Habitat niches of bird species along a recovery gradient in the Chocó tropical forest

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112260
• Publication Date: 2024-06-27T02:47:17Z
• Authors: Ana Falconí-López; Oliver Mitesser; H. Martin Schaefer; Nico Blüthgen; Annika Busse; Heike Feldhaar; Juan Freile; Rudy Gelis; Nina Grella; Christoph Heibl; Mareike Kortmann; Felicity L. Newell; Dominik Rabl; Matthias Schleuning; Sebastian Seibold; Çağan H. Şekercioğlu; Boris A. Tinoco; Constance J. Trem...; Jörg Müller; David A. Donoso
• Keywords: Tropical forest

Conservation programs need improved tools to measure the recovery of animal diversity across restoration gradients. We used soundscapes and expert identifications bird species calculate niche position (i.e., mean environmental conditions all areas a occupies) breadth standard deviation distribution) along gradient; from agriculture early (up 20 yrs) late 38 recovery, old-growth forests. Our survey included 323 was conducted in 66 plots lowland Chocoan tropical rainforest Ecuador where less than 11% forest remains intact, large are currently undergoing regeneration post-abandonment. First, we validated our metrics by contrasting them against independent global categories density dependency. then explained with different ecological traits, gathered literature, reflecting species-specific primary diet, morphology distribution, accounting for phylogenetic relatedness species. Finally, explored signal present species' traits metrics. Niche gradient closely followed However, approach provided more fine-scaled sorting categorized as old-growth. Granivorous birds occupied positions active cacao pasture were replaced frugivorous older plots. Along gradient, tail length handwing index decreased position, supporting previous observations that forests mobile. Birds had smaller distribution ranges agricultural latitudinal study area averaged south equator, averaging centroids wet north whereas further country, towards dry open Tumbesian forest. Frugivores, invertivores vertivores broader breadths, but these (marginally) length. suggest potentially powerful tool rapid assessment process, which might support conservation strategies such biodiversity credits, compensation payments, strategic land purchases. With increasing availability information-intensive models identification, deep learning artificial intelligence, new avenue at larger scales.