Patch-matrix movements of birds in the páramo landscape of the southern Andes of Ecuador

ABSTRACT

Habitat loss and fragmentation are important threats to global biodiversity. Bird species are not only influenced by the remaining habitat patch size and quality but also by the habitat characteristics in the fragmented landscape. Heterogeneous matrices are known to promote connectivity among habitat fragments. However, to what extent these matrices influence species movement of different habitat guilds is not well understood. To do so, we assessed the observed movements of bird guilds in relation to Polylepis forest patch characteristics and surrounding páramo-matrix heterogeneity in an Ecuadorian High Andes biodiversity hotspot. We detected 250 individuals of 16 bird species making movements from a forest patch to the matrix. The total number of bird movements and especially the number of forest specialists moving increased with increasing heterogeneity of the páramo matrix. Forest specialists moved shorter distances between patch and matrix, and with a higher proportion of stepping-stone movements (fly–perch–fly) than generalists. Our findings suggest that structurally heterogeneous vegetation in páramo habitats is important for the Andean bird community as páramo-matrix heterogeneity enhances bird movements across the landscape of Polylepis patches, especially for forest specialist birds. We emphasise that the heterogeneity of habitats in the high-altitude Andes, particularly páramo-matrix heterogeneity, is an important factor for conservation and has a potentially positive influence on connectivity at landscape scale.

KEYWORDS:

• Páramo matrix
• Polylepis patches
• bird habitat guilds
• native woody plants
• stepping-stone movements

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Luis Muñoz for field assistance as well as Jacinto Guillén, Francisco Salgado, Antonio Crespo, Edwin Zárate and Andrés López for their continued support of our research. Invaluable logistical support was provided by María Ceilia Carrasco and Francisco Sánchez of Cajas National Park. This article benefited from extensive improvements by Michael Bull, Thomas Gottschalk, Elina Rantanen and Steve Latta. This study was funded by the research fund from Universidad del Azuay under grants 2013–33 and 2016–40, and the German Research Foundation under grants DFG FA925/5-1 and 6-1. Logistic support was also provided thorough project C2 of the DFG PAK825 (FA925/7-1).

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Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the research fund of Universidad del Azuay under grants 2013-33 and 2016-40.