Rights statement: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bird-conservation-international/article/drivers-of-bird-diversity-in-an-understudied-african-centre-of-endemism-the-angolan-central-escarpment-forest/5B5A049D805D600400909E0F939F2BC7 The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Bird Conservation International, 27, pp 256-268 2017, © 2017 Cambridge University Press.
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Drivers of bird diversity in an understudied African centre of endemism
T2 - The Angolan Central Escarpment Forest
AU - Caceres, Aimy
AU - Melo, Martim
AU - Barlow, Jos
AU - De Lima, Ricardo Faustino
AU - Mills, Michael S. L.
N1 - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bird-conservation-international/article/drivers-of-bird-diversity-in-an-understudied-african-centre-of-endemism-the-angolan-central-escarpment-forest/5B5A049D805D600400909E0F939F2BC7 The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Bird Conservation International, 27, pp 256-268 2017, © 2017 Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2017/6
Y1 - 2017/6
N2 - Natural habitats are being rapidly lost due to human activities. It is therefore vital to understand how these activities influence biodiversity so that suitable guidelines can be established for conservation. This is particularly important in understudied, high biodiversity, areas such as the Angolan Escarpment. Here we examine which habitat characteristics drive bird diversity and endemic species presence at Kumbira Forest, a key site in the Central Escarpment Forest. Bird diversity was sampled by 10 min bird point counts, whereas habitat characteristics were measured by a combination of ground-based vegetation surveys and remotely sensed data modelling of Landsat images. GLM, multi-model inference and model averaging were used to determine the most important variables driving species richness and the presence of endemics. The remote sensing variables performed poorly in predicting presence of Red-crested Turaco Tauraco erythrolophus and Gabela Bushshrike Laniarius amboimensis but they contributed significantly to explain species richness and Gabela Akalat Sheppardia gabela presence, both of which were associated with greater canopy cover. Liana density and elevation were also important explanatory variables in certain cases. Conservation actions at Kumbira should focus on increasing canopy cover and maintaining forest integrity (as measured by liana density), as these actions are likely to have the most positive outcomes for the avifauna.
AB - Natural habitats are being rapidly lost due to human activities. It is therefore vital to understand how these activities influence biodiversity so that suitable guidelines can be established for conservation. This is particularly important in understudied, high biodiversity, areas such as the Angolan Escarpment. Here we examine which habitat characteristics drive bird diversity and endemic species presence at Kumbira Forest, a key site in the Central Escarpment Forest. Bird diversity was sampled by 10 min bird point counts, whereas habitat characteristics were measured by a combination of ground-based vegetation surveys and remotely sensed data modelling of Landsat images. GLM, multi-model inference and model averaging were used to determine the most important variables driving species richness and the presence of endemics. The remote sensing variables performed poorly in predicting presence of Red-crested Turaco Tauraco erythrolophus and Gabela Bushshrike Laniarius amboimensis but they contributed significantly to explain species richness and Gabela Akalat Sheppardia gabela presence, both of which were associated with greater canopy cover. Liana density and elevation were also important explanatory variables in certain cases. Conservation actions at Kumbira should focus on increasing canopy cover and maintaining forest integrity (as measured by liana density), as these actions are likely to have the most positive outcomes for the avifauna.
KW - HUMAN-MODIFIED WORLD
KW - CONSERVATION PRIORITIES
KW - BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
KW - TROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
KW - THREATENED BIRDS
KW - KUMBIRA FOREST
KW - ECOLOGY
KW - RESPONSES
KW - MODELS
KW - AREA
U2 - 10.1017/S0959270917000119
DO - 10.1017/S0959270917000119
M3 - Journal article
VL - 27
SP - 256
EP - 268
JO - Bird Conservation International
JF - Bird Conservation International
SN - 0959-2709
IS - 2
ER -