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.ÌýSpecies composition change from a mountain base to its peakÌý(altitudinal turnover)Ìýis strikingÌýand well known.ÌýBut, with the ongoing loss of approximately 1% ofÌýnatural habitat per year, it is important to understand if such striking patterns persist in human-modified habitats.ÌýWe 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 significantlyÌýgreater in forests than in buffer or agricultural areas.ÌýAll 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 mayÌýreduce the potentialÌýforest habitat availability to aÌýmere 152 sq. km, for the whole of Sri Lanka.ÌýThese results underscore the importance of protected reserves for reducing both habitat andÌýclimate change impacts on biodiversity, particularly on tropical mountains that showÌýextraordinary levels of endemism.
Read the wholeÌýpaper 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 significantlyÌýgreater in forests than in buffer or agricultural areas.ÌýAll 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 mayÌýreduce the potentialÌýforest habitat availability to aÌýmere 152 sq. km, for the whole of Sri Lanka.ÌýThese results underscore the importance of protected reserves for reducing both habitat andÌýclimate change impacts on biodiversity, particularly on tropical mountains that showÌýextraordinary levels of endemism.
by Sreekar Rachakonda
Read the wholeÌýpaper published in .
[caption id="attachment_12392" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sri Lanka Yellow Eared Bulbul
Picture credit - Rukmal Ratnayake[/caption]
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