates a potential spillover of the virus to native species.
Virus Evolution
Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), which causes Aleutian disease, is widely spread both in farme... more Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), which causes Aleutian disease, is widely spread both in farmed mink and wild mustelids. However, only limited data are available on the role of wild animals in AMDV transmission and spread. Our aim was to shed light on AMDV transmission among wild mustelids and estimate the effect of intense farming practices on the virus circulation by studying AMDV prevalence and genetic diversity among wild mustelids in Poland. We compared AMDV seroprevalence and proportion of PCR-positive individuals in American mink, polecats, otters, stone martens, and pine martens and used the phylogenetic analysis of the NS1 region to study transmission. In addition, we used a metagenomic approach to sequence complete AMDV genomes from tissue samples. In eastern Poland, AMDV seroprevalence in wild mustelids varied from 22 per cent in otters to 62 per cent and 64 per cent in stone martens and feral mink, respectively. All studied antibody-positive mink were also PCR positiv...
Diversity and Distributions
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Folia Zoologica
ABSTRACT We studied the amphibian breeding migration into an old established (the beginning of th... more ABSTRACT We studied the amphibian breeding migration into an old established (the beginning of the 1990s) pond and a new one (2007), using drift fences in 2008-2011. The two ponds were located at a distance of about 0.5 km from one another in a post-agricultural landscape in the Mazurian Lakeland, north-eastern Poland. We examined the community structure and migration rates of adults and juveniles. The amphibian breeding communities were similar in the two ponds in each year. The moor frog Rana arvalis was the most common species and comprised between 35 and 55 % of all adult amphibians migrating to both ponds. The new pond was colonized by adult amphibians in the first spring after its creation. In the second year, the amphibian migration rates doubled in the new pond and remained stable over the next two years. However, during the entire period of the study the old pond was a more attractive spawning site than the new pond, when measured by the number of migrating individuals of all recorded species. Despite some annual variation, there were no significant differences between the ponds in terms of the sex structure, mean body mass or migration timing of the predominant amphibian species. The most probable explanation for the observed differences in the rates of migration is breeding site fidelity.
Acta Ornithologica
In birds, adaptations that mitigate predators' impact are usually ineffective in confrontatio... more In birds, adaptations that mitigate predators' impact are usually ineffective in confrontation with introduced and rapidly expanding invasive non-native predators. As a consequence, bird populations often decline in the period following the time when predator population is established. Changes in bird numbers and nest spatial distributions in breeding populations of the Eurasian Coot Fulica atra and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus were studied in Mazurian Lakeland, northeastern Poland in 2002–2003 and 2016, and were analyzed with reference to the abundance of invasive American Mink Neovison vison, whose density declined since mid 1990s. The study was based on a census of breeding pairs and a search of nests at 31 lakes. The numbers of breeding Coots and Grebes increased 2.6-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively. In both study periods Grebes displayed a strong tendency to nest in the vicinity of human settlements and in colonies; however, the percentage of Grebe pairs nesting near settlements and in colonies decreased from 51% to 34% and from 73% to 57%, respectively. Coots also preferred to nest in the vicinity of human settlements. Distributions of their nests have not changed significantly over time: in both periods 55–60% of Coot nests were found in close proximity to human settlements and 13–19% in Grebe colonies. The obtained results suggest that breeding populations of the Coot and Great Crested Grebe can cope with the invasive American Mink, whose predation was considered to be the main reason for waterbird declines in Mazurian Lakeland at the end of 20th century.
Mammal Research
Invasive alien predators pose a threat to native fauna and the studies of their feeding habits ar... more Invasive alien predators pose a threat to native fauna and the studies of their feeding habits are crucial to understanding their impact on prey populations. Diet of the American mink Neovison vison, an invasive species in Europe, is relatively well studied based on scat analysis, however, the use of other methods of diet analysis enables a better overview of this issue. We analyzed the isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen in the livers, which reflects the diet from about 30-40 days (scat analysis provides information on the diet over 1-2 days only) of the American mink from four national parks in Poland and in the muscles of three types of mink prey (root voles, common frogs, and roach) in order to estimate their contribution to the mink diet. Mink in Biebrza and Narew National Parks fed mainly on frogs and fish, in Drawa National Park on voles and fish, and in Warta Mouth National Park almost exclusively on fish-as shown by Bayesian mixing models calculated for three selected groups of prey. There was no isotopic evidence for differences between the diets of male and female mink. In all groups of prey, we found surprisingly high differences between individuals of the same species from different study sites in the isotopic composition of both δ 13 C (up to 3‰) and δ 15 N (up to 6‰). Based on a detailed literature review, we predict that the main reasons for these variations are differences in abiotic environment, food availability, and trophic position. We also indicate a lack of data on trophic discrimination in fish and amphibians, which makes it hard to assess the influence of differences in trophic position on isotopic variations. We suggest caution to authors who plan to study geographical variations in diet of animals using stable isotope analysis without acknowledging that taxonomically and ecologically similar prey can differ in isotopic composition between studied areas.
