Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia

There has been no published research on how Malaysian birds respond to the creation of a forest edge. In this study we evaluated bird species composition, distribution and diversity along edge-interior gradient in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. There was a significan...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moradi, Hossein Varasteh, Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria, Rosli, Zamri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia 2009
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/1/Edge%20responses%20of%20birds%20in%20an%20isolated%20lowland%20tropical%20rainforest%20in%20Peninsular%20Malaysia.pdf
_version_ 1848842325191557120
author Moradi, Hossein Varasteh
Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria
Rosli, Zamri
author_facet Moradi, Hossein Varasteh
Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria
Rosli, Zamri
author_sort Moradi, Hossein Varasteh
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description There has been no published research on how Malaysian birds respond to the creation of a forest edge. In this study we evaluated bird species composition, distribution and diversity along edge-interior gradient in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. There was a significant difference in overall species abundance among different distances from edge. Among the four super-abundant species, two showed a significant decrease in the numbers observed from the edge to interior, namely striped tit-babbler, and yellow-vented bulbul. Among the five trophic guilds, the Insectivore/Frugivore guild showed a significant decrease from the forest edge to the interior, while the Insectivore guild showed a significant increase from edge to the interior. The rarefaction curve showed that the expected number of bird species is highest at 400 m from edge, and lowest at 25 m and 1200 m from edge. The diversity indices were lowest at the edge. Many of the edge species were most common in a band 200 m-wide along the edge. We found that several of the forest-interior species increased in diversity starting 400 m from edge to the forest interior. Our findings indicate that habitat fragmentation and habitat isolation affect bird communities and that these factors threaten many species. With continued deforestation and habitat isolation in peninsular Malaysia, we predict many more bird species will be adversely affected.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T07:57:20Z
format Article
id upm-14191
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T07:57:20Z
publishDate 2009
publisher Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling upm-141912015-10-22T06:32:24Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/ Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia Moradi, Hossein Varasteh Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria Rosli, Zamri There has been no published research on how Malaysian birds respond to the creation of a forest edge. In this study we evaluated bird species composition, distribution and diversity along edge-interior gradient in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. There was a significant difference in overall species abundance among different distances from edge. Among the four super-abundant species, two showed a significant decrease in the numbers observed from the edge to interior, namely striped tit-babbler, and yellow-vented bulbul. Among the five trophic guilds, the Insectivore/Frugivore guild showed a significant decrease from the forest edge to the interior, while the Insectivore guild showed a significant increase from edge to the interior. The rarefaction curve showed that the expected number of bird species is highest at 400 m from edge, and lowest at 25 m and 1200 m from edge. The diversity indices were lowest at the edge. Many of the edge species were most common in a band 200 m-wide along the edge. We found that several of the forest-interior species increased in diversity starting 400 m from edge to the forest interior. Our findings indicate that habitat fragmentation and habitat isolation affect bird communities and that these factors threaten many species. With continued deforestation and habitat isolation in peninsular Malaysia, we predict many more bird species will be adversely affected. Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia 2009 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/1/Edge%20responses%20of%20birds%20in%20an%20isolated%20lowland%20tropical%20rainforest%20in%20Peninsular%20Malaysia.pdf Moradi, Hossein Varasteh and Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria and Rosli, Zamri (2009) Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. The Malaysian Forester, 72 (2). pp. 225-245. ISSN 0302-2935 http://www.cabdirect.org/
spellingShingle Moradi, Hossein Varasteh
Hussin, Mohamed Zakaria
Rosli, Zamri
Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title_full Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title_fullStr Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title_short Edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia
title_sort edge responses of birds in an isolated lowland tropical rainforest in peninsular malaysia
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/14191/1/Edge%20responses%20of%20birds%20in%20an%20isolated%20lowland%20tropical%20rainforest%20in%20Peninsular%20Malaysia.pdf