The coexistence of numerous species within a community results from how those species use available resources.Babblers are one of the major groups of Malaysian insectivorous birds,which frequently forage in dense vege...The coexistence of numerous species within a community results from how those species use available resources.Babblers are one of the major groups of Malaysian insectivorous birds,which frequently forage in dense vegetation cover and have a high level of sympatry.Therefore,examining the diet,prey selection,and niche segregation of babblers can be challenging.In this study,we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate potential dietary overlap or segregation among 10 babbler species of the 4 genera of the family Pellorneidae and Timaliidae:Pellorneum,Malacopteron,Stachyris,and Cyanoderma in central peninsular Malaysia.We tested the hypothesis that trophically similar species may differ in resource use to avoid competitive exclusion.We identified 81 distinct arthropod taxa from fecal samples,belonging to 71 families representing 13 orders,which were predominantly from 16 dipteran,13 lepidopteran,and 10 coleopteran families.Of all the prey taxa consumed,45%were found to be distinct across the 10 babbler species,and<35%were shared simultaneously by≥3 babbler species,indicating minimal dietary overlap.The black-throated babbler Stachyris nigricollis and moustached babbler Malacopteron magnirostre had the most generalist tendencies because they consumed a greater variety of prey taxa.Small dietary overlap values(Ojk)and a relatively wide range of food resources suggest that dietary segregation occurred among the studied babblers.The great diversity of prey consumed revealed the presence of dietary flexibility among the sympatric insectivorous birds,thus reducing any active dietary competition and facilitating the coexistence through niche partitioning.展开更多
Background Mineral-rich licks are known to provide mineral supplements to wildlife species,including mammals.Artificial salt licks have been provided as habitat enrichment in protected areas and secondary forests in P...Background Mineral-rich licks are known to provide mineral supplements to wildlife species,including mammals.Artificial salt licks have been provided as habitat enrichment in protected areas and secondary forests in Peninsular Malaysia since 2012.However,few studies have investigated artificial salt licks,particularly their mineral composition and roles in different habitats.We used 40 camera traps to assess mammal species diversity and assemblages at 20 salt licks(nine natural and 11 artificial licks)in three forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia.Nine mineral elements from water and soil samples from natural and artificial licks in primary and secondary forests were analysed.Results Twenty-nine mammal species were identified across salt licks,with 16 species being salt lick users,including eight herbivorous,five frugivorous and three carnivorous mammals,most of which moved in groups and solitarily.The mammal species assemblages across both salt lick and habitat types demonstrated a predominantly nested pattern,with herbivorous and frugivorous mammals being the primary users.The artificial salt licks in both habitats showcased the same feeding guilds including species that are resilient to habitat changes.The visitation frequency at both types of licks and habitats suggests that each salt lick user had its own preferences for minerals from salt lick water and soil.Conclusions This study suggests that artificial licks may be as effective as natural licks in providing minerals to many mammal species both in primary and secondary forests.Thus,they could be used to enrich degraded habitats.Enriching degraded habitats is essential for supporting the ecosystem,especially in carbon reduction,biodiversity conservation and connectivity between degraded forests and intact forests.展开更多
Background The increasing demand for large-scale hydroelectric dam development in tropical developing countries has led to significant land-use changes that impact biodiversity,particularly in megadiverse countries,su...Background The increasing demand for large-scale hydroelectric dam development in tropical developing countries has led to significant land-use changes that impact biodiversity,particularly in megadiverse countries,such as Malaysia.Although many recent infrastructure projects incorporate sustainable concepts for wildlife monitoring and management,studies on the impacts of habitat fragmentation on ground-dwelling birds during the development phase remain scarce.This study aimed to assess the response of forest bird communities,particularly the ground-dwelling birds,across different phases of hydroelectric dam development using infrared camera traps.We collected data from 14 sampling sites in Nenggiri hydroelectric dam catchment area for 25 months across three developmental phases:pre-logging,logging,and