Forest cover reduces thermally suitable habitats and affects responses to a warmer climate predicted in a high-elevation lizard

Oecologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 175 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Ping Huang ◽  
Warren P. Porter ◽  
Ming-Chung Tu ◽  
Chyi-Rong Chiou
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Suitable Habitats

scholarly journals Realities of rarity: climatically and ecologically restricted, critically endangered Kandian Torrent Toads (Adenomus kandianus) breed en masse

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhava Meegaskumbura ◽  
Nayana Wijayathilaka ◽  
Nirodha Abayalath ◽  
Gayani Senevirathne
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Wide Geographic Distribution ◽  
Forest Habitats

Endemic to Sri Lanka, genus Adenomus contains two torrent-associated toad species whose ecology and natural history in the wild is virtually unknown. Adenomus kelaartii is relatively common, with a wide geographic distribution. Its sister species, A. kandianus, however, is restricted to two isolated populations in fast-disappearing montane and sub-montane forests. Formally declared extinct after not being recorded for over a century, a few A. kandianus were rediscovered in 2012 and redescribed as "the world's rarest toad". Here we report the results of a two-year study of the occurrence, habits and habitat associations of adult and larval A. kandianus using both general surveys and quadrat sampling. We show this to be a secretive species with a patchy distribution. Non-breeding female toads dwell in primary-forest habitats, but after heavy and sudden downpours they form large mating congregations in large streams. Amplexed pairs swim synchronously, enabling them to traverse fast currents. Egg-laying sites remain unknown, but the ability to dive and vocalize underwater, and characteristics of the eggs, suggest that they lay eggs in dark recesses of the stream. Tadpoles show microhabitat partitioning within the stream, with the greatest diversity of stages in slow-flowing rocky areas. The more robust stages possessing sucker discs exploit rocky-rapids, while metamorphic stages inhabit stream margins. We use DNA-barcoding to show the existence of two disparate toad populations. Distribution modeling with forest-cover layers added, predict a very small remaining area of suitable habitats. Conservation of this climatically and ecologically restricted species hinge largely on the preservation of high-elevation primary and riparian forests and unpolluted torrents.

Resistance of forest songbirds to habitat perforation in a high-elevation conifer forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1919-1928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest E Leupin ◽  
Thomas E Dickinson ◽  
Kathy Martin
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Abies Lasiocarpa ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Engelmann Spruce ◽  
Continuous Forest ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Individual Trees ◽  
High Elevations

We examined responses of songbirds breeding in high-elevation Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir (Picea englemannii Parry ex Engelm. – Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) forests to four perforation harvest patterns near Sicamous, British Columbia. Each treatment removed approximately 30% of the timber volume but varied the size of openings from 10-ha clearcuts to small gaps (<0.01 ha), where individual trees were removed. Abundance and diversity of breeding songbirds were monitored over a 4-year period, including 2 years each of pre- and post-harvest conditions. Two-thirds of the original songbird assemblage consisted of mature forest species that showed only modest changes in relative abundance following harvest. Two species showed significant responses to harvesting: golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa Lichtensteins) declined significantly postharvest, with the largest declines occurring in single-tree and 10-ha treatments; and dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis L.) responded positively to harvest. At high elevations, 30% volume removal allowed much of the songbird community to be accommodated immediately after harvest. Future research should address whether the apparent short-term accommodation of high-elevation birds persists across time and as more of the continuous forest cover is removed.

Effects of elevation and forest cover on winter birds in mature forest ecosystems of southern British Columbia

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 1720-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim R Herbers ◽  
Robert Serrouya ◽  
Katherine A Maxcy
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Previous History ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Coarse Filter

Winter diversity, distribution, and density of nonmigratory birds were examined in six mature forest ecosystems from two study areas in southern British Columbia. Forest age ranged from 91 to 150 years and the ecosystems ranged from 500 to 2100 m above sea level. Sampled forest stands had no previous history of logging and were a minimum 30 ha in size. The main objectives of this study were to measure nonmigratory birds in relation to elevation and to percentage of stand-level lodgepole pine composition. Twenty-one nonmigratory bird species totaling 2747 observations were detected at 775 point-count stations in 107 stands using 10-min unlimited-distance point counts. Pine siskins (Carduelis pinus (Wilson, 1810)), red-breasted nuthatches (Sitta canadensis L., 1766), and red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra L., 1758) were the three most commonly detected species. Mature forests at low elevation had between 1.7 and 3.5 times more species and between 2.0 and 4.7 times more birds than forests at high elevation. In addition, species richness and bird density declined with increasing stand-level composition of lodgepole pine. We suggest that low-elevation ecosystems be given high priority in coarse-filter management of winter bird habitat.

scholarly journals The recent distribution of endemic, disjunct and globally uncommon birds in the forests of Kerala State, south-west India

1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. J. Zacharias ◽  
Anthony J. Gaston
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Western India ◽  
Large Network ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Disjunct Populations ◽  
Kerala State

