scholarly journals Bird communities in a degraded forest biodiversity hotspot of East Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Mulwa ◽  
Mike Teucher ◽  
Werner Ulrich ◽  
Jan Christian Habel
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Tree Plantations ◽  
Agricultural Fields ◽  
Degraded Forest ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Small Forest

AbstractTropical forests suffer severe habitat destruction. Thus, tropical forests frequently consist today of only a few small remnants that are often embedded within a matrix of agricultural fields and tree plantations. Forest specialist species have experienced severe population declines under these circumstances. We studied bird communities based on census plots set up in a near-natural forest block, as well as degraded forest patches, tree plantations, and agricultural fields, across the Taita Hills in southern Kenya. We classified each bird species according its ecology and behavior. We quantified the land cover and landscape configuration around each census plot. Typical forest species were mainly observed in the near-natural forest block, and to a lower extent in degraded forest patches. Plantations were almost devoid of birds. Bird communities of small forest fragments were more similar to that of agricultural land than the near-natural forest block. Most frugivorous, insectivorous and nectarivorous birds occurred in forest habitats, while granivorous bird species dominated the bird communities of agricultural land. The surrounding landscape had a marginal impact on bird species composition at local sites. Our study showed that the preservation of near-natural cloud forest, including small forest patches, is essential for the conservation of forest-dependent species, and that plantations do not serve as surrogate habitats.

scholarly journals Microbial Community, Biomass and Physico-Chemical Properties of Soil in dry tropics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weldesemayat Gorems Woldemariam ◽  
Nandita Ghoshal
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Degraded Forest ◽  
Microbial Properties ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Bamboo Plantation

Abstract Soil physicochemical and microbial properties can be regarded as an important tool to assess soil quality and health. Studying the soil properties under different land use types is great practical significant for land use and soil management regarding soil carbon dynamics and climate change mitigation. However, the changes in land-use types and their effects on soil physicochemical and microbial properties are largely debated and rather unclear. Four different land use types were used to study soil microbial and soil physico-chemical properties. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, soil microbial biomass and microbial diversity were determined by micro kjeldahl method, fumigation and extraction method and FAME GC-Ms, respectively. Among all land use pattern the highest water holding capacity (40.06±0.74%), porosity (0.539±0.011%), soil macro-aggregates (64.16±2.64%), organic carbon (0.84±0.054%), total nitrogen (0.123±0.013%), microbial biomass carbon (570.65±35.05 μg/g) and nitrogen (84.21±3.186 μg/g), basal respiration (3.64±0.064μg/g) and b-glucosidase (809.68±39.7μgμg PNP g-1 dry soil h-1) were found to be under natural forest followed by in decreasing order bamboo plantation, degraded forest and agricultural land. Significant differences were observed among the land use types with microbial biomass carbon and B-glucosidase activity. Furthermore, the correlation of analysis showed that microbial biomass, organic carbon, b-glucosidas activity, total nitrogen, moisture content, porosity, water holding capacity, soil macro aggregates were positively correlated to each other and negatively correlated with bulk density, meso and micro soil aggregates at p<0.05. The PLFA analysis showed that microbial community diversity exhibited distinct patterns among land-use types. The conversions of natural forest to other land use type, the amount of PLFA were reduced significantly. The natural forest had high microbial diversity followed by in decreasing order bamboo plantation, degraded forest and agricultural land. Among the organisms G- bacteria and fungi were showed decreasing order from natural forest, bamboo plantation, degraded forest and agricultural land. The reverse was true for G+ bacteria. The result of this study showed that soil physico-chemical and microbial properties were significantly affected by land use types. Thus bamboo based fallow has the potential for improving soil quality and properties in the short term.

scholarly journals Structure of bird communities in eucalyptus plantations: nestedness as a pattern of species distribution

2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. I. Jacoboski ◽  
A. de Mendonça-Lima ◽  
S. M. Hartz
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Tree Plantations ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Eucalyptus Plantations ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Abstract Replacement of native habitats by tree plantations has increased dramatically in Brazil, resulting in loss of structural components for birds, such as appropriate substrates for foraging and nesting. Tree plantations can also reduce faunal richness and change the composition of bird species. This study evaluated the structure of avian communities in eucalyptus plantations of different ages and in a native forest. We classified species as habitat specialists or generalists, and assessed if the species found in eucalyptus plantations are a subset of the species that occur in the native forest. Forty-one sampling sites were evaluated, with three point counts each, in a native forest and in eucalyptus plantations of four different ages. A total of 71 bird species were identified. Species richness and abundance were higher in the native forest, reflecting the greater heterogeneity of the habitat. The composition of bird species also differed between the native forest and plantations. The species recorded in the plantations represented a subset of the species of the native forest, with a predominance of generalist species. These species are more tolerant of habitat changes and are able to use the plantations. The commercial plantations studied here can serve as a main or occasional habitat for these generalists, especially for those that are semi-dependent on edge and forest. The bird species most affected by silviculture are those that are typical of open grasslands, and those that are highly dependent on well-preserved forests.

