Spatial Variation in Bird Community Composition in Relation to Topographic Gradient and Forest Heterogeneity in a Central Amazonian Rainforest

Abstract

We investigated the effects of landscape features and forest structure on the avian community at the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke near Manaus, in the Brazilian Amazon. We sampled the landscape and forest in 72 50 × 50 m plots systematically distributed in the reserve, covering an area of 6,400 ha. The avifauna was sampled using mist nets and acoustic surveys near the plots. We found no significant relationships between landscape features and forest components in the plots and the number of bird species and individuals sampled. Results of Principal Coordinate Analyses, however, showed that bird species composition changes along a topographic gradient (plateau-slope-valley), and also in relation to leaf litter depth and distance to forest streams. We also found compositional differences in the avian community on the eastern and western water basins that compose the reserve. Our results suggest that although most bird species occur throughout the reserve, many species track differences in the landscape and the forest structure.

Influences of forest structure and landscape features on spatial variation in species composition in a palm community in central Amazonia

“…This study also adds to the increasing evidence that suggests that the natural heterogeneity found within tropical forests affects the local composition of plant and animal communities. There are several examples of this with other taxa from the current study site (Banks & Cintra 2008, Castilho et al 2006, Cintra & Naka 2012, Cintra et al 2005, Mendonça et al 2005, Menin et al 2007.…”

Synthesis of the first 10 years of long-term ecological research in Amazonian Forest ecosystem – implications for conservation and management

“…It was also found compositional differences in the avian community on the eastern and western water basins that compose the reserve. These results suggest that although most bird species occur throughout the mesoscale, many species track differences in the landscape and forest structure (Barros and Cintra, 2009;Cintra and Naka, 2012).…”

Microhabitat associations of terrestrial insectivorous birds in Amazonian rainforest and second-growth forests

“…In North American deciduous forests, the distributions of terrestrial insectivores are closely tied to microhabitat features (Holmes and Robinson 1988). In Neotropical forests, terrestrial insectivores and other understory birds have been found to show preferences for particular ranges of soil composition (Bueno et al 2011, Pomara et al 2012), and topology and forest structure (Marra and Remsen 1997), which are potentially confounded (Cintra and Naka 2012). To better understand relationships between microhabitat characteristics and the distribution of terrestrial insectivores, experimental studies involving habitat manipulations are needed.…”

“…Small streams, often with steep banks, dissect the area. Higher, flat areas or plateaus are found between streams (Bueno et al 2011, Cintra and Naka 2012). Isolated treefalls and blowdowns occur sporadically throughout the site (Nelson et al 1994).…”