Biological Invasions
The American mink, an invasive mammal introduced to Europe, severely impacts native biodiversity.... more The American mink, an invasive mammal introduced to Europe, severely impacts native biodiversity. The history of its invasion has been poorly investigated in central and eastern Europe, and the current variations in densities of mink populations are not well studied, thus making a reduction of its impact difficult. Here we analyse the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of the American mink population in Poland, which began to establish itself at the beginning of the 1980s and originated from Polish farm escapees and immigrants from Lithuania and Belarus. Mink dispersal started in the north and continued to the south and in 2016 mink occurrence was recorded across ca. 75% of the country. By about 1997 mink had colonised half of Poland, and in 2016 the only mink-free area was in the south and southeast of the country. The rate of expansion showed accelerating and decelerating patterns, and reached its maximum 12 years after the beginning of the expansion. Mink farming in western Poland developed rapidly after 2000 and probably influenced acceleration of mink range expansion rates in years 2006-2008. Indices of mink densities showed significant nonlinear change over time since local populations were established and were highest in populations estimated to be 10-15 years old. The prediction of non-native species invasion rates and population dynamics should be incorporated into management actions curbing their negative impact on native fauna.
Folia Zoologica
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Mammalian Biology
Abstract The American mink Neovison vison is an invasive carnivore which may significantly affect... more Abstract The American mink Neovison vison is an invasive carnivore which may significantly affect populations of the water vole Arvicola amphibius. However, its impact on this rodent species depends on the abundance, dispersion and configuration of the habitats suitable for water voles and their accessibility for the mink. Using live-trapping, we studied the water vole and American mink populations inhabiting midfield ponds located in the vicinity of a large lake. In the same area, the mink diet was described after collecting and analysing scats. During four spring seasons, the water vole density gradually increased and no population peaks or crashes were observed. The maximum recorded density was 9.0 individuals/1 km of pond shoreline. Water voles displayed high year-to-year population turnover: less than 5% of the marked individuals were recaptured in the following year. In April–July, the exchange of individuals in the population during one-month periods was also high and usually exceeded 50%. Water vole remains were found in mink scats in all seasons, and the highest overall percentage biomass of water vole in mink diet for a two-months period reached 52.2% in May–June 2012. The results of our study show that at small water bodies adjacent to a large lake, the water vole population may withstand the impact of the invasive American mink.
Oecologia
Colonial breeding in birds provides protection from predators and may be particularly important w... more Colonial breeding in birds provides protection from predators and may be particularly important when birds have to cope with an invasive predator. The probability of nest predation in a colony can vary depending on several factors, such as the nest's location in the colony and the level of aggregation of nests. We studied the nesting success of colonial great crested grebes and monitored the occurrence of the non-native invasive American mink in the colony. From among 92 grebe nests, 54.3% were successful. The daily survival rate (DSR) of grebe nests was positively affected by the increasing distance between the nest and lake shoreline, and negatively affected by the increasing distance between the nest and the five nearest grebe nests. The probability of mink occurrence in the colony increased with consecutive days of the breeding season and decreased with increasing distance from the lake shoreline. The DSR of grebe nests decreased with the increasing probability of mink occurrence along the shoreline distance gradient and the day of the breeding season. The results of the study confirm the impact of the American mink on waterbirds during the breeding season but also indicate that large breeding colonies are partially safe from mink predation, and that nest accessibility and the dilution effect influence the probability of nest survival. Our data suggest that the limited access to safe breeding sites on large lakes that can supply adult grebes and their chicks with food may affect bird productivity and population numbers at the landscape level.
