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The Use of Bushland, Corridors, and Linear Remnants by Birds in Southeastern Queensland, Australia
Author(s) -
Bentley Jocelyn M.,
Catterall Carla P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1046/j.1523-1739.1997.96100.x
Subject(s) - geography , forestry , ecology , biology
Within the southeastern region of Queensland, Australia, native forest cover ( bushland) has been greatly reduced and fragmented, and clearing is still occurring. Many of the region’s bird species are being increasingly restricted to isolated habitat remnants. However, little is known about the habitat value of these remnants and whether their value is influenced by their degree of connection. We investigated bird use of riparian corridors in pastoral and urban surroundings and riparian linear remnants within an urban context. We compared the avifauna of these remnants with dryland and riparian sites within continuous bushland. We also assessed their use by previously derived response‐guilds of birds to bushland clearing. We counted 3567 individuals of 102 bird species. Riparian bushland supported more species and had greater bird abundances than dryland bushland. Corridors and linear remnants supported densities of many bushland‐dependent species similar to those in bushland; this varied with species’ patterns of large‐scale migration and residency. Bushland‐dependent winter migrants used both corridors and linear remnants extensively. Bushland‐dependent residents were most abundant in continuous bushland and least abundant in linear remnants, possibly reflecting the constraints of central place foraging. Effects of isolation were only evident in resident bushland‐dependent species. Local habitat variables were significantly associated with variation in abundance of some types of birds within corridors and linear remnants; however, the differences in bird abundances attributable to spatial characteristics were greater than those attributable to habitat characteristics. The effects of bushland fragmentation and isolation were mediated by the extent to which species are dependent upon bushland and their patterns of large‐scale migration or residency. Local habitat, and possibly more importantly altitude, may influence site use by winter migrants and generalist species.