construction.Results We recorded 1045 occurrences of 33 bird species,including the critically endangered Malayan Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma and the endangered Malayan Peacock-Pheasant Polyplectron malacense.There were significant changes between phases,with a notable decrease in the number of pheasants detected,such as the Great Argus Argusianus argus and Malayan Crested Fireback Lophura rufa,especially during the construction phase.Indicator species analysis(Ind Val)identified seven species showing strong associations(p<0.05)with specific development phases,including the Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall and Great Argus for the pre-logging phase.Conclusion These results highlight the vulnerability of ground-dwelling birds,particularly pheasants,to habitat disturbances from large-scale development activities.We propose incorporating camera trap assessments into major infrastructure projects to identify key locations of conservation-priority bird species,and to inform targeted rescue or translocation efforts,particularly during high-impact phases such as habitat clearance and dam impoundment.展开更多
Background:Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities,yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood.This study examined bird community ...Background:Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities,yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood.This study examined bird community changes from pre-logging to recovery over the course of habitat disturbance caused by the development of the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam Project in Peninsular Malaysia,between 2007 and 2018.Bird surveys were conducted using point count observations and mist netting in the dam area from the prelogging phase until the operation phase.Results:It was observed that while bird species significantly declined after large-scale habitat clearance between the pre-logging and construction phases,they showed positive signs of recovery from the inundation to operation phases.These findings indicate that the bird community is still recovering,and the permanent loss of habitat required by most of the original species has not occurred,as evidenced by recolonisation.Bird species composition differed across phases due to varying habitat conditions.The turnover rate and immigration rate(recolonisation and newly recorded species)were higher between the construction and operation phases.It was also observed that insectivorous birds were more heavily affected than others by changes to the landscape,which highlights the versatility,survivability and tolerance of certain species to extreme disturbance and habitat modification.Conclusion:Although the operation phase showed an incremental change in bird species richness due to recolonisation and newly recorded species,this value remains far from that of the pre-logging phase.We predict that bird species recovery will continue to increase for some time before reaching a plateau among the newly created islands,reservoir and catchment area of the dam.展开更多
基金funded by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS),Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia,under grant FRGS/1/2020/STG03/UKM/02/5.
文摘The coexistence of numerous species within a community results from how those species use available resources.Babblers are one of the major groups of Malaysian insectivorous birds,which frequently forage in dense vegetation cover and have a high level of sympatry.Therefore,examining the diet,prey selection,and niche segregation of babblers can be challenging.In this study,we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate potential dietary overlap or segregation among 10 babbler species of the 4 genera of the family Pellorneidae and Timaliidae:Pellorneum,Malacopteron,Stachyris,and Cyanoderma in central peninsular Malaysia.We tested the hypothesis that trophically similar species may differ in resource use to avoid competitive exclusion.We identified 81 distinct arthropod taxa from fecal samples,belonging to 71 families representing 13 orders,which were predominantly from 16 dipteran,13 lepidopteran,and 10 coleopteran families.Of all the prey taxa consumed,45%were found to be distinct across the 10 babbler species,and<35%were shared simultaneously by≥3 babbler species,indicating minimal dietary overlap.The black-throated babbler Stachyris nigricollis and moustached babbler Malacopteron magnirostre had the most generalist tendencies because they consumed a greater variety of prey taxa.Small dietary overlap values(Ojk)and a relatively wide range of food resources suggest that dietary segregation occurred among the studied babblers.The great diversity of prey consumed revealed the presence of dietary flexibility among the sympatric insectivorous birds,thus reducing any active dietary competition and facilitating the coexistence through niche partitioning.