Biological Conservation
The ongoing decline of breeding wader populations in Europe has been mostly explained by habitat ... more The ongoing decline of breeding wader populations in Europe has been mostly explained by habitat changes and the increasing impact of native predators, but the influence of non-native invasive predators has been neglected. A seven year study of the nesting success of the northern lapwing, common redshank and black-tailed godwit was carried out in Biebrza National Park in north-eastern Poland, alongside the American mink control programme, which was undertaken with low and high intensities of mink control. Indices of mink density, based on the percentage of floating rafts with mink tracks and the number of mink trapped per 100 trap-nights, declined with the increasing number of mink removed in consecutive years. In our model, the mink control and water level covariates explained most of the variation in daily nest survival rates. A decline in mink density led to increases in daily survival rates of nests and to the overall nesting success of all three wader species. Lower water levels led to a decrease in the overall daily survival rate (DSR) but this covariate affected DSR differently throughout the breeding season. These results demonstrate that predation by an introduced species, alongside low water levels during the nesting period, can limit the nesting success of multiple wader species, and that American mink should be considered as a key predator affecting ground-nesting wetland bird populations. Conservation plans for many wader species declining in numbers should include local reductions in mink populations in order to increase nesting success. Thus, intensive continuous mink control is recommended for important nesting refuges, utilising adaptive management to ensure control efforts remain sufficiently high.
Journal of Zoology
This study examines the occurrence of invasive American mink Neovison vison and native water vole... more This study examines the occurrence of invasive American mink Neovison vison and native water voles Arvicola amphibius along the shorelines of eutrophic lakes and at small midfield ponds in the Mazurian Lakeland, north-east (NE) Poland. The main hypothesis tested in this study is that built-up areas and small midfield ponds are avoided by mink; therefore, they can serve as refuges that protect water voles from mink predation. Floating rafts were used to monitor mink and water vole distribution. Mink presence was negatively associated with urbanization at lake shorelines and midfield ponds, and these two characteristics positively correlated with occurrence of water voles in the study area. The probability of occurrence of water voles was significantly lower at sites where mink occurred. The occupancy rates for mink at lakes and at midfield ponds were higher in autumn than in spring and conversely the occupancy rates for water voles were higher in spring and lower in autumn. Our study shows that within a postglacial landscape, urban areas and midfield ponds distant from lakes are avoided by the American mink and thus these areas may function as refuge habitats for water voles and may maintain populations of this rodent at the landscape scale despite the presence of mink.
Folia Zoologica, 2003
A b s t r a c t. In summer 1992 through spring 1994, amphibian abundance and breeding was studied... more A b s t r a c t. In summer 1992 through spring 1994, amphibian abundance and breeding was studied in the pristine temperate forests, typical of central European lowlands. The years 1991, 1992, and 1993 were among the driest in the recent decades, with the spring-summer precipitation 35% lower than the long-term average. In the primeval forests of Bialowieza National Park, common frogs Rana temporaria spawned in small (on average, 0.2 ha) ponds (postglacial melt-out hollows) devoid of wood cover and characterised by water pH 5.1-6.0 (as measured in April) Breeding success of frogs, monilored qualitatively in 1993, was rather poor due to pond desiccation. The capture of amphibians on forest grids revealed that densities and seasonal dynamics differed between wet and drier deciduous forests. No amphibians were captured in the mixed coniferous forests during the study. In the wet ash-alder forests, on average. 39 amphibians ha - 1 were recorded in late April, 12 and ha 1 in summer, and 195-222 ind ha 1 in autumn (September). In those forests, 90% of captured amphibians were common frogs, 6% common toads Bufo bufo, and 4% moor frogs R. arvalis. In the drier oak-lime-hornbeam forests, amphibians appeared in May, and increased in numbers towards summer (19-24 and ha - 1 ) and autumn (45-71 ind ha + ). Of all amphibians caught in those forests, 43% were common frogs. 38% common toads, and 19% were moor frogs. A majority of amphibians captured in autumn were young of the year. By mid-October, all amphibians had left the forest for their hibernation sites. Comparison of our data collected in very dry years with other available data from Bialowieza Primeval Forest (various years between 1955 and 1998) revealed that summer indices of amphibian abundance were strongly positively correlated with rainfall in April-June of the census year and the previous year.
