Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The researc...Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The research was conducted from October 2022 to February 2023 in Mihintale Sanctuary(80.30′11.24″E,8.21′04.63″N)and the Faculty of Applied Sciences,Rajarata University of Sri Lanka(80.502206″E,8.353090″N).Data were obtained through focal sampling,opportunistic observations,and mist netting.Both species predominantly foraged on twigs,using gleaning as the dominant food-handling technique.RVBB foraged mostly at the canopy level,while WBBB foraged primarily at the sub-canopy level.Fruits constituted the major food type for both species.RVBB and WBBB utilized 10 and 7 plant species,respectively,with Grewia helicterifolia being the primary foraging plant.Minimal foraging was observed on Croton sp.(RVBB)and Hugonia mistax(WBBB).The correlation between nutritional components and the consumption of both species revealed a preference for foods with lower protein,higher fat,and ash content.There was no linear correlation between gape width and fruit size(r=-0.21,P=0.69)for both species.The standardized dietary niche breadth indicated both species are specialists,with a high pairwise dietary niche overlap(0.9854).These findings highlight the niche-specific foraging adaptations of RVBB and WBBB within Mihintale,emphasizing their distinct strategies in utilizing plant species,fruit sizes,and foraging heights.Understanding such ecological dynamics is essential for habitat conservation efforts and ensuring the availability of key foraging resources for these species in the dry zone.展开更多
Indian Black Robin(Copsychus fulicata leucoptera)(Lesson,1840)is one of the territorial birds often found in all climatic zones in Sri Lanka.Territory size of this birds species is vary according to the breeding seaso...Indian Black Robin(Copsychus fulicata leucoptera)(Lesson,1840)is one of the territorial birds often found in all climatic zones in Sri Lanka.Territory size of this birds species is vary according to the breeding season and habitats that they occupy.The present study was carried out to understand the breeding ecology and territorial behavior of Indian Black robin both in breeding and non-breeding periods.The study was carried out at the Mihintale sanctuary and the Faculty premises of Rajarata university of Sri Lanka.Eleven breeding pairs of Black robins were observed to collect using scan and focal animal sampling methods from 2014 to 2017.Territory mapping was done using ArcGIS 10.3 and%behavioral act was calculated using Microsoft excel.Two breeding seasons were identified during March to September.The average nest building period was13.25±0.96 days.Total of 10 nests were recorded,seven were successful nests but chicks were observed from only three of them while in other four of them were damaged due to several reasons.Three nests were abandon by the female bird with eggs which may considered as pseudo nests.The eggs were whitish in colour with small brownish blotches.The clutch size ranged from 2-4.The average incubation period was 11±3.4 days.The identified foraging sites are nearby roads,human settlements and live foliage.Fifteen territories were recorded during the study period in the open land areas,sparse grasslands or scrublands.The territory sizes of non-breeding season ranged from 617 to 5504 m^(2)while territories of breeding season ranged from 1335 to 8736 m^(2).展开更多
Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for~65%of China’s carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to unders...Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for~65%of China’s carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to understand and monitor LULC change and how spatial variation affects carbon storage(CS).This is vital for the formation and implementation of better land use management practices.We studied LULC changes of 22-year period;addressing how these changes have affected the CS.We quantified LULC changes between1988 and 2010 using remote sensing methods and calculated CS changes using InvEST.Results showed that between 1988 and 2010,the rate of deforestation accelerated to 203.2 km^(2)y^(−1)and~23%of forest were lost.Conversion of natural forest to rubber was responsible for 78%of this deforestation.Rubber expansion rate was 153.4 km^(2)y^(−1).Changes to LULC drove a temporal CS reduction 0.223 Tg C/km^(2).Local stakeholders have strong economic interest in converting land to more profitable plantations.Government efforts is required to control land conversion through new policies and incentives to retain natural forest.Assessment of specific potential land use change will be required to avoid promoting the conversion of high carbon storage land uses to low carbon storage land uses.展开更多
Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for-65%of China's carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to und...Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for-65%of China's carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to understand and monitor LULC change and how spatial variation affects carbon storage(CS).This is vital for the formation and implementation of better land use management practices.We studied LULC changes of 22-year period;addressing how these changes have affected the CS.We quantified LULC changes between1988 and 2010 using remote sensing methods and calculated CS changes using InvEST.Results showed that between 1988 and 2010,the rate of deforestation accelerated to 203.2 km^(2)y^(-1)and~23%of forest were lost.Conversion of natural forest to rubber was responsible for 78%of this deforestation.Rubber expansion rate was 153.4 km^(2)y^(-1).Changes to LULC drove a temporal CS reduction 0.223 Tg C/km^(2).Local stakeholders have strong economic interest in converting land to more profitable plantations.Government efforts is required to control land conversion through new policies and incentives to retain natural forest.Assessment of specific potential land use change will be required to avoid promoting the conversion of high carbon storage land uses to low carbon storage land uses.展开更多
