Recovery of the bird community after a mine spill and landscape restoration of a Mediterranean river

Published source details Ontiveros D., Márquez-Ferrando R., Fernández-Cardenete J.R., Santos X., Caro J. & Pleguezuelos J.M. (2013) Recovery of the bird community after a mine spill and landscape restoration of a Mediterranean river. Restoration Ecology, 21, 193-199.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Other biodiversity: Restore habitat along watercourses Action Link

Other biodiversity: Restore habitat along watercourses

A replicated site comparison in 2001–2009 in riparian forest along the Guadiamar and Alcarayón Rivers, Spain, found a similar number of birds and bird species in restored sites and uncontaminated sites. Birds: Similar numbers of birds and bird species were found in restored and uncontaminated sites (24 vs 20 species; 76 vs 87 individuals). Implementation options: More birds were found eight years after restoration, compared to one year (2009 vs 2001: 102 vs 67 individuals/10 ha), but there was not a significant difference in the number of bird species (71 vs 45). Methods: Riparian areas along the Guadiamar River were contaminated by heavy metals from a mine accident in 1998. Sites were restored from 1998–2001 by planting native trees and shrubs and removing exotic and cultivated plants. Birds were surveyed along seven transects (8 km long and 2 km apart) in 2001–2006 and 2009 (winter: 15 October–15 February; breeding season: 15 April–15 June) in restored sites and a non-contaminated site (10 km away, along the Alcarayón River, in 2004–2006). These surveys were compared with data from before the contamination (bird atlas).