Polish Journal of Ecology, 2015
Bird Study, 2015
Capsule Nest survival of Water Rail and Little Crake nesting at small, midfield ponds was determi... more Capsule Nest survival of Water Rail and Little Crake nesting at small, midfield ponds was determined by vegetation density and proximity to the shore, respectively. Aims To determine which habitat variables affect nest predation for two rallid species inhabiting small ponds. Methods Habitat variables describing nest location (water depth, distance to the shore and distance to open water) and nest concealment (density and height of vegetation) were measured for natural and artificial nests. All nests were monitored to determine their fate and to identify nest predators. We used generalized linear models to assess nest survival rates and to evaluate the influence of particular variables. Results Little Crake nest success was negatively correlated with distance to shore (the land-water edge). The survival of Water Rail nests and artificial nests was positively correlated with vegetation density. During three breeding seasons, predation rates on Little Crake nests varied from 22% to 58%, and on Water Rail nests from 36% to 91%. The main predator of natural and artificial nests was the Marsh Harrier (responsible for about 50% of natural and artificial nest failures). Conclusion High Marsh Harrier predation rates (attacks from the air) may explain why water depth did not affect the survival rate of natural and artificial nests and why nest concealment was a factor positively influencing the nest success of the Water Rail and artificial nests. Little Crakes nest successfully closer to the shore, where vegetation is usually denser. Terrestrial mammals could more easily access Water Rail nests, which were situated in shallower water than Little Crake nests, and this may have contributed to the higher rate of nest loss in this species. Predation is a major cause of nest failure in many different habitats and in various groups of birds (Ricklefs 1969, Nilsson 1984, Sargeant & Raveling 1992). In wetlands, water is a barrier which reduces the accessibility of many mammalian predators to birds' nests, and this fact may positively affect nest success (Robertson 1972, Picman 1988, Koons & Rotella 2003). On the other hand, wetlands are attractive for some semi-aquatic mammalian predators, such as the American Mink Neovison vison, which can significantly reduce the breeding populations of many waterbirds (Bonesi & Palazon 2007). Birds that nest in wetlands are also exposed to avian predation (Opermanis et al. 2001, Zduniak 2006), and in some regions to snake predation (Hoover 2006). Besides predation, waterbirds' nests are vulnerable to changes in water level, especially in tidal marshes, riverine systems, estuaries, landlocked lakes and midfield ponds (Gjerdrum et al. 2005, Rush et al. 2010). Consequently, water level affects food and nest site availability of waterbirds, the community structure of both waterbirds and their predators, and finally, the nest survival rates of many wetland bird species (Weller 1999, Fletcher & Koford 2004). Waterbird nest losses can vary among years from as much as 25% to over 90% (Sargeant & Raveling 1992). In aquatic habitats, there are many micro-habitat features that may influence the probability of nest survival. These are, first of all, the characteristics of hydrophyte vegetation, i.e. vegetation type, its height and density (
Folia Zoologica, 2013
Abstract. The diet of otters was studied by the means of spraint analysis in the Bieszczady Mount... more Abstract. The diet of otters was studied by the means of spraint analysis in the Bieszczady Mountains, in southeastern Poland. The study area extended over 25 km long stretch of the River San, about 1 km above Solina dam reservoir. Spraints were collected on seven 2 km long sections in 1993, and on three sections in 2010. In both study periods, otter spraints were collected in August, when the weather conditions were similar. The study revealed high contribution of mountain fish species such as Phoxinus phoxinus, Cottus spp., and Barbatula barbatula in otter diet. Diet composition along the River San showed little variation in 1993, except from the section closest to dam reservoir where it was characterised by the highest frequency of occurrence of perch Perca fluviatilis, cyprinids and amphibians. The share of perch in otter diet decreased, while that of noble crayfish Astacus astacus increased with the distance from Solina reservoir. Changes in otter diet between 1993–2010 were ch...
Biological invasion is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function as the negative impa... more Biological invasion is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function as the negative impacts of invasive on native species can be devastating. Reducing the density of invasive species is an important goal in protected areas. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie com-pensatory responses in populations of invasive species has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of con-trol programmes. American mink ( Neovison vison ) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was introduced in the wild in Europe in the 1930s. In many introduced areas, the American mink has an excessive predation im-pact on waterfowl and riparian mam-mals, leading to a marked decrease in their density. The aim of this study is to analyse colonization rate of mink after eradication in the 3 National Parks of Poland: Drawa National Park (DNP) situated in western Po-land, Biebrza National Park (BNP) and Narew National Park (NNP), sit-uated in eastern Poland (Fig. 1). The American mink e...
American mink (Neovison vison) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was int... more American mink (Neovison vison) is a semi-aquatic species, endemic to North America, which was introduced to the wild in Europe in the 1930s. In many introduced areas, the American mink is a significant predator of waterfowl and riparian mammals, leading to a marked decrease in their density. The aim of this study is to analyze adaptation of mink in their introduced range and to determine factors affecting population dynamics and colonization rate after eradication in the 4 National Parks of Poland (Biebrza, Narew, Warta Mouth and Drawa National Park). Studies have shown that it is possible to reduce the number of mink in protected areas and gain greater knowledge of the biology and ecology of invasive species. Fieldwork and trapping were conducted in each park over 5 days twice a year (March and November 2009, 2010 and 2011). In each park, trapping took place at two sites: an experimental area [EA] (from which the mink were removed) and a control area [CA] where mink were marked and...
Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2011
All manuscripts will be subjected to editorial review. Those that do not comply with the instruct... more All manuscripts will be subjected to editorial review. Those that do not comply with the instructions to authors, or those that are of insufficient interest, will be returned. Retained manuscripts will be sent for peer review. Reviewers and authors will be blinded to each other. The final decision of acceptance rests with the Editorial Board. Rejected manuscripts will be destroyed unless requested by the author, in advance, to be returned.
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
Abstract Pathogens are one of the factors driving wildlife population dynamics. The spread of pat... more Abstract Pathogens are one of the factors driving wildlife population dynamics. The spread of pathogens in wildlife is currently highly related to the transmission of pathogens from farmed animals, which has increased with the constant development of farming. Here, we analysed the spatio‐temporal variation in the prevalence of Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) antibodies in feral American mink (Neovison vison) populations in Poland (1,153 individuals from nine sites) in relation to mink farming intensity. AMDV was detected in feral mink at all study sites and the prevalence ranged from 0.461 in the northern region to 0.826 in the western region. Mink males and adults were infected more often than females and subadults; the infection was also more frequent during the mink breeding season than during non‐breeding. The prevalence of AMDV changed non‐linearly in consecutive years and the peak of prevalence was every 3–4 years. The predicted AMDV prevalence was low at sites where the number of farmed mink was also low and increased linearly with the increase in the number of mink kept on farms. The predicted AMDV prevalence at sites with low mink farming intensity strongly varied between years, whereas at sites with high mink farming intensity, the predicted prevalence did not change significantly. AMDV infection affected the mink's body condition and caused an increase in the size of the spleen, liver and kidneys. This study shows that Aleutian mink disease strongly affects feral mink but the spatio‐temporal variation of its prevalence is complex and partly related to the transmission of the virus from farmed mink to feral populations. The study highlights the complexity of AMDV circulation in feral mink populations and implicates a potential spillover of the virus to native species.
Virus Evolution
Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), which causes Aleutian disease, is widely spread both in farme... more Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), which causes Aleutian disease, is widely spread both in farmed mink and wild mustelids. However, only limited data are available on the role of wild animals in AMDV transmission and spread. Our aim was to shed light on AMDV transmission among wild mustelids and estimate the effect of intense farming practices on the virus circulation by studying AMDV prevalence and genetic diversity among wild mustelids in Poland. We compared AMDV seroprevalence and proportion of PCR-positive individuals in American mink, polecats, otters, stone martens, and pine martens and used the phylogenetic analysis of the NS1 region to study transmission. In addition, we used a metagenomic approach to sequence complete AMDV genomes from tissue samples. In eastern Poland, AMDV seroprevalence in wild mustelids varied from 22 per cent in otters to 62 per cent and 64 per cent in stone martens and feral mink, respectively. All studied antibody-positive mink were also PCR positiv...
Diversity and Distributions
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Folia Zoologica
ABSTRACT We studied the amphibian breeding migration into an old established (the beginning of th... more ABSTRACT We studied the amphibian breeding migration into an old established (the beginning of the 1990s) pond and a new one (2007), using drift fences in 2008-2011. The two ponds were located at a distance of about 0.5 km from one another in a post-agricultural landscape in the Mazurian Lakeland, north-eastern Poland. We examined the community structure and migration rates of adults and juveniles. The amphibian breeding communities were similar in the two ponds in each year. The moor frog Rana arvalis was the most common species and comprised between 35 and 55 % of all adult amphibians migrating to both ponds. The new pond was colonized by adult amphibians in the first spring after its creation. In the second year, the amphibian migration rates doubled in the new pond and remained stable over the next two years. However, during the entire period of the study the old pond was a more attractive spawning site than the new pond, when measured by the number of migrating individuals of all recorded species. Despite some annual variation, there were no significant differences between the ponds in terms of the sex structure, mean body mass or migration timing of the predominant amphibian species. The most probable explanation for the observed differences in the rates of migration is breeding site fidelity.