Bird assemblages in isolated Ficus trees in Kenyan farmland

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 723-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Eshiamwata ◽  
D. G. Berens ◽  
B. Bleher ◽  
W. R. J. Dean ◽  
K. Böhning-Gaese
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Forest Fragmentation ◽  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Frugivorous Birds ◽  
Fragmented Forest ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Disturbed Areas

Over the last few decades a rapid and extensive conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land has taken place resulting in mosaics of fragmented forest patches, pastures and farmland. While the effects of forest fragmentation on biodiversity have been intensively studied within the remaining forests, relatively little is known about the biodiversity in tropical farmland (Daily et al. 2001, Pimentel et al. 1992). Frugivorous birds are an important group of species in tropical farmland ecosystems. Frugivorous birds are significant seed dispersers and can play a prominent role in transporting seeds into disturbed areas and setting the stage for the regeneration of these systems. Isolated fleshy-fruited trees in agricultural landscapes have been shown to attract birds, leading to an increased seed rain and seedling establishment under their canopies (Carrière et al. 2002, Duncan & Chapman 1999, Guevara et al. 1986, 2004; Slocum & Horvitz 2000).

scholarly journals Habitat heterogeneity influences avian feeding guild composition in urban landscapes: evidence from Bhubaneswar, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibhu Prasad Panda ◽  
B. Anjan Kumar Prusty ◽  
Biswajit Panda ◽  
Abanti Pradhan ◽  
Siba Prasad Parida
Keyword(s):  
Urban Area ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Forest Patches

Abstract Background Habitat heterogeneity clearly distinguished in terms of availability of food and habitat resources and landscape features (natural or human-modified) play a crucial role in the avian species composition and population structure. To examine this, a study was carried out in Bhubaneswar, India, to understand the ecological niche distinction in birds based on habitat heterogeneity. Regular sampling was conducted in 30 sampling sites covering six different habitat types in a predominantly urban landscape of Bhubaneswar for understanding the ecological niche in birds. The birds were classified into 11 types of foraging guilds. Results The insectivorous guild had the highest bird species richness (181 species) and the omnivorous guild had the lowest (11 species). The piscivorous guild and wetland habitat had the strongest linkage, followed by the insectivorous guild and agricultural land. The frugivorous guild was significantly correlated with forest habitats (r = 0.386, p < 0.01) and park and garden habitats (r = 0.281, p < 0.01). This urban area hosted a higher number of bird species in certain habitat types, viz., agricultural lands (52%, 115 species) and forest patches (50%, 111 species). Conclusion The present study highlights the importance of agricultural lands, forest patches, parks and gardens, and wetlands inside the cityscape for supporting avifauna. It is therefore suggested that such habitats should be conserved inside an urban area to protect native avifauna. Thus, the city development plan must invariably include strategies for conserving the forest patches inside the urban area. Measures must be taken to restrain the degradation of agricultural lands and reduce their utilization for non-agricultural purposes, which will help in further reducing the bird population decline in the urban landscape.