SummarySurveyed the avifaunas of 24 forest areas in Kerala State, south-western India, over the period 1973–1997, recording 309 species. We give details here of distributions and status for all species endemic to South Asia and all those having isolated populations, disjunct from conspecifics in northern India (disjunct species). Most bird species found in Kerala that are endemic to southern India, or form disjunct populations, occur in forest habitats. Those species endemic to the Western Ghats (passerines), or constituting disjunct populations (raptors) tend to have more restricted occurrence than other forest birds. For the passerines this is because they are mainly confined to high elevation forests and grasslands: rather restricted habitats in Kerala. The raptors may be more dependent than other species on large areas of forest and hence may have suffered from recent reductions in forest cover. Current trends in forest clearance for agriculture and plantations and encroachment by settlers, threaten especially the birds of low and middle altitude forests. The present status of such birds as Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus, Great Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis, Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis and White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyornis pallipes seems to be markedly worse than that described by Ali (1969) for the 1930s. These species, as well as Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis and Black-crested Baza Aviceda leuphotes, are patchily distributed at low densities and may be vulnerable to extirpation from local areas. Higher altitude habitats, where many endemics occur, cover smaller areas, but are less threatened. However, some species occurring at low densities (Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii, White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major, Black-and-orange Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa, Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura) may be vulnerable to extirpation or extinction in the long term. Kerala has a large network of protected areas (National Parks, Sanctuaries). Effective protection of those areas should be sufficient to maintain most species, although the coverage of low altitude forest is poor and remaining fragments should be carefully protected. There is continuous pressure on all habitats and bird populations will need to be carefully monitored in future if Kerala's endemic and disjunct populations are to be maintained.

scholarly journals Species composition and elevational distribution of bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus Latreille) in the East Himalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, India

ZooKeys ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 851 ◽  
pp. 71-89
Author(s):  
Martin Streinzer ◽  
Jharna Chakravorty ◽  
Johann Neumayer ◽  
Karsing Megu ◽  
Jaya Narah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Elevation ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Arunachal Pradesh ◽  
The North ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Future Assessment ◽  
Himalayan Mountain ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Abundance And Distribution

The East Himalaya is one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. However, very little is known about the abundance and distribution of many plant and animal taxa in this region. Bumble bees are a group of cold-adapted and high elevation insects that fulfil an important ecological and economical function as pollinators of wild and agricultural flowering plants and crops. The Himalayan mountain range provides ample suitable habitats for bumble bees. Systematic study of Himalayan bumble bees began a few decades ago and the main focus has centred on the western region, while the eastern part of the mountain range has received little attention and only a few species have been verified. During a three-year survey, more than 700 bumble bee specimens of 21 species were collected in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest of the north-eastern states of India. The material included a range of species that were previously known from a limited number of collected specimens, which highlights the unique character of the East Himalayan ecosystem. Our results are an important first step towards a future assessment of species distribution, threat, and conservation. Clear elevation patterns of species diversity were observed, which raise important questions about the functional adaptations that allow bumble bees to thrive in this particularly moist region in the East Himalaya.

scholarly journals Estimation of the vegetation diversity of the Western Tannu-Ola Range

2020 ◽  
Vol 149 ◽  
pp. 03005
Author(s):  
Khulermaa B. Kuular
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Ecology ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Landsat Tm ◽  
Simpson Index ◽  
Vegetation Diversity ◽  
Dark Coniferous Forest ◽  
Different Altitudes

This paper discusses the main indicators diversity of vegetation in key areas of the northern macro slope of the Western Tannu-Ola Range. The degree of forest cover and vegetation fragmentation were estimated using Landsat-TM/ ETM+/OLI images for June 25, 1992, June 18, 1998 and June 24, 2015 in QGIS using the plugin Landscape Ecology. The Simpson index shows of increasing biodiversity in different altitudes. The results showed that with increasing climate warming in the region and maintaining this trend, the proportion of dark coniferous forest at all altitude levels (foothill, mid-elevation and high-elevation zones) will increase. And this led to a decrease in the fragmentation of the forest cover of northern macro slope of this range.

Ice-free area expansion compounds the non-native species threat to Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant Duffy ◽  
Jasmine R Lee
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Climate Scenario ◽  
Climatic Environment ◽  
Species Establishment ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Terrestrial Biodiversity ◽  
A Site ◽  
Area Expansion ◽  
Free Area

Warming across ice-covered regions will result in changes to both the physical and climatic environment, revealing new ice-free habitat and new climatically suitable habitats for non-native species establishment. Recent studies have independently quantified each of these aspects in Antarctica, where ice-free areas form crucial habitat for the majority of terrestrial biodiversity. Here we synthesise projections of Antarctic ice-free area expansion, recent spatial predictions of non-native species risk, and the frequency of human activities to quantify how these facets of anthropogenic change may interact now and in the future. Under a high-emissions future climate scenario, over a quarter of ice-free area and over 80 % of the ~14 thousand km2 of newly uncovered ice-free area could be vulnerable to invasion by one or more of the modelled non-native species by the end of the century. Ice-free areas identified as vulnerable to non-native species establishment were significantly closer to human activity than unsuitable areas were. Furthermore, almost half of the new vulnerable ice-free area is within 20 km of a site of current human activity. The Antarctic Peninsula, where human activity is heavily concentrated, will be at particular risk. The implications of this for conservation values of Antarctica and the management efforts required to mitigate against it are in need of urgent consideration.

Current distribution of Nilgiri grass yellow Eurema nilgiriensis Yata (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), with an updated taxonomic key to Eurema of Western Ghats, India

ENTOMON ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Sujitha ◽  
G. Prasad ◽  
R. Nitin ◽  
Dipendra Nath Basu ◽  
Krushnamegh Kunte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Distribution ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Original Description ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Field Identification ◽  
Wing Patterns ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
The Nilgiris

Eurema nilgiriensis Yata, 1990, the Nilgiri grass yellow, was described from Nilgiris in southern India. There are not many published records of this species since its original description, and it was presumed to be a high-elevation endemic species restricted to its type locality. Based on the external morphology (wing patterns) as well as the male genitalia, the first confirmed records of the species from Agasthyamalais and Kodagu in the southern Western Ghats, is provided here. This report is a significant range extension for the species outside the Nilgiris, its type locality. Ecological data pertaining to this species as well as the field identification key to all known Eurema of Western Ghats are also presented.

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