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1 December 2003 Vertical Stratification and its Relation to Foliage in Tropical Forest Birds in Western Ghats (India)
Eluvathingal Antony Jayson, Daniel Nediyakalayil Mathew
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Abstract

The study was carried out from May 1988 to April 1993 in two types of tropical forests: the tropical evergreen and moist deciduous. The vertical distribution of birds and foliage abundance was recorded by visual observation in seven height classes, using the line transect method. The vertical distribution of 94 bird species was recorded in evergreen forest, and of 90 in moist deciduous forest. Bird species richness and the numbers of birds were highest in the stratum from 1 to 5 m in both the evergreen forests (57 species) and the moist deciduous forests (68 species). The species richness indices of birds in the two types of forest did not display such a clear relationship. Foliage abundance was high up to a height of 30 m in the evergreen forests, whereas in moist deciduous forests, foliage was abundant only up to 20 m. A significant positive correlation was obtained between foliage abundance and species richness and also between the numbers of birds in both types of forests. Significant correlation was also obtained between foliage abundance and the species diversity indices in the two types of vegetation.

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Eluvathingal Antony Jayson and Daniel Nediyakalayil Mathew "Vertical Stratification and its Relation to Foliage in Tropical Forest Birds in Western Ghats (India)," Acta Ornithologica 38(2), 111-116, (1 December 2003). https://doi.org/10.3161/068.038.0207
Received: 1 April 2003; Accepted: 1 September 2003; Published: 1 December 2003
KEYWORDS
India
Kerala
tropical forest
vertical stratification of birds
Western Ghats
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