Western Himalayas is seeing continuous decline in forest bird species

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A new study has noted that modified forest have shown drastic loss of bird species in comparison to natural forest.

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A natural forest reproduces naturally, consisting of natural immigrant or indigenous tree species and strains. They are not subject to regeneration by sowing or planting.

Modified forests are developed where human population is low and extracting activities of forest dwellers is limited. Modified natural forests are forests of naturally regenerated native tree species in places with indications of human activities.

The researchers studied six major land use types that included natural oak forest, degraded oak forest (lightly used), lopped oak forest (intensively used), pine forest, agricultural cultivation area and sites with buildings.

The findings showed that there was a low diversity of species in monoculture areas and urban sites. A drastic loss of pollinator birds and insectivores in the degraded forests, monocultures and urbanized sites was also observed during research.

A strong decline in some of the habitat guilds in the areas that experienced land-use change was observed by the researchers.

Habitat guilds are groups of bird species that have common habitat options.

The researchers also noted that many of the species that gave up of the modified land areas were recognized oak forest specialists such as rufous-bellied woodpecker, greater yellownape, rufous sibia, white-throated laughingthrush and black-faced warbler.

Woodpeckers too were used as indicators of bird diversity and also to understand habitat degradation.

They found that the higher the number of woodpeckers at a site, the higher was the richness of all other birds.

Rapid invasion by non-native species is caused by increasing tourism and other anthropogenic activities.

Monoculture

Monoculture farming is a form of agriculture that is based on growing only one type of a crop at one time on a specific field.