Bird species richness, diversity and abundance in Polylepis woodlands, Huascaran biosphere reserve, Peru

Abstract

We examined patterns in bird community composition across a fragmented high-Andean Polylepis landscape currently afforded protection within the Huascaran Biosphere Reserve, Peru. Across five different locations we found significant between-site differences in all broad habitat characteristics, where Polylepis woodlands dominated the landscape, surrounded by a non-woodland puna matrix. Bird species richness and relative abundance was greatest in medium-sized woodlands whereas bird diversity was surprisingly greatest in significantly smaller woodland areas. All five sites were home to subpopulations of 14 conservation-important species, but the number and type of species varied. Our study confirms that the Huascaran Biosphere Reserve represents a critical area for high-Andean bird conservation. Further quantitative landscape evidence on the influence of the surrounding matrix, the Polylepis–matrix interface, and woodland habitat quality on bird community composition will be crucial in designing sustainable management strategies within the Biosphere Reserve.

Keywords:

• bird communities
• Peru
• point counts
• Polylepis
• protected areas
• woodland conservation

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Jorge Recharte, Roberto Arévalo of the Mountain Institute INC for sponsoring the research. We are also grateful to Grace Servat, the staff of Parque Nacional Huascarán, Selwing Valverde, Oswaldo Gonzales, Rene Valencia, and Cristian Sevillano, Gerco Doroteo, Fernando Nishio, Fredy Ropa, Daniel Reynafarge and Laura Morales for their help, support and assistance in field.