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Edge effects in the avifaunal community of riparian rain-forest tracts in Tropical North Queensland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2016

Montague H. C. Neate-Clegg ,
Emily C. Morshuis  and
Cristina Banks-Leite
Montague H. C. Neate-Clegg*
Affiliation:
Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
Emily C. Morshuis
Affiliation:
Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
Cristina Banks-Leite
Affiliation:
Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
*
1Corresponding author. Email: monteneateclegg@gmail.com
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Abstract

Most evidence suggests anthropogenic edges negatively affect rain-forest bird communities but little has been done to test this in Australasia. In this study, avifaunal detection frequency, species richness and community composition were compared between the edge and interior and between flat and more complex-shaped edges of riparian rain-forest tracts in Tropical North Queensland. The detection frequency and richness of guilds based on diet, foraging strata and habitat specialism were also compared. This study detected 15.1% more birds at the rain-forest edge compared with the interior but no difference in species richness. Edge shape had no effect on detection frequency or richness. Many guilds (subcanopy, closed forest, frugivorous and insectivorous species) experienced increased detection frequency at the edge relative to the interior, but for some guilds this response was reduced (habitat generalists) or reversed (understorey and mixed-flock species) along complex edges. Overall community composition was affected by edge distance but not by edge shape. Edge habitat was shorter and had more open canopy than the interior, supporting habitat-based explanations for the observed avifaunal edge effects. These results suggest generally positive edge effects in Australian rain-forest bird communities, possibly reflecting local resource distributions or a disturbance-tolerant species pool.

Keywords

Australian birdsavian guildcommunity compositiondisturbancehabitat losspoint countspecies richness
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , July 2016 , pp. 280 - 289
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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