Diversity and structure of a bird community in a logged forest in south-east Côte d'Ivoire

by Matthias Waltert
Doctoral thesis
Date of Examination:2000-04-27
Date of issue:2001-11-07
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Michael Mühlenberg
Referee:Prof. Dr. Rainer Willmann
Persistent Address: http://dx.doi.org/10.53846/goediss-4215

 

 

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Abstract

English

The avifauna of heavily logged Upper Guinean rainforest was studied in an isolated Forêt Classée of 216 sp. km size in south-east Côte d'Ivoire. A combination of spot-mapping and mist-netting was used to document the structure and diversity of the community five to seven years after the last logging operations. Species richness and overall avifaunal composition inside the Forêt Classée was very similar (Soerensen=0,92) to unbroken primary forest (Bia National Park, Ghana, 1976). The forest harboured 61% of all Guinea-Congolian forest species known from the country. Alphadiversity and evenness of mist-netted birds from 2-ha areas were lower than in lowland primary forests of Côte d'Ivoire (Nimba) and Sierra Leone (Gola), but comparable to other, only slightly distrurbed lowland areas in Côte d'Ivoire (Mabi forest reserve). A total of 118 bird species in 709 pairs were found to be resident on a 110 ha study plot during a three months census. The community was dominated by four s! mall understorey species. There was a significantly negative correlation between vertical foraging height and abundance. Guinea-Congolian and African forest species had equal proportions of rare and common species. Large game species such as hornbills showed very low densities. Overall abundance distribution (mapping results) did not differ significantly from log-normal, but the proportion of ''very rare'' (< 0,25 pairs/100 ha) species was elevated making the difference from log-series distribution only slight. Capture rates of true forest understorey species, especially larger ones and those with restricted ranges were negatively influenced by forest disturbance. One species had higher capture rates in a disturbed compartement but showed a lower number of recaptures and lower average weight there compared to a (less disturbed) control compartment.
 
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