Composition of breeding bird communities under different intensities of human activity: A case study in Jiulingshan Nature Reserve in eastern China

Abstract

Anthropogenic landscape changes are a major contributor to biodiversity loss; however, some species can adapt to this selection pressure and coexist with humans. To successfully produce offspring, wild animals tend to select habitats with fitness advantages which resulting in heterogeneity of biodiversity. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of different intensities of human activity on the composition of forest-breeding bird communities. To this end, we used the transect method to investigate bird diversity in different breeding months, under different intensities of human activity, and at different elevation intervals in the Jiulingshan National Nature Reserve in eastern China. We recorded 79 breeding bird species on Jiulingshan, including 11 protected species and 1 species endemic to China. The composition of bird communities varied greatly inside and outside the nature reserve, with more bird species and higher densities outside the reserve. As the elevation increased, the number and density of bird species decreased. However, the compositions of bird communities at adjacent elevation intervals were similar. The density of birds in July (breeding month) was more than twice that in April (settlement month). In the same mountainous area, farmlands with human activity had higher bird richness and abundance than forests without human activity. Therefore, zones outside the nature reserve and at low-elevation intervals should be monitored and protected. Our results provide a comprehensive picture of the dynamics of local breeding bird resources.