The influence of abundance and variety of food on the local distribution of migrating waders in inland waters of European Russia

Understanding the factors that influence the abundance and spatial distribution of species helps us understand how natural communities function and how they will change in response to environmental changes, which is critical for the effective conservation of populations. The influence of the abundance and diversity of food items on the local distribution of migrating waders was studied at two inland water bodies in European Russia: Elton Lake (Volgograd Region), where the abundance and biomass of invertebrates was comparable with that in other inland stopover areas, and a wastewater treatment plant (Tambov Region), where the food supply for migrating waders was extremely high. In both water bodies, waders choose foraging areas with the highest abundance of food. Rich and varied food supplies contributed to a better expression of species-specific preferences, causing greater inter-specific differences in habitat use. Food abundance is likely the key factor determining the regional and local distribution of migrating waders on transcontinental flyways.