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Avifauna in three vegetation types on Mundanthurai Plateau, South India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

A. J. T. Johnsingh
Affiliation:
Wildlife Institute of India, PO Box 18, Dehradun – 248001, India
Justus Joshua
Affiliation:
Wildlife Institute of India, PO Box 18, Dehradun – 248001, India

Abstract

Patterns of bird species diversity within three vegetation types were investigated by the line transect method on Mundanthurai Plateau, South India. Minimum numbers of species and individuals were seen in the study area during July and August. Such seasonal variation was more pronounced in riverine and dry deciduous forest than in the secondary vegetation which was avoided by most of the winter migrants. There was a greater species overlap between riverine and dry deciduous forest than between riverine and secondary vegetation.

No relationship could be established between bird species diversity and tree species/foliage height diversity. The secondary vegetation had fewer specialized forest species and more generalists. Larger birds (>200 g) were rare but smaller ones (<50 g) were more common. The paper emphasizes that the conservation status of avifauna in managed forests in India needs to be assessed and monitored.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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