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Diversity
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Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests
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Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 March 2022) | Viewed by 18466

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jan Riegert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Interests: diversity and behavioural ecology of birds in temperate and tropical regions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming Special Issue of Diversity focused on forest bird communities.

Forests all over the world represent unique ecosystems that are poorly understood, especially within the Tropics. Due to their complexity, forests often act as global biodiversity hotspots for various animals, including birds. Forest ecosystems were previously thought to represent a stable environment. However, the dynamics of forest growth considerably impacts the structure of bird communities that may change even during short time periods. Within the Tropics, the main cause of bird diversity loss is tree logging, which leads to the disappearance of forests or forest fragmentation. Since forests represent an important environment for many bird species, their conservation has been a main priority in recent years and also for the future.

Forest birds show a fascinating variability in their life strategies. This variability (e.g., from cavity nesters to species that nest in open nests or among feeding strategies) further leads to complex interspecies relationships, such as competition that may further affect bird community structure. There are also complex patterns in predator–prey relationships that may considerably change with changes in forest structure.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit your manuscript to the forthcoming Special Issue of Diversity on any of the abovementioned topics. In addition to studies on specific sites, we also encourage authors to aim at large-scale studies enabling a unique comparison of different bird communities from different forest ecosystems.   

Dr. Jan Riegert
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • temperate forest bird community
  • tropical forest bird community
  • bird diversity
  • large-scale bird diversity
  • competition
  • predation
  • feeding guild
  • long-term changes of bird community
  • logging of trees
  • forest structure change

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 168 KiB  
Editorial
Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests: Introduction to the Special Issue
by Jan Riegert
Diversity 2022, 14(7), 537; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14070537 - 01 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1109
Abstract
Globally, forests are the most threatened habitats, especially due to tree logging and other disturbances caused mainly by humans [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

