nestbereichen

Nestbereich, plural Nestbereiche, is a term used in ecology and wildlife management to denote a spatial zone around a nesting site that researchers and managers consider when assessing habitat quality, breeding success, and protection needs. The concept is applied across taxa, including birds, mammals, and some insects, and is related to ideas such as nesting habitat and breeding territory. In German-language literature, Nestbereich emphasizes the functional area of influence of a nest rather than the exact nest location.

The boundaries and size of a nestbereich are typically species-specific and depend on factors such as predation risk, food availability, vegetation structure, microclimate, and disturbance. The nestbereich may extend beyond the immediate nest to include nearby foraging zones, roosting areas, and potential flight paths. Disturbance, land use, and seasonal changes can alter its extent over time.

Applications of the concept include planning and management at the landscape scale, designating protected areas, evaluating the impact of human activities on breeding success, and guiding conservation interventions. For researchers, the nestbereich provides a practical unit for habitat assessment, monitoring, and modeling of occupancy and reproductive outcomes.

Methods to identify and study nestbereiche include field surveys, GPS-based mapping, camera traps, acoustic monitoring, and statistical models of nest occupancy and success. Challenges include variability among individuals and seasons, potential disturbance from monitoring, and legal or ethical considerations in sensitive habitats. Examples of relevant contexts include shorebirds on coastal wetlands, cavity-nesting birds in forests, and ground-nesting species in open habitats.