The Robin, Erithacus Rubecula (Passeriformes, Turdidae), As a Component of Autotrophic Consortia of Forest Cenoses, Northeast Ukraine

• Main Authors: Chaplygina A. B., Yuzyk D. I., Savynska N. O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2016-08-01
• Series: Vestnik Zoologii
• Subjects: erithacus rubecula linnaeus; trophic links; consortia; consortial relations
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/vzoo-2016-0043

The role of the robin, Erithacus rubecula Linnaeus, 1758 as a consort of autotrophic consortia is considered. It has been found that representatives of 9 higher taxa of animals (Mammalia, Aves, Gastropoda, Insecta, Arachnida, Acarina, Malacostraca, Diplopoda, Clitellata) have trophic and topical links with the robin. At the same time, the robin is a consort of determinants of autotrophic consortia, which core is represented mostly by dominating species of deciduous trees (Quercus robur Linnaeus, 1753 (24.6 %), Tilia cordata Miller, 1768 (17.5 %), Acer platanoides Linnaeus, 1753 (22.8 %), Acer campestre Linnaeus, 1753), and also by sedges (Carex sp.) and grasses (Poaceae). The robin also belongs to the concentre of the second and higher orders as a component of forest biogeocenoses and forms a complex trophic system. In the diet of its nestlings, there have been found 717 objects from 32 invertebrate taxa, belonging to the phylums Arthropoda (99.2 %, 31 species) and Annelida (0.8 %, 1 species). The phylum Arthropoda was represented by the most numerous class Insecta (76.9 %), in which 10 orders (Lepidoptera (46.8 %) dominates) and 20 families were recorded, and also by the classes Arachnida (15.0 %), Malacostraca (5.3 %) and Diplopoda (1.9 %). The invertebrate species composition was dominated by representatives of a trophic group of zoophages (14 species; 43.8 %); the portion of phytophages (7 species; 21.9 %), saprophages (18.7 %), and necrophages (15.6 %) was the less. The highest number of food items was represented by phytophages (N = 717; 51 %), followed by zoophages (34 %), saprophages (12 %), and necrophages (3 %). The difference among study areas according to the number of food items and the number of species in the robin nestling diet is shown. In NNP “HF”, the highest number of food items was represented by phytophages - 47 % (N = 443), whereas zoophages were the most species-rich group (43.3 %, 13 species). In NNP “H”, phytophages also prevailed in food items - 62.3 % (N = 164), but the number of phyto-, zoo- and saprophage species was equal (30.8 %, 13 species). In the forest park, zoophages were more frequent - 45.5 % (N = 110), but phytophages were the most species-rich (42.9 %).