Doctoral Dissertation Research: Montane Avian Elevational Range Shifts and Land Use Change

虽然森林地理学家和保护生物学家知道，森林砍伐，负责95%的世界濒危物种，是一个严重的威胁，物种保护，这种土地利用变化的影响仍然被忽视的影响，其对海拔范围的物种。初步观察表明，与有完整低地的森林相比，低地森林砍伐影响到上述森林中的物种范围。了解物种沿沿着自然和改变的海拔梯度的分布对于当前保护战略的设计是重要的，并且可能有助于预测未来面对气候变化的物种分布。初步观察表明，与有完整低地的森林相比，低地森林砍伐影响到上述森林中的物种范围。了解物种沿沿着自然和改变的海拔梯度的分布对于当前保护策略的设计是重要的，并且可以有助于预测未来面对气候变化的物种分布。生物最丰富的热点是南美洲的北方安第斯山脉。哥伦比亚拥有比其他任何国家都多的鸟类-大约1900种-并且每年发现一种新的鸟类。在哥伦比亚，特有鸟类和小型鸟类最集中的地区是西安第斯山脉，最多时有46种。非地方性鸟类和其他类群的多样性也很特殊。西安第斯山脉的西坡大部分被完整的森林覆盖，但东坡由于道路通行和人类定居而遭受严重的森林砍伐。为了实现了解海拔变化的目标，调查人员将对三对海拔样带（2000- 2900米）进行采样，其中一个将完全被成熟森林覆盖，而另一个将在低地缺乏森林。在西安第斯山脉北方的梅塞尼亚-帕拉米洛保留地，该项目将描述物种丰富程度和沿着这些断面的每一物种的丰富程度变化。调查人员将利用观测和雾网，并在当地工作人员和生物学家培训小组的帮助下，利用统计模型确定低地森林砍伐对物种范围的影响。该项目的预期成果包括目前的鸟类分布信息和3D地图，以及在项目结束后将定期取样的海拔样带沿着建立永久性带站。这些结果将有助于全球了解森林砍伐和气候变化如何影响物种，从而帮助那些管理它们的人。

Although biogeographers and conservation biologists know that deforestation, responsible for 95% of the world's endangered species, is a serious threat to species conservation, the impacts of this land use change is still ignored in terms of its effects on the elevational ranges of species. Preliminary observations suggest that lowland deforestation affects the ranges of species in the forest above when compared to forests with intact lowlands. Understanding the distribution of species along natural and altered altitudinal gradients is important for the design of current conservation strategies, and could be instrumental in predicting future distributions of species in the face of climate change. Preliminary observations suggest that lowland deforestation affects the ranges of species in the forest above when compared to forests with intact lowlands. Understanding the distribution of species along natural and altered altitudinal gradients is important for the design of current conservation strategies, and can be instrumental in predicting future distributions of species in the face of climate change.The biologically richest hotspot is the northern Andes of South America. Colombia has more bird species than any other country - approximately 1900 - and a rate of discovery of one new bird species per year. Within Colombia, the highest concentrations of endemic and small-range birds are in the Western Andes, peaking at 46 species. The diversity of non-endemic birds, and other taxa, is also exceptional. The western slope of the Western Andes is mostly covered by intact forest, but the eastern slope has suffered severe deforestation due to road access and human settlement. To achieve the goals of understanding elevational range changes, the investigators will sample three pairs of altitudinal transects (2000-2900m) in which one will be completely covered by mature forest, while the other will lack forest in the lowlands. In the Mesenia-Paramillo Reserve in the northern part of the Western Andes, the project will describe species richness and the variation of abundance for each species along these transects. Employing observations and mist-netting, and aided by a team of local staff and biologists-in-training, the investigators will identify the effects of lowland deforestation on species ranges using statistical models. Expected results from this project include current bird distribution information and 3D maps, and the establishment of permanent banding stations along the altitudinal transects which will be sampled periodically after this project concludes. These results will inform a global understanding of how deforestation and climate change affects species and so aid those who manage them.