Journal ofThreatened JoTT TaxaBuilding evidence for conservation globally 10.11609/jott