18 pages, 2047 KiB  
Article
Spatial Occupancy, Local Abundance and Activity Rhythm of Three Ground Dwelling Columbid Species in the Forests of Guadeloupe in Relation to Environmental Factors
by Aurélie Jean-Pierre, Gladys Loranger-Merciris and Frank Cézilly
Diversity 2022, 14(6), 480; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14060480 - 14 Jun 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3176
Abstract
Although forest-dependent, tropical island endemic birds are particularly at risk of extinction, they remain largely understudied. In this context, we assessed the spatial occupancy, local abundance, and diel activity in three forest columbid species of hunting interest, the Ruddy Quail-Dove (RQD), Geotrygon montana [...] Read more.
Although forest-dependent, tropical island endemic birds are particularly at risk of extinction, they remain largely understudied. In this context, we assessed the spatial occupancy, local abundance, and diel activity in three forest columbid species of hunting interest, the Ruddy Quail-Dove (RQD), Geotrygon montana; the Bridled Quail-Dove (BQD), Geotrygon mystacea; and the Zenaida Dove (ZD), Zenaida aurita, in Guadeloupe (French West Indies), using 5 camera-traps over 14 days on 24 survey stations, resulting in 1680 trap days. The number of observed RQD was too small to allow for a statistical comparison between habitats. BQD were more frequently observed at camera-trap stations that were dominated by tropical rainforest than those that were dominated by flooded forest. Conversely, ZD were more frequently observed at stations that were dominated by flooded forest and dry forest than at those that were dominated by tropical rainforest. High temperatures negatively affected the abundance of BQD, while the abundance of ZD was significantly lower in tropical rainforests compared to dry and flooded forests and tended to increase with canopy openness. The three species were diurnal. BQD significantly positively co-occurred spatially and temporally with small Indian mongooses, Urva auropunctata, whereas the temporal and spatial distribution of ZD overlapped significantly with that of domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, and domestic cats, Felis catus. Our results provide firm evidence that RQD remains scarce and is largely outnumbered by BQD in Guadeloupe which is in contrast with has been reported for other Caribbean islands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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13 pages, 1642 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Variation in Bird Assemblages in a Subtropical Urban Ecosystem
by Shilin Xie, Baolong Han, Weiqi Zhou, Chaofan Xian and Zhiyun Ouyang
Diversity 2022, 14(5), 341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14050341 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1963
Abstract
Background: Being an excellent indicator of habitat quality, birds are more and more popular in urban studies. Selective impacts of urban environments on avian communities have been repeatedly demonstrated, however, limited information is available under a spatial-temporal perspective, especially for subtropical young cities. [...] Read more.
Background: Being an excellent indicator of habitat quality, birds are more and more popular in urban studies. Selective impacts of urban environments on avian communities have been repeatedly demonstrated, however, limited information is available under a spatial-temporal perspective, especially for subtropical young cities. Methods: Bird communities were surveyed and environmental data were collected in different types of urban green spaces surrounded by urban matrix during 2018 and 2019. Various statistical analyses were used to describe avian communities residing in different habitats and evaluate bird–environment relationships. Results: Avian community structure differed between major habitat types. At intensely urbanized roadside green spaces sites, omnivores dominated over insectivores, which were regional dominators. Woodland area was key in all urban habitat types, however, the importance decreased with increasing woodland size. Bird species richness in residential parks and individual abundance in roadside green spaces were negatively influenced by environmental noise and visitor density, respectively. Resident bird species and individuals dominated over migrants, and municipal parks presented higher species richness and abundance than other habitat types during winter. Conclusions: Highly simplified habitats in urban areas represent poor wintering habitats, whereas municipal parks served as key refugia. Continued urbanization will place further pressure on habitats which are more natural; thus, municipal parks and other natural habitats must be protected to construct sustainable human-coupled ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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18 pages, 2375 KiB  
Article
Diurnal and Seasonal Patterns of Calling Activity of Seven Cuculidae Species in a Forest of Eastern China
by Jinjuan Mei, Sabah Mushtaq Puswal, Mei Wang and Fanglin Liu
Diversity 2022, 14(4), 249; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14040249 - 28 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1948
Abstract
There is very little information on the diurnal and seasonal patterns of Cuculidae species’ calling activity in subtropical areas. In this study, we used passive acoustic monitoring to investigate the diurnal and seasonal patterns of calling activity of seven Cuculidae species at three [...] Read more.
There is very little information on the diurnal and seasonal patterns of Cuculidae species’ calling activity in subtropical areas. In this study, we used passive acoustic monitoring to investigate the diurnal and seasonal patterns of calling activity of seven Cuculidae species at three sites in eastern China’s forest over a year. Our results showed that these species exhibited significant diurnal variations except for Cuculus micropterus. Eudynamys scolopaceus and Cuculus saturatus increased their vocal activity at dawn and dusk, whereas the other four species peaked their calling activity in the morning. Five species showed significant seasonal variations with a peak in vocal activities earlier in the season (late May or early June) and a gradual decline after that, except for Clamator coromandus, which displayed two peaks in seasonal calling activity. As for Cuculus micropterus, its calling activity was not significantly related to the season. Our study has provided basic knowledge about the calling patterns of seven Cuculidae species, and based on seasonal changes in vocal activity we propose that the breeding season of these species in east China begins in late May and ends in July. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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23 pages, 8595 KiB  
Article
Impact of Invasive Weeds on the Diversity and Dissimilarity of Bird Communities in Forested Areas
by Emilia Grzędzicka
Diversity 2022, 14(3), 229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14030229 - 20 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2669
