Breeding Site Preferences and the Effects of Breeding Black-crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) on Soil Characteristics at Bamsum Island in Seoul

Nest density was determined and tree and soil characteristics around Nycticorax nycticorax breeding sites and non-breeding sites on Bamsum Island in Seoul were analyzed from May 2005 to October 2006 to identify breeding site preferences of N. nycticorax and the effects of N. nycticorax nesting density on nesting tree structure and soil characteristics. N. nycticorax preferred trees of low height ($3.5{\sim}6$ m) and small diameter at breast height in high density Salix communities. Excrement of heron juveniles was dropped on the soil under the nests. The soil nutrient content under nests (P: 126.0 mg/kg, N: 202.8 mg/kg, EC: 549 ${\mu}S/cm$, pH 4.7) was much higher than that of control soils from Bamsum Island not enriched by heron excrement (P: 41.5 mg/kg, N: 42.0 mg/kg, EC: 342 ${\mu}S/cm$, pH 5.1). Formation of Salix communities on the shores of Bamsum Island is ongoing, and their structure has been directly influenced by annual flooding. After flooding, the nutrient content differences between heron-affected soils and control soils were not significant. This might be the reason that Salix communities on Bamsum were not affected by nesting herons as in other terrestrial communities where herons nest. This result indicates that flooding plays an important role in sustaining Salix communities on Bamsum Island where herons nest. The results of this study may increase understanding of N. nycticorax breeding behavior which may be useful for conservation planning.