Ecology and “bird-habitat” relationship in the cedar forest of Aurès mountain (Eastern Algeria)

Abstract

This work aims to compile the birds breeding in the cedar forest of Aurès and to study the “Bird – Habitat” relationships. The data was collected using the progressive frequency sampling method that served as the basis for the diagnosis build on an analytical approach designed around three tools (mutual information, ecological profiles, modelling). Information theory tools allowed us to identify the indicator values of species as well as the most important descriptors. Habitat modelling has been prepared for species with a high indicator value. The logistic models are shown to be well adapted to the nature of the ornithological data. They related the occurrences of the species with the dendro-ecological descriptors. The 70 surveys carried out enabled us to identify 32 bird species. The ecological analysis revealed the most active descriptors and the species with high indicator value. The best-fitting models are those of Short-toed Treecreeper with positive effect of dead wood, density of trees and variability of distances between trees, and European Robin with negative effect of anthropization and general coverage, and positive effect of crown parametres. We conclude that promoting forest structural complexity by diversifying management regimes will be key to maintain avian biodiversity in cedar forests.