Effect of Habitat Types on Breeding Bird Assemblages in the Sidi Reghis Forests (Oum El Bouaghi, North-Eastern Algeria)
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Pakistan J. Zool., vol. 51(2), pp 433-447, 2019. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2019.51.2.433.447 Effect of Habitat Types on Breeding Bird Assemblages in the Sidi Reghis Forests (Oum El Bouaghi, North-Eastern Algeria) Abderraouf Chouaib Rebbah1, Mohcen Menaa2,*, Salah Telailia3, Menouar Saheb1 and Mohamed Cherif Maazi2 1Department of Natural and Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Oum El Bouaghi, Constantine Road, Oum El Bouaghi, Algeria 2LEAT Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Souk-Ahras, Annaba Road, Souk-Ahras, Algeria 3Faculty of Sciences, University of El Tarf, El Tarf, Algeria Article Information ABSTRACT Received 12 March 2018 Revised 23 May 2018 This study was set in three forest habitats of Sidi Reghis Mountain within the province of Oum El Bouaghi Accepted 13 June 2018 (north-eastern Algeria). We conducted the first bird survey in this area using the point count method to Available online 29 January 2019 describe the composition of woodland breeding avifauna and to analyze the spatial distribution among habitat types (oak woodlands, pine woodlands and oak-pine mixed woodlands). A total of 69 species were Authors’ Contribution observed. One species was recorded only in mixed oak-pine forests, six were found exclusively in oak ACR and MM did bird survey, woodlands and 17 species were found only in pine woodlands. We noted 20 protected species, only one analyzed the data and wrote the article. ST, MS and MCM helped in endangered species, and five endemic species to the Maghreb and/or to North Africa. The presence of these bird surveys and in writing of the species with patrimonial value reinforces the importance of the conservation of Sidi Reghis avifauna. Bird manuscript. abundance, species richness and species diversity were significantly higher in pure pine woodlands than in mixed oak-pine and oak forests. According to PERMANOVA and ANOSIM tests, and the NMDS plot, Key words the avian assemblages of Sidi Reghis Mountain varied significantly between different habitats. Further, Sidi Reghis forests, Point count, SIMPER test indicated that six of the seven species were responsible for the mean of 50% of dissimilarity Avian assemblages, Habitat types, between sampled habitats. The dissimilarity between pine woodlands and mixed oak-pine forests was Community parameters. about 50%, in general, and produced by differences in abundance of Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, European Serin Serinus serinus, House Sparrow Passer domesticus, European Greenfinch Chloris chloris, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, and Common Blackbird Turdus merula. The differences between pine woodlands and oak woodlands (about 60%) and oak-pine mixed woodlands and oak woodlands (about 50%) were mainly produced by species that were present in just one sampled area, most with preference for pine woodlands. The differences related to pine woodlands are the results from Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri and European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur presence. INTRODUCTION that environmental characteristics play in avian-habitat relationships. Habitat features have been shown to irds are one of the most attractive life forms on Earth, greatly influence the structure and composition of bird Bwith their ability to fly and wonderful coloration. assemblages, as well as the range and occurrence of bird They are found in different habitat types across the globe species (MacArthur and MacArthur, 1961; MacArthur, and provide numerous ecosystem services for the suite 1964; Cody, 1985; Wiens, 1989). Research indicates of species that live alongside them (Sekercioglu, 2006; that distribution patterns of forest bird assemblages Whelan et al., 2008). Birds are often used as a wildlife tool are related to the availability of resources such as food, for a variety of purposes that facilitate the development and niche space, which are in turn affected by habitat of management strategies in avian protection and their diversity and composition (MacArthur and MacArthur, effective implementation in nature conservation practices 1961; MacArthur, 1964; Cody, 1985; Wiens, 1989). Also, (Titeux, 2006). many biologists have considered floral composition as the Avian scientists have long been interested in the role secondary determinant factor affecting bird community assemblages (Holmes and Robinson, 1981; Wiens and * Corresponding author: [email protected] Rotenberry, 1981; Robinson and Holms, 1984; Rotenberry, 0030-9923/2019/0002-0433 $ 9.00/0 1985; Benyakoub, 1993; Bellatreche, 1994). Other factors Copyright 2019 Zoological Society of Pakistan such as foliage volume (Buchanan et