Abstract
Caucasian hogweeds, mainly the Sosnowsky’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi and the giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum, create one of the most problematic plant invasions in the world. Due to their large size (weeds reaching 4–5 meters in height), they seem to be herbaceous plants [...] Read more.
Caucasian hogweeds, mainly the Sosnowsky’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi and the giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum, create one of the most problematic plant invasions in the world. Due to their large size (weeds reaching 4–5 meters in height), they seem to be herbaceous plants that can threaten birds living in forest stands. This research quantified the structure and diversity of the forest birds’ community in forests with varying areas of invasive hogweeds located in south-eastern Poland. Changes in the accompanying non-forest birds’ community were also assessed. The study addressed the following questions: 1. How does the invaded area correlate with the abundance of forest birds? 2. How do communities and species respond to invaded vegetation? 3. How do the invading plants affect the various types of diversity of forest and non-forest birds? It turned out that both surveyed bird communities had a lower alpha diversity in invaded sites. Only forest birds, not able to change their location easily, formed a unique community (i.e., had a higher beta diversity) near invaders. Forest birds showed unchanged functional diversity based on the relative bird abundance and their connection, or lack of it, with the forest development phases. The effect of hogweeds on the abundance of forest birds was more negative in severely invaded areas with anthropogenic habitats. Non-forest birds showed higher species loss near the invasion, constant beta diversity and decreased functional diversity. This study is important as the forest is a climax community in the temperate zone, and unused open areas become spontaneously overgrown with young forests. Weeds disseminating after crop abandonment can highly and commonly affect forest and non-forest bird communities co-occurring in this type of overgrowing area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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13 pages, 1604 KiB  
Article
The Importance of Forest Elephants for Vegetation Structure Modification and Its Influence on the Bird Community of a Mid-Elevation Forest on Mount Cameroon, West-Central Africa
by Solange Mekuate Kamga, Simon Awafor Tamungang, Taku Awa II, Francis Luma Ewome, Francis Njie Motombi, David Hořák and Jan Riegert
Diversity 2022, 14(3), 227; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14030227 - 19 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3476
Abstract
Most of the tropical rainforests are subject to both anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) cause forest clearings within the tropics. This study was conducted at mid-elevations (1100–1700 m a.s.l.) in Mount Cameroon National Park. We assessed the difference [...] Read more.
Most of the tropical rainforests are subject to both anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) cause forest clearings within the tropics. This study was conducted at mid-elevations (1100–1700 m a.s.l.) in Mount Cameroon National Park. We assessed the difference in the structure of bird communities in the forest and areas located nearby affected by elephant activities. We used the point-count method; 22 points were established within each habitat. The vegetation was visually estimated within a 50 m radius surrounding each counting point. In total, 1603 birds from 85 species were recorded. The vegetation cover from 3 to 5 m at points with elephant activity was significantly lower compared to points without elephant activity. Bird species richness was significantly higher around points in pasture compared to points in intact forest. Habitat type and the percentage of vegetation layer from 3 to 5 m significantly impacted the bird community structure. The points in the pasture were especially characterized by the increased abundance of some open habitat species (e.g., Chubb’s Cisticola chubbi). Few studies have documented the effects of elephant activity on other species, although the effects are widely stated as important drivers of habitat diversity in tropical forests. In conclusion, disturbance caused by elephants leads to increased bird community diversity due to the increased heterogeneity of the environment, which documents the high importance of elephants as ecosystem engineers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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13 pages, 1817 KiB  
Article
Interspecific Competition and Vertical Niche Partitioning in Fiji’s Forest Birds
by Alivereti N. Naikatini, Gunnar Keppel, Gilianne Brodie and Sonia Kleindorfer
Diversity 2022, 14(3), 223; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14030223 - 18 Mar 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3068
Abstract
Charles Darwin proposed his ‘principle of divergence’ to account for changes in traits that could promote speciation and coexistence of diverse forms through occupation of different niches to reduce interspecific competition. We explore interspecific foraging behaviour overlap in Fiji’s forest birds, and address [...] Read more.
Charles Darwin proposed his ‘principle of divergence’ to account for changes in traits that could promote speciation and coexistence of diverse forms through occupation of different niches to reduce interspecific competition. We explore interspecific foraging behaviour overlap in Fiji’s forest birds, and address two main questions: (1) Is there vertical stratification of foraging behavior? and (2) Is there evidence of interspecific competition driving the differences in foraging behaviour? We explore these questions across three foraging guilds, nectarivores (three species), insectivores (two species), and omnivores (two species), and find vertical portioning of foraging in each group. To investigate the effect of interspecific competition, we compared foraging heights of the Orange-breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis) honeyeater on Viti Levu Island (where it coexists with two other honeyeater species) and Leleuvia Island (no other honeyeater species). On the main island Viti Levu, we found evidence for vertical niche partitioning within each foraging guild. On Leleuvia, with the ‘one-species only foraging guild’, Orange-breasted Myzomela occupied broader vertical foraging niche than on Viti Levu with two other competitor honeyeater species. This result supports the idea that vertical foraging height can be shaped by interspecific competition. The findings of this study support Darwin’s principle of divergence in Fiji’s forest birds for every foraging guild measured and adds to our understanding of the significance of interspecific competition and niche divergence for patterns of ecological speciation on islands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Birds in Temperate and Tropical Forests)
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