Close to the Madding Crowd: Waterbird Responses to Land Use Conversion in and Around a Mediterranean Urban Wetland

Investigating how Mediterranean wetlands respond to adjacent land use conversion, is an important first step in mitigating the impact of human encroachment and other environmental stressors. We monitored composition structure waterbird assemblages, a urban marsh, subjected severe anthropogenic pressures. Remote sensing indicated that last two decades Boussedra Pond was landfill, resulting substantial reduction (~ 50 %) while due lack planning built-up agriculture areas expanded considerably its surroundings. This precipitous size this pond threatens diversity resident waterbirds which include globally Endangered (EN) White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala, Near-Threatened (NT) Ferruginous Aythya nyroca, many staging wintering migratory species. The long-term study suggested breeding species responded differentially loss degradation as highlighted by apparent resilience synanthropic Moorhen Gallinula chloropus disappearance several marsh specialists, such Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus. also points out need for both coordinated cross-sectorial immediate, affordable sustainable wetland conservation action.