NEOTROPICAL FOREST BIRD COMMUNITIES: A COMPARISON OF SPECIES RICHNESS AND COMPOSITION AT LOCAL AND REGIONAL SCALES

The Condor ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN G. BLAKE
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Forest Bird ◽  
Neotropical Forest

scholarly journals Neotropical Forest Bird Communities: A Comparison of Species Richness and Composition at Local and Regional Scales

The Condor ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Blake
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Forest Bird ◽  
Neotropical Forest ◽  
Region I ◽  
The Family

Abstract Species richness and composition of Neotropical forest bird communities vary spatially at both large and small scales, but previous comparisons based on 100 ha plots have not replicated plots within a region. I sampled birds in two 100 ha plots in lowland forest of eastern Ecuador to better understand how species richness and composition vary over smaller spatial scales. Birds were sampled in February and April of 2002–2005 (only in February in 2005). Plots were approximately 1.5 km apart in predominantly terra firme forest. A total of 319 species (285 and 281 per plot) from 43 families were represented in ~16 000 detections per plot; number of species and detections per sample averaged approximately 185 and 2300, respectively. Numbers of species and detections per family were strikingly similar in the two plots, but numbers of detections of individual species often differed, likely in response to differences in habitat between the two plots. Species richness and composition were similar in many respects to comparable data from Ecuador, Peru, and French Guiana, but differed from those of Panama. Differences were most pronounced at the species level, less at the genus level, and least when comparisons were based on families. Differences among sites in South America were correlated with geographic distance at the species and genus levels, but not at the family level. Results illustrate the value of replicated plots within a region for understanding how species richness and composition can vary at small spatial scales, and highlight the importance of beta diversity for determining overall patterns of regional diversity.

scholarly journals Edge effects in the avifaunal community of riparian rain-forest tracts in Tropical North Queensland

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 280-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Montague H. C. Neate-Clegg ◽  
Emily C. Morshuis ◽  
Cristina Banks-Leite
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Edge Effects ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Forest Bird ◽  
Resource Distributions ◽  
Detection Frequency ◽  
Open Canopy

AbstractMost evidence suggests anthropogenic edges negatively affect rain-forest bird communities but little has been done to test this in Australasia. In this study, avifaunal detection frequency, species richness and community composition were compared between the edge and interior and between flat and more complex-shaped edges of riparian rain-forest tracts in Tropical North Queensland. The detection frequency and richness of guilds based on diet, foraging strata and habitat specialism were also compared. This study detected 15.1% more birds at the rain-forest edge compared with the interior but no difference in species richness. Edge shape had no effect on detection frequency or richness. Many guilds (subcanopy, closed forest, frugivorous and insectivorous species) experienced increased detection frequency at the edge relative to the interior, but for some guilds this response was reduced (habitat generalists) or reversed (understorey and mixed-flock species) along complex edges. Overall community composition was affected by edge distance but not by edge shape. Edge habitat was shorter and had more open canopy than the interior, supporting habitat-based explanations for the observed avifaunal edge effects. These results suggest generally positive edge effects in Australian rain-forest bird communities, possibly reflecting local resource distributions or a disturbance-tolerant species pool.

scholarly journals Endangered lowland oak forest steppe remnants keep unique bird species richness in Central Hungary

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gábor Ónodi ◽  
Zoltán Botta-Dukát ◽  
Dániel Winkler ◽  
Tamás Rédei
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Hybrid Poplar ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Pedunculate Oak ◽  
Forest Bird ◽  
Retention Forestry ◽  
Arable Fields ◽  
Forest Remnants

AbstractThe biodiversity of natural or semi-natural native, old oak woodlands have high conservation importance, especially in landscapes of monocultural forest plantations and arable fields. With a wider variety of microhabitats and foraging sources, such old oak forests can provide essential habitat for native forest bird communities. We conducted a study using bird point counts to compare the forest bird communities of old pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) remnants with native and non-native plantations in central Hungary in a landscape of mostly arable fields, settlements, and monocultural plantations. Avian surveys were carried out in old oak forest remnants, middle-aged oak, white poplar (Populus alba), hybrid poplar (Populus × euramericana), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and pine (Pinus spp.) plantations. Fieldwork has been carried out in nine study sites, where all six habitat types were represented (with a few exceptions), to determine total abundance, species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity, species evenness, dominant and indicator species, and guild abundances. We found that old oak forest remnants were the most diverse habitats among the studied forest types, while hybrid poplar and pine plantations exhibited the lowest avian biodiversity. The avian guilds most sensitive to the loss of old oak forest remnants were ground foragers, bark foragers, cavity-nesters, residents, and Mediterranean migratory birds. Native habitats were more diverse than non-native plantations. Our results suggest that it is important to conserve all remaining high biodiversity old oak stands and to avoid clear-cutting of monocultural plantations in favour of practices such as mixed-species plantations, longer rotation lengths, or retention forestry.

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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