Changes in woodland bird communities as replanted woodland matures

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. S. Debus ◽  
W. K. Martin ◽  
J. M. Lemon
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
New South ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Agricultural Fields ◽  
Woodland Birds ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Manorina Melanocephala ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Small patches of woodland were progressively established on degraded agricultural land near Gunnedah, northern New South Wales, on the heavily cleared Liverpool Plains. Birds were resurveyed in the plantings, and in agricultural fields (cropping and pasture) and remnant woodland, in 2011–12, 10 years after initial surveys in 2000–01. The plantings in the later survey were 60, 18, 16 and 13 years old, with a shrub layer included in the three youngest cohorts. The survey sites (total 14 ha planted, all within 200 m of remnant woodland) were paired 1-ha plots in each vegetation category. Birds were surveyed by 30-min area searches of each plot eight times over all seasons, using the same plots, procedure and observer as before. In all, 73 species were recorded in the later survey (versus 72 in the earlier survey), for a total of 87 species over both survey periods, with 58 species in 2011–12 (versus 54 in 2000–01) in the plantings; eight of 15 new species visited or colonised the maturing plantings. Avian species richness and abundance increased from the cleared agricultural plots through the progressively older plantings to resemble those in the remnant woodland. Between the first and second surveys, bird communities in the younger plantings converged with those in the older plantings and woodland. The nectar-feeding, foliage-feeding and ground-feeding insectivore guilds benefitted most, having increased in frequency in, or moved into, the younger cohorts of plantings (>13 years old), or both. Several threatened and other declining woodland birds visited, increased in or colonised the plantings. However, noisy miners (Manorina melanocephala) progressively occupied a few plots and excluded some other birds.

scholarly journals Agricultural land in the Amazon basin supports low bird diversity and is a poor replacement for primary forest

The Condor ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Montague H C Neate-Clegg ◽  
Çağan H Şekercioğlu
Keyword(s):  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
History Of ◽  
Matrix Habitats

Abstract The Amazon has a long history of disturbance under subsistence agriculture, but slash-and-burn agriculture is small in scale and has relatively low impact on resident avifauna. More recently, the Amazon has suffered extensive deforestation in favor of cattle ranching and other modern systems of agriculture. Cattle pastures, mechanized agriculture, and even tree plantations have detrimental effects on bird communities, greatly lowering diversity, especially that of primary forest interior specialists. A rising threat to the Amazon is the spread of oil palm plantations that retain few bird species and are not viable alternatives to forest. Embedded within the expanding agropastoral mosaic are forest fragments that have experienced a well-documented loss of diversity. Yet, the matrix can mitigate the recovery of fragmented bird communities depending on the type of secondary regrowth. Connectivity via matrix habitats or forest corridors is critical for the maintenance of forest avifauna. With so many types of land use developing across the Amazon, the “tropical countryside” has potential value for bird diversity. However, evidence suggests that the agropastoral mosaic harbors a small, more homogenized avifauna with few forest species, especially when primary forest is absent from the landscape. For the Amazon Basin’s bird life to be conserved into the future, preservation of large tracts of well-connected primary forest is vital. Tropical countryside dominated by agriculture simply cannot sustain sufficient levels of biodiversity.

Birds of remnant vegetation on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia: the role of interiors, edges and roadsides

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Antos ◽  
John G. White
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
Roadside Vegetation

Habitat loss and fragmentation on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, has resulted in a mosaic of forest patches, forest edges abutted by agricultural land and linear habitat strips amidst a human-modified land matrix. To examine the use of forest elements by the avifauna in this landscape, bird populations were sampled along fixed transects established within forest interiors, on forest edges and along forested roadsides. A total of 60 species was recorded during this study, five of which were introduced. Species richness and diversity did not differ significantly between the three habitat elements, but avifaunal composition varied considerably. The species assemblages of all habitat elements differed significantly, with forest interiors and roadsides showing the greatest difference and forest interiors and forest edges showing the least degree of difference. Forest-dependent bird species used both interiors and edges. Interiors differed from edges and roadsides in having lower abundances of open country species, predatory species and introduced species, A clear gradient of change in bird communities from forest interiors to roadside vegetation was observed. This study suggests that the interiors of medium-sized (<1 000 ha) patches may play an important role in conserving bird biodiversity on a local level as they provide refuge for forest-dependent native species in extensively cleared landscapes.

Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Yanina
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

scholarly journals Can clearcuts increase bird species richness in managed forests?

2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 189-193
Author(s):  
M. Żmihorski
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Cumulative Number ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Managed Forest ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Forest Interior ◽  
Transect Counts ◽  
The Difference

Clearcuts are one of the results of forest management. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of clearcuts on bird communities in a managed forest in Western Poland. I applied the method of point transect counts. 20 points were located near clearcuts (less than 100 m from the nearest clearcut) and 25 points in the forest interior. In total, 36 bird species were recorded. On average, I found 9.20 bird species at points located near clearcuts and 6.72 species at points situated in the forest interior, and the difference was significant. The cumulative number of bird species for a given number of sampling points in the vicinity of clearcuts was higher than in the forest interior. The obtained results indicate that in managed, even-aged forests the generation of clearcuts can lead to an increase in local bird species richness.

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