Landscape Influences on Breeding Bird Communities in Hardwood Fragments in South Carolina

Results from studies on the effects of forest fragmentation on bird communities in urban-agricultural landscapes may not be applicable to forested landscapes such as the Southeastern Coastal Plain. During 1993-1994, we measured parameters of avian communities in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wildlife Society bulletin 1997-12, Vol.25 (4), p.878-885
Main Authors: Kilgo, John C., Sargent, Robert A., Miller, Karl V., Chapman, Brian R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal reproduction
Aviculture
Birds
Breeding
Coniferous forests
Forest canopy
Forest habitats
Forest stands
Forests
Habitat Assessment
Habitats
Hardwood forests
Hardwoods
Vireos
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Summary:Results from studies on the effects of forest fragmentation on bird communities in urban-agricultural landscapes may not be applicable to forested landscapes such as the Southeastern Coastal Plain. During 1993-1994, we measured parameters of avian communities in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina in hardwood stands surrounded by agricultural habitat (field-enclosed stands; FES) and in hardwood stands surrounded by pine (Pinus spp.)-forested habitat (pine-enclosed stands; PES). Total species richness was greater in FES than PES in both years (P < 0.001) and was associated positively with stand area in both treatments. Neotropical migrant species richness did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05), but was associated positively with stand area. Total bird abundance was greater in FES than in PES (P < 0.001). Abundance of tufted titmouse (Parus bicolor), Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), and northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was greater (P < 0.01) in FES than PES in ≥1 year, and abundance of red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceous) and summer tanager (Piranga rubra) was greater (P < 0.02) in PES than FES in 1 year. Ten species had greater probabilities of occurrence in FES than PES (P < 0.05), whereas red-eyed vireo was the only species more likely to occur in PES than in FES. Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) occurred in PES but not in FES. The presence of a surrounding pine forest apparently increased the suitability of PES for some area-sensitive species, but decreased suitability for several edge species.
ISSN:0091-7648
1938-5463