Acta Ornithologica
In birds, adaptations that mitigate predators' impact are usually ineffective in confrontatio... more In birds, adaptations that mitigate predators' impact are usually ineffective in confrontation with introduced and rapidly expanding invasive non-native predators. As a consequence, bird populations often decline in the period following the time when predator population is established. Changes in bird numbers and nest spatial distributions in breeding populations of the Eurasian Coot Fulica atra and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus were studied in Mazurian Lakeland, northeastern Poland in 2002–2003 and 2016, and were analyzed with reference to the abundance of invasive American Mink Neovison vison, whose density declined since mid 1990s. The study was based on a census of breeding pairs and a search of nests at 31 lakes. The numbers of breeding Coots and Grebes increased 2.6-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively. In both study periods Grebes displayed a strong tendency to nest in the vicinity of human settlements and in colonies; however, the percentage of Grebe pairs nesting near settlements and in colonies decreased from 51% to 34% and from 73% to 57%, respectively. Coots also preferred to nest in the vicinity of human settlements. Distributions of their nests have not changed significantly over time: in both periods 55–60% of Coot nests were found in close proximity to human settlements and 13–19% in Grebe colonies. The obtained results suggest that breeding populations of the Coot and Great Crested Grebe can cope with the invasive American Mink, whose predation was considered to be the main reason for waterbird declines in Mazurian Lakeland at the end of 20th century.
Mammal Research
Invasive alien predators pose a threat to native fauna and the studies of their feeding habits ar... more Invasive alien predators pose a threat to native fauna and the studies of their feeding habits are crucial to understanding their impact on prey populations. Diet of the American mink Neovison vison, an invasive species in Europe, is relatively well studied based on scat analysis, however, the use of other methods of diet analysis enables a better overview of this issue. We analyzed the isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen in the livers, which reflects the diet from about 30-40 days (scat analysis provides information on the diet over 1-2 days only) of the American mink from four national parks in Poland and in the muscles of three types of mink prey (root voles, common frogs, and roach) in order to estimate their contribution to the mink diet. Mink in Biebrza and Narew National Parks fed mainly on frogs and fish, in Drawa National Park on voles and fish, and in Warta Mouth National Park almost exclusively on fish-as shown by Bayesian mixing models calculated for three selected groups of prey. There was no isotopic evidence for differences between the diets of male and female mink. In all groups of prey, we found surprisingly high differences between individuals of the same species from different study sites in the isotopic composition of both δ 13 C (up to 3‰) and δ 15 N (up to 6‰). Based on a detailed literature review, we predict that the main reasons for these variations are differences in abiotic environment, food availability, and trophic position. We also indicate a lack of data on trophic discrimination in fish and amphibians, which makes it hard to assess the influence of differences in trophic position on isotopic variations. We suggest caution to authors who plan to study geographical variations in diet of animals using stable isotope analysis without acknowledging that taxonomically and ecologically similar prey can differ in isotopic composition between studied areas.
Biological Invasions
The American mink, an invasive mammal introduced to Europe, severely impacts native biodiversity.... more The American mink, an invasive mammal introduced to Europe, severely impacts native biodiversity. The history of its invasion has been poorly investigated in central and eastern Europe, and the current variations in densities of mink populations are not well studied, thus making a reduction of its impact difficult. Here we analyse the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of the American mink population in Poland, which began to establish itself at the beginning of the 1980s and originated from Polish farm escapees and immigrants from Lithuania and Belarus. Mink dispersal started in the north and continued to the south and in 2016 mink occurrence was recorded across ca. 75% of the country. By about 1997 mink had colonised half of Poland, and in 2016 the only mink-free area was in the south and southeast of the country. The rate of expansion showed accelerating and decelerating patterns, and reached its maximum 12 years after the beginning of the expansion. Mink farming in western Poland developed rapidly after 2000 and probably influenced acceleration of mink range expansion rates in years 2006-2008. Indices of mink densities showed significant nonlinear change over time since local populations were established and were highest in populations estimated to be 10-15 years old. The prediction of non-native species invasion rates and population dynamics should be incorporated into management actions curbing their negative impact on native fauna.
