Distribution of bird species richness at a regional scale in tropical dry forest of Central America

Aim The objectives of this study were to identify landscape and habitat characteristics associated with bird species richness at a regional scale. In particular, we examined how these variables affect resident bird, forest bird, fruit-eating bird and restricted-range bird species richness in forest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biogeography 2001-05, Vol.28 (5), p.651-662
Main Authors: Gillespie, Thomas W., Walter, Hartmut
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Aves
Aviculture
Bees, Beetles and Birds
Biological and medical sciences
bird species richness
Birds
central America
Dry forests
floristic composition
Forest conservation
Forest cover
Forest habitats
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitat conservation
landscapes metrics
Plants
Synecology
Terrestrial ecosystems
Trees
Tropical dry forest
Tropical forests
vegetation structure
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Summary:Aim The objectives of this study were to identify landscape and habitat characteristics associated with bird species richness at a regional scale. In particular, we examined how these variables affect resident bird, forest bird, fruit-eating bird and restricted-range bird species richness in forest fragments. Location Study sites were located in seven decreed reserves in Costa Rica and Nicaragua that contain some of the largest and best-protected fragments of tropical dry forests in central America. Methods Bird censuses were undertaken using point counts at each site and compared with landscape metrics and habitat characteristics of reserves. Results Forest cover within reserves, zoochoric species richness, tree and shrub species richness, and tree height were associated with resident, forest and fruit-eating bird species richness in tropical dry forests. Main conclusions The distribution of bird species richness in tropical dry forests of central America can be attributed to a number of interacting factors. Conservation priorities based on bird species richness should focus on Santa Rosa National Park, while the Chacocente and Cosiguina reserves deserve a high priority for conservation within Nicaragua.
ISSN:0305-0270
1365-2699
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2699.2001.00575.x