Somaye Khalilabadi

Effects of habitat factor on bird assemblages at landscape scale in Karkas hunting prohibited area

Abstract: Determining landscape parameters influencing species richness of different animal groups in habitat patches is one of the hot issues in conservation biology.Karkas hunting prohibited Area located in Isfahan province and comprised a number of woodlands patches. The influence of Physical parameters (patch area, perimeter and shape) and vegetation structure (canopy cover of vegetation strata, diversity of woody species and diversity of vegetation strata) of these patches on bird richness and diversity was examined. Satellite images have been used for measuring the physical parameters. Bird census was performed with line transect method (TL=17 km). Vegetation composition and structure were quantified in 10*10 quadrates systematically located along the line transects. Data analysis including linear and nonlinear regression revealed the positive effect of patch area and negative effect of patch shape on bird species richness and diversity. We also found that as the vegetation complicity increases, bird species richness and diversity increase. These results have implications for managing oasis bird assemblages in Karkas and other similar protected areas in Iran.