Folia Zoologica
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Mammalian Biology
Abstract The American mink Neovison vison is an invasive carnivore which may significantly affect... more Abstract The American mink Neovison vison is an invasive carnivore which may significantly affect populations of the water vole Arvicola amphibius. However, its impact on this rodent species depends on the abundance, dispersion and configuration of the habitats suitable for water voles and their accessibility for the mink. Using live-trapping, we studied the water vole and American mink populations inhabiting midfield ponds located in the vicinity of a large lake. In the same area, the mink diet was described after collecting and analysing scats. During four spring seasons, the water vole density gradually increased and no population peaks or crashes were observed. The maximum recorded density was 9.0 individuals/1 km of pond shoreline. Water voles displayed high year-to-year population turnover: less than 5% of the marked individuals were recaptured in the following year. In April–July, the exchange of individuals in the population during one-month periods was also high and usually exceeded 50%. Water vole remains were found in mink scats in all seasons, and the highest overall percentage biomass of water vole in mink diet for a two-months period reached 52.2% in May–June 2012. The results of our study show that at small water bodies adjacent to a large lake, the water vole population may withstand the impact of the invasive American mink.
Oecologia
Colonial breeding in birds provides protection from predators and may be particularly important w... more Colonial breeding in birds provides protection from predators and may be particularly important when birds have to cope with an invasive predator. The probability of nest predation in a colony can vary depending on several factors, such as the nest's location in the colony and the level of aggregation of nests. We studied the nesting success of colonial great crested grebes and monitored the occurrence of the non-native invasive American mink in the colony. From among 92 grebe nests, 54.3% were successful. The daily survival rate (DSR) of grebe nests was positively affected by the increasing distance between the nest and lake shoreline, and negatively affected by the increasing distance between the nest and the five nearest grebe nests. The probability of mink occurrence in the colony increased with consecutive days of the breeding season and decreased with increasing distance from the lake shoreline. The DSR of grebe nests decreased with the increasing probability of mink occurrence along the shoreline distance gradient and the day of the breeding season. The results of the study confirm the impact of the American mink on waterbirds during the breeding season but also indicate that large breeding colonies are partially safe from mink predation, and that nest accessibility and the dilution effect influence the probability of nest survival. Our data suggest that the limited access to safe breeding sites on large lakes that can supply adult grebes and their chicks with food may affect bird productivity and population numbers at the landscape level.
Biological Conservation
The ongoing decline of breeding wader populations in Europe has been mostly explained by habitat ... more The ongoing decline of breeding wader populations in Europe has been mostly explained by habitat changes and the increasing impact of native predators, but the influence of non-native invasive predators has been neglected. A seven year study of the nesting success of the northern lapwing, common redshank and black-tailed godwit was carried out in Biebrza National Park in north-eastern Poland, alongside the American mink control programme, which was undertaken with low and high intensities of mink control. Indices of mink density, based on the percentage of floating rafts with mink tracks and the number of mink trapped per 100 trap-nights, declined with the increasing number of mink removed in consecutive years. In our model, the mink control and water level covariates explained most of the variation in daily nest survival rates. A decline in mink density led to increases in daily survival rates of nests and to the overall nesting success of all three wader species. Lower water levels led to a decrease in the overall daily survival rate (DSR) but this covariate affected DSR differently throughout the breeding season. These results demonstrate that predation by an introduced species, alongside low water levels during the nesting period, can limit the nesting success of multiple wader species, and that American mink should be considered as a key predator affecting ground-nesting wetland bird populations. Conservation plans for many wader species declining in numbers should include local reductions in mink populations in order to increase nesting success. Thus, intensive continuous mink control is recommended for important nesting refuges, utilising adaptive management to ensure control efforts remain sufficiently high.
Journal of Zoology
This study examines the occurrence of invasive American mink Neovison vison and native water vole... more This study examines the occurrence of invasive American mink Neovison vison and native water voles Arvicola amphibius along the shorelines of eutrophic lakes and at small midfield ponds in the Mazurian Lakeland, north-east (NE) Poland. The main hypothesis tested in this study is that built-up areas and small midfield ponds are avoided by mink; therefore, they can serve as refuges that protect water voles from mink predation. Floating rafts were used to monitor mink and water vole distribution. Mink presence was negatively associated with urbanization at lake shorelines and midfield ponds, and these two characteristics positively correlated with occurrence of water voles in the study area. The probability of occurrence of water voles was significantly lower at sites where mink occurred. The occupancy rates for mink at lakes and at midfield ponds were higher in autumn than in spring and conversely the occupancy rates for water voles were higher in spring and lower in autumn. Our study shows that within a postglacial landscape, urban areas and midfield ponds distant from lakes are avoided by the American mink and thus these areas may function as refuge habitats for water voles and may maintain populations of this rodent at the landscape scale despite the presence of mink.
