Guest Blog: Changes in climate and increases in farm land are shifting endangered Sri Lankan bird species habitats
In order to conserve biodiversity we need to understand how it changes from place to place.听Species composition change from a mountain base to its peak听(altitudinal turnover)听is striking听and well known.听But, with the ongoing loss of approximately 1% of听natural habitat per year, it is important to understand if such striking patterns persist in human-modified habitats.听We compared altitudinal turnover of birds in three habitats (protected forests, forest buffers, and agriculture) in Sri Lanka, an island country that has lost 95% of its original rainforest cover.
We found that altitudinal turnover was significantly听greater in forests than in buffer or agricultural areas.听All 14 threatened diurnal endemic Sri Lankan birds preferred rainforests. Among which, five species preferred high elevation forests (>1500 m). If we account for a 2oC increase in temperature due to climate change, suitable environment for these high elevation endemics may shift upwards an other 400 m. Such a change may听reduce the potential听forest habitat availability to a听mere 152 sq. km, for the whole of Sri Lanka.听These results underscore the importance of protected reserves for reducing both habitat and听climate change impacts on biodiversity, particularly on tropical mountains that show听extraordinary levels of endemism.
Read the whole听paper published in .
[caption id="attachment_12392" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sri Lanka Yellow Eared Bulbul
Picture credit - Rukmal Ratnayake[/caption]
We found that altitudinal turnover was significantly听greater in forests than in buffer or agricultural areas.听All 14 threatened diurnal endemic Sri Lankan birds preferred rainforests. Among which, five species preferred high elevation forests (>1500 m). If we account for a 2oC increase in temperature due to climate change, suitable environment for these high elevation endemics may shift upwards an other 400 m. Such a change may听reduce the potential听forest habitat availability to a听mere 152 sq. km, for the whole of Sri Lanka.听These results underscore the importance of protected reserves for reducing both habitat and听climate change impacts on biodiversity, particularly on tropical mountains that show听extraordinary levels of endemism.
by Sreekar Rachakonda
Read the whole听paper published in .
[caption id="attachment_12392" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sri Lanka Yellow Eared Bulbul
Picture credit - Rukmal Ratnayake[/caption]
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