article · International Journal of Ecology
Human land uses affect the persistence of forest biodiversity in central Kenya, particularly within the Mount Kenya ecosystem where farmlands and plantation forests are prevalent. An assessment of bird communities in the Nanyuki Forest Block across wet and dry seasons compared natural forests, plantation forests, and farmlands. Natural forest exhibited the highest overall avian species richness, as well as the highest relative species richness across nearly all forest-dependent foraging guilds, excluding granivores. Non-forest species were frequently found only in farmlands. Plantation forests recorded the lowest relative richness across all avian habitat and foraging guilds. Specialist forest-dependent birds were found primarily in structurally complex remnant natural forests, highlighting the ecological risks associated with converting these habitats into plantations and agricultural land.
Understanding how different land uses affect wildlife helps guide environmental protection. By demonstrating that plantation forests and farmlands do not support the same diversity of specialised birds as natural forests, this work illustrates the critical need to preserve complex native habitats to prevent the decline of sensitive species.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway, as it focuses strictly on ecological field assessments and conservation outcomes rather than commercial applications or technology development.
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Few studies have explored how human land uses influence and support persistence of forest biodiversity in central Kenya. In the case of the Mount Kenya ecosystem, farmlands and plantation forests are significant land-use types. Using point counts, we assessed bird communities in natural forests, plantation forests, and farmlands in the Nanyuki Forest Block, Western Mount Kenya. Bird point counts were undertaken during two sampling periods (wet and dry season). Compared to farmlands and plantation forest, natural forest had the highest overall avian species richness and relative species richness of all except one forest-dependent foraging guild (granivores) and nonforest species, which occurred frequently only on farmlands. Plantation forest had the lowest relative richness of all avian habitat and foraging guilds. Conversely, specialist forest-dependent species mainly occurred in the structurally complex remnant natural forest. Our study underscores the importance of remnant natural forests for the persistence and conservation of forest biodiversity and risks posed by replacing them with plantation forests and farmlands.
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DOI: 10.1155/2019/8248270
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