2016 Aichele, Dominique: Breeding habitat selection by tree pipit (Anthus trivialis) and meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) on a mountain heathland area in the Northern Black Forest, Germany.

The preservation of a species is determined by the availability of appropriate habitat, population dynamics and species’ behavioral traits. Hence, successful conservation management depends on the identification of habitat selection and quality mechanisms of the species of conservation concern. This study examines habitat selection patterns of tree pipit (Anthus trivialis) and meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) coexisting in a mountain heathland area in the Northern Black Forest, Germany. Based on a presence-absence comparison, parameters are assessed on the territory and the nest-site scale to determine differences and similarities in sympatric habitat choice, focusing on habitat structural attributes, plant composition and population biological properties. The results of this study indicate that the pipit species occupy different ecological niches enabling sympatry. Tree pipit favors territories with higher vegetation and a high amount of post structures, providing dry patches with dense herb layer as well as a pronounced litter layer and microrelief as nest-sites. Meadow pipit, however, selects territories without forest, but a higher amount of single posts and moist areas offering a heterogenous herb and a distinct moss layer with low micro-relief roughness. A reduced habitat quality in the study area is identified, recommending forest removal and extensive summer-grazing with cattle on heathland and in forest sections as appropriate management measures. Future research should concentrate on investigating the underlying regionally independent factors determining habitat selection to develop a universally applicable conservation management.