基金provided by the Tenaga Nasional Berhad Research(TNBR)Sdn Bhd under research codes ST-2017-009,ST-2017-007 and ST-2022-019
文摘Background Mineral-rich licks are known to provide mineral supplements to wildlife species,including mammals.Artificial salt licks have been provided as habitat enrichment in protected areas and secondary forests in Peninsular Malaysia since 2012.However,few studies have investigated artificial salt licks,particularly their mineral composition and roles in different habitats.We used 40 camera traps to assess mammal species diversity and assemblages at 20 salt licks(nine natural and 11 artificial licks)in three forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia.Nine mineral elements from water and soil samples from natural and artificial licks in primary and secondary forests were analysed.Results Twenty-nine mammal species were identified across salt licks,with 16 species being salt lick users,including eight herbivorous,five frugivorous and three carnivorous mammals,most of which moved in groups and solitarily.The mammal species assemblages across both salt lick and habitat types demonstrated a predominantly nested pattern,with herbivorous and frugivorous mammals being the primary users.The artificial salt licks in both habitats showcased the same feeding guilds including species that are resilient to habitat changes.The visitation frequency at both types of licks and habitats suggests that each salt lick user had its own preferences for minerals from salt lick water and soil.Conclusions This study suggests that artificial licks may be as effective as natural licks in providing minerals to many mammal species both in primary and secondary forests.Thus,they could be used to enrich degraded habitats.Enriching degraded habitats is essential for supporting the ecosystem,especially in carbon reduction,biodiversity conservation and connectivity between degraded forests and intact forests.
基金funded by Tenaga Nasional Berhad Research(TNBR)grant number ST-2022–019
文摘Background The increasing demand for large-scale hydroelectric dam development in tropical developing countries has led to significant land-use changes that impact biodiversity,particularly in megadiverse countries,such as Malaysia.Although many recent infrastructure projects incorporate sustainable concepts for wildlife monitoring and management,studies on the impacts of habitat fragmentation on ground-dwelling birds during the development phase remain scarce.This study aimed to assess the response of forest bird communities,particularly the ground-dwelling birds,across different phases of hydroelectric dam development using infrared camera traps.We collected data from 14 sampling sites in Nenggiri hydroelectric dam catchment area for 25 months across three developmental phases:pre-logging,logging,and construction.Results We recorded 1045 occurrences of 33 bird species,including the critically endangered Malayan Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma and the endangered Malayan Peacock-Pheasant Polyplectron malacense.There were significant changes between phases,with a notable decrease in the number of pheasants detected,such as the Great Argus Argusianus argus and Malayan Crested Fireback Lophura rufa,especially during the construction phase.Indicator species analysis(Ind Val)identified seven species showing strong associations(p<0.05)with specific development phases,including the Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall and Great Argus for the pre-logging phase.Conclusion These results highlight the vulnerability of ground-dwelling birds,particularly pheasants,to habitat disturbances from large-scale development activities.We propose incorporating camera trap assessments into major infrastructure projects to identify key locations of conservation-priority bird species,and to inform targeted rescue or translocation efforts,particularly during high-impact phases such as habitat clearance and dam impoundment.
基金funded by Tenaga Nasional Berhad Research(TNBR),grant number ST-2017-010.
文摘Background:Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities,yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood.This study examined bird community changes from pre-logging to recovery over the course of habitat disturbance caused by the development of the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam Project in Peninsular Malaysia,between 2007 and 2018.Bird surveys were conducted using point count observations and mist netting in the dam area from the prelogging phase until the operation phase.Results:It was observed that while bird species significantly declined after large-scale habitat clearance between the pre-logging and construction phases,they showed positive signs of recovery from the inundation to operation phases.These findings indicate that the bird community is still recovering,and the permanent loss of habitat required by most of the original species has not occurred,as evidenced by recolonisation.Bird species composition differed across phases due to varying habitat conditions.The turnover rate and immigration rate(recolonisation and newly recorded species)were higher between the construction and operation phases.It was also observed that insectivorous birds were more heavily affected than others by changes to the landscape,which highlights the versatility,survivability and tolerance of certain species to extreme disturbance and habitat modification.Conclusion:Although the operation phase showed an incremental change in bird species richness due to recolonisation and newly recorded species,this value remains far from that of the pre-logging phase.We predict that bird species recovery will continue to increase for some time before reaching a plateau among the newly created islands,reservoir and catchment area of the dam.
