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Distribution, abundance and niche breadth of birds: scale matters
Author(s) -
Brändle Martin,
Brandl Roland
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
global ecology and biogeography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.164
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1466-8238
pISSN - 1466-822X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1466-822x.2001.00213.x
Subject(s) - niche , abundance (ecology) , ecology , habitat , geography , macroecology , ecological niche , distribution (mathematics) , relative species abundance , passerine , biogeography , biology , mathematical analysis , mathematics
We used local habitat niche breadth, local abundance and body size of non‐passerine afrotropical birds in Tsavo East National Park (Kenya) to predict species distributional ranges in Kenya and across Africa. Univariate analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between local abundance and distribution only on the scale of Kenya. Performing a multiple regression analysis, local abundance, local habitat niche breadth and body size explained a significant part of the variance in bird distribution, again only on the Kenyan scale. From these results, we speculate that on continental scales distributions may be more influenced by macroclimatic conditions and historical factors, whereas distributions on regional scales are predominantly influenced by ecological factors.