al., 1999), tree age 434 A.C. Rebbah et al. (Sallabanks et al., 2006), plant productivity (Cody, 1981), cover, both of which differ vastly from the climatic structure of the shrub stratum (Reid et al., 2004; Díaz, conditions and plant assemblages that occur in the semi- 2006), plant succession and stand management (Sweeney arid lowlands that surround it (Mosbah, 2007). These et al., 2010), size and configuration of patchy habitats, contrasting bioclimatic zones are clearly mirrored in connectivity (Henderson et al., 1985) and edge effects the variance of the vegetation structure, which boasts (McGarigal and McComb, 1995; Turner et al., 2001) have diverse plant species, and consequently habitats. Natural also been revealed to impact avian assemblages. processes, such as soil erosion from water and wind, as Multiple studies on Algerian water birds in aquatic well as temporal changes affect plant succession on Sidi environments have produced species lists that are useful Reghis. Floral assemblages are additionally impacted by descriptors for distributional patterns (Houhamdi and anthropogenic disturbance factors (FAO, 2012), due to the Samraoui, 2002; Samraoui and Samraoui, 2008), but there proximal location of well-developed human settlements at are only a few avian studies associated with Algerian forest the base of the mountain. Anthropological impacts through environments that have analyzed how bird community the exploitation of wood, over-grazing, fires, reforestation, composition varies with habitat characteristics across and the uncontrolled dumping of garbage (Mosbah, 2007), ecological gradients (Benyacoub, 1993; Bellatreche, 1994; all affect the biodiversity of forested patches. Mostefai, 2011; Menaa et al., 2016). These and other In this study, the aim is to inventory the forest avifauna descriptive studies (Bensizerara et al., 2013) have dealt of Sidi Reghis, and to explore the effects of habitat types with the breeding ecology of bird communities in forested on avian assemblages by studying community parameters habitats (Bensouilah et al., 2014; Boudeffa et al., 2015). (abundance, species richness and occurrence frequency); The mountain of Sidi Reghis is located in a to determine the intensity of habitat selection by each mountainous region of Algeria. Due to the size of its species. In addition, this study also aimed to providing land surface area and altitude, which varies between 800 management recommendations that encourage forest m and 1635 m above sea level (a.s.l.), the mountain is avifauna to live and breed in different forest types of the characterized by higher rainfall and a unique vegetation Sidi Reghis Mountain. Fig. 1. Geographic location of the mountain of Sidi Reghis. 4 3 5 Habitat Type Effect on Breeding Bird Assemblages 435 MATERIALS AND METHODS of individuals and species present in each plot (Sánchez et al., 2012). Study site This study was carried out in the mountain of Sidi Data analyses Reghis in Northeastern Algeria near the town of Oum Bird species composition El Bouaghi. The study area covers approximately 4106 To compare diversity between habitat types, a variety ha and forms a part of the Hracta forest (Fig. 1), which of community parameters were used. The Shannon-Wiener belongs to the forest zone of the Algerian-Tunisian border index (diversity: H’) was calculated with the parameters and extends over more than 26,000 ha (Boudy, 1955). The that affect this index, such as species richness (S), relative central locality of the Sidi Reghis Mountain is located at abundance (A), and frequency of occurrence (F%) (Anjos 35° 54’ 10.27” N and 7° 7’ 26.58” E. The main soil types et al., 2010). Observed distribution of these community are clay, calcareous-clay, and ferruginous soils, of which parameters was tested for normality using Shapiro-Wilk calcareous-clay soil dominates (BNEDER, 1997). The test (Shapiro and Wilk, 1965) and the Fligner-Killeen test climate is semi-arid, with a seven-month dry season from (Fligner and Killeen, 1976) for homogeneity of variance May to November, and a rainy season from December to among habitats. Then, one-way analysis of variance April. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 267.91 mm (ANOVA) tests were used to test for differences in species to 435.88 mm, and average monthly temperatures are richness, relative abundance, and species diversity among 4.8°C in December and 34.33 °C in July (ONM, 2016). the three main surveyed habitats (oak stands, pine stands, According to Mosbah’s (2007) description, there are oak-pine mixed forests). When a significant difference was two main parts in the Sidi Reghis forest; native (indigenous) detected, Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference post- tree species (Quercus ilex) and reforested (non-native) tree hoc tests (Kramer, 1956; Keselman and Rogan, 1977) were species (Pinus halepensis). The forest