Folia Zoologica, 2003
A b s t r a c t. In summer 1992 through spring 1994, amphibian abundance and breeding was studied... more A b s t r a c t. In summer 1992 through spring 1994, amphibian abundance and breeding was studied in the pristine temperate forests, typical of central European lowlands. The years 1991, 1992, and 1993 were among the driest in the recent decades, with the spring-summer precipitation 35% lower than the long-term average. In the primeval forests of Bialowieza National Park, common frogs Rana temporaria spawned in small (on average, 0.2 ha) ponds (postglacial melt-out hollows) devoid of wood cover and characterised by water pH 5.1-6.0 (as measured in April) Breeding success of frogs, monilored qualitatively in 1993, was rather poor due to pond desiccation. The capture of amphibians on forest grids revealed that densities and seasonal dynamics differed between wet and drier deciduous forests. No amphibians were captured in the mixed coniferous forests during the study. In the wet ash-alder forests, on average. 39 amphibians ha - 1 were recorded in late April, 12 and ha 1 in summer, and 195-222 ind ha 1 in autumn (September). In those forests, 90% of captured amphibians were common frogs, 6% common toads Bufo bufo, and 4% moor frogs R. arvalis. In the drier oak-lime-hornbeam forests, amphibians appeared in May, and increased in numbers towards summer (19-24 and ha - 1 ) and autumn (45-71 ind ha + ). Of all amphibians caught in those forests, 43% were common frogs. 38% common toads, and 19% were moor frogs. A majority of amphibians captured in autumn were young of the year. By mid-October, all amphibians had left the forest for their hibernation sites. Comparison of our data collected in very dry years with other available data from Bialowieza Primeval Forest (various years between 1955 and 1998) revealed that summer indices of amphibian abundance were strongly positively correlated with rainfall in April-June of the census year and the previous year.
Polish Journal of Ecology, 2015
Bird Study, 2015
Capsule Nest survival of Water Rail and Little Crake nesting at small, midfield ponds was determi... more Capsule Nest survival of Water Rail and Little Crake nesting at small, midfield ponds was determined by vegetation density and proximity to the shore, respectively. Aims To determine which habitat variables affect nest predation for two rallid species inhabiting small ponds. Methods Habitat variables describing nest location (water depth, distance to the shore and distance to open water) and nest concealment (density and height of vegetation) were measured for natural and artificial nests. All nests were monitored to determine their fate and to identify nest predators. We used generalized linear models to assess nest survival rates and to evaluate the influence of particular variables. Results Little Crake nest success was negatively correlated with distance to shore (the land-water edge). The survival of Water Rail nests and artificial nests was positively correlated with vegetation density. During three breeding seasons, predation rates on Little Crake nests varied from 22% to 58%, and on Water Rail nests from 36% to 91%. The main predator of natural and artificial nests was the Marsh Harrier (responsible for about 50% of natural and artificial nest failures). Conclusion High Marsh Harrier predation rates (attacks from the air) may explain why water depth did not affect the survival rate of natural and artificial nests and why nest concealment was a factor positively influencing the nest success of the Water Rail and artificial nests. Little Crakes nest successfully closer to the shore, where vegetation is usually denser. Terrestrial mammals could more easily access Water Rail nests, which were situated in shallower water than Little Crake nests, and this may have contributed to the higher rate of nest loss in this species. Predation is a major cause of nest failure in many different habitats and in various groups of birds (Ricklefs 1969, Nilsson 1984, Sargeant & Raveling 1992). In wetlands, water is a barrier which reduces the accessibility of many mammalian predators to birds' nests, and this fact may positively affect nest success (Robertson 1972, Picman 1988, Koons & Rotella 2003). On the other hand, wetlands are attractive for some semi-aquatic mammalian predators, such as the American Mink Neovison vison, which can significantly reduce the breeding populations of many waterbirds (Bonesi & Palazon 2007). Birds that nest in wetlands are also exposed to avian predation (Opermanis et al. 2001, Zduniak 2006), and in some regions to snake predation (Hoover 2006). Besides predation, waterbirds' nests are vulnerable to changes in water level, especially in tidal marshes, riverine systems, estuaries, landlocked lakes and midfield ponds (Gjerdrum et al. 2005, Rush et al. 2010). Consequently, water level affects food and nest site availability of waterbirds, the community structure of both waterbirds and their predators, and finally, the nest survival rates of many wetland bird species (Weller 1999, Fletcher & Koford 2004). Waterbird nest losses can vary among years from as much as 25% to over 90% (Sargeant & Raveling 1992). In aquatic habitats, there are many micro-habitat features that may influence the probability of nest survival. These are, first of all, the characteristics of hydrophyte vegetation, i.e. vegetation type, its height and density (