Bird Diversity of Maofeng Mountain Forest Park in Guangzhou

Abstract

Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystems and environmental conditions because they are responsive to habitat change and have important ecological functions. When birds are dependent on habitat functioning in specific ways, the population trends of birds can provide insights into ecosystem function. We conducted monthly bird surveys and monitored birds in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park from November 2020 to March 2022 by combining line transect and camera-trapping methods. These results help estimate bird community structure, bird diversity, and habitat influence. The study area was divided into three types of habitat according to vegetation type and human interference. In addition, 6 line-transects and 30 infrared cameras were used in this study. A total of 2,253 independent images were collected with up to 3,561 camera days during the study period. A total of 143 bird species belonging to 16 orders and 46 families were recorded in this study. Among these species, 18 are second-class national protected species, eight are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and 10 are key protected wild animals in Guangdong Province. Pycnonotus jocosus, Pycnonotus aurigaster, Alcippe morrisonia, and Zosterops simplex were the dominant species in forest parks. Accipiter trivirgatus, Pitta nympha, Garrulax canorus, and Lophura nycthemera, which are rare and threatened species, were found in the forest park. Based on the residential habitats of these species, the dominant 80 species (proportion:55.94％) were in the Oriental biogeographical realm. The widespread species and the Palaearctic species had 32 (proportion: 22.38%) and 31 species (proportion: 21.68%), respectively. Ninety species of resident birds were dominant among all types of birds in the forest park. The main ecological type, with 132 species, was forest birds. In terms of eating types, most birds were insectivorous and omnivorous, with 67 species (proportion: 46.85%) and 46 species (proportion: 32.17%), respectively, suggesting that Maofeng Mountain Forest Park is an important site for forest bird communities. In terms of habitats, we also found that the Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index, and Margalef index of birds were highest in forest habitats and lowest in road habitats. The Pielou evenness index of birds showed no significant differences among the habitats. In terms of seasons, the Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices of birds were highest in spring and lowest in summer. Nevertheless, the Pielou evenness and Simpson indices of birds were not significantly different among the four seasons. The Pielou evenness index was similar to the Simpson index. Moreover, a general linear mixed model was used for the analysis, which showed that the richness and abundance index of birds were significantly correlated with changes in habitats and seasons. In summary, there were different kinds of habitats, abundant forest bird resources, stable bird community structures, and high bird diversity in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park. Birds with a more stable structure and higher diversity in the forest habitat imply that decreased human interference promotes bird inhabitation. This study provides basic data for biodiversity monitoring and assessment in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park and its surrounding forests.

Keywords

• birds
• diversity
• maofeng mountain forest park
• guangzhou