文摘Two widespread bird species in Sri Lanka’s dry zone,Pycnonotus cafer(Red-vented Bulbul,RVBB)and Pycnonotus luteolus(White-browed Bulbul,WBBB),were studied to understand their foraging dynamics and ecology.The research was conducted from October 2022 to February 2023 in Mihintale Sanctuary(80.30′11.24″E,8.21′04.63″N)and the Faculty of Applied Sciences,Rajarata University of Sri Lanka(80.502206″E,8.353090″N).Data were obtained through focal sampling,opportunistic observations,and mist netting.Both species predominantly foraged on twigs,using gleaning as the dominant food-handling technique.RVBB foraged mostly at the canopy level,while WBBB foraged primarily at the sub-canopy level.Fruits constituted the major food type for both species.RVBB and WBBB utilized 10 and 7 plant species,respectively,with Grewia helicterifolia being the primary foraging plant.Minimal foraging was observed on Croton sp.(RVBB)and Hugonia mistax(WBBB).The correlation between nutritional components and the consumption of both species revealed a preference for foods with lower protein,higher fat,and ash content.There was no linear correlation between gape width and fruit size(r=-0.21,P=0.69)for both species.The standardized dietary niche breadth indicated both species are specialists,with a high pairwise dietary niche overlap(0.9854).These findings highlight the niche-specific foraging adaptations of RVBB and WBBB within Mihintale,emphasizing their distinct strategies in utilizing plant species,fruit sizes,and foraging heights.Understanding such ecological dynamics is essential for habitat conservation efforts and ensuring the availability of key foraging resources for these species in the dry zone.
文摘Indian Black Robin(Copsychus fulicata leucoptera)(Lesson,1840)is one of the territorial birds often found in all climatic zones in Sri Lanka.Territory size of this birds species is vary according to the breeding season and habitats that they occupy.The present study was carried out to understand the breeding ecology and territorial behavior of Indian Black robin both in breeding and non-breeding periods.The study was carried out at the Mihintale sanctuary and the Faculty premises of Rajarata university of Sri Lanka.Eleven breeding pairs of Black robins were observed to collect using scan and focal animal sampling methods from 2014 to 2017.Territory mapping was done using ArcGIS 10.3 and%behavioral act was calculated using Microsoft excel.Two breeding seasons were identified during March to September.The average nest building period was13.25±0.96 days.Total of 10 nests were recorded,seven were successful nests but chicks were observed from only three of them while in other four of them were damaged due to several reasons.Three nests were abandon by the female bird with eggs which may considered as pseudo nests.The eggs were whitish in colour with small brownish blotches.The clutch size ranged from 2-4.The average incubation period was 11±3.4 days.The identified foraging sites are nearby roads,human settlements and live foliage.Fifteen territories were recorded during the study period in the open land areas,sparse grasslands or scrublands.The territory sizes of non-breeding season ranged from 617 to 5504 m^(2)while territories of breeding season ranged from 1335 to 8736 m^(2).
文摘Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for~65%of China’s carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to understand and monitor LULC change and how spatial variation affects carbon storage(CS).This is vital for the formation and implementation of better land use management practices.We studied LULC changes of 22-year period;addressing how these changes have affected the CS.We quantified LULC changes between1988 and 2010 using remote sensing methods and calculated CS changes using InvEST.Results showed that between 1988 and 2010,the rate of deforestation accelerated to 203.2 km^(2)y^(−1)and~23%of forest were lost.Conversion of natural forest to rubber was responsible for 78%of this deforestation.Rubber expansion rate was 153.4 km^(2)y^(−1).Changes to LULC drove a temporal CS reduction 0.223 Tg C/km^(2).Local stakeholders have strong economic interest in converting land to more profitable plantations.Government efforts is required to control land conversion through new policies and incentives to retain natural forest.Assessment of specific potential land use change will be required to avoid promoting the conversion of high carbon storage land uses to low carbon storage land uses.
文摘Land use and land cover(LULC)play a significant role in carbon regulation.South-China accounts for-65%of China's carbon sink.In Xishuangbanna(South-China),rubber is expanding rapidly creating an urgent need to understand and monitor LULC change and how spatial variation affects carbon storage(CS).This is vital for the formation and implementation of better land use management practices.We studied LULC changes of 22-year period;addressing how these changes have affected the CS.We quantified LULC changes between1988 and 2010 using remote sensing methods and calculated CS changes using InvEST.Results showed that between 1988 and 2010,the rate of deforestation accelerated to 203.2 km^(2)y^(-1)and~23%of forest were lost.Conversion of natural forest to rubber was responsible for 78%of this deforestation.Rubber expansion rate was 153.4 km^(2)y^(-1).Changes to LULC drove a temporal CS reduction 0.223 Tg C/km^(2).Local stakeholders have strong economic interest in converting land to more profitable plantations.Government efforts is required to control land conversion through new policies and incentives to retain natural forest.Assessment of specific potential land use change will be required to avoid promoting the conversion of high carbon storage land uses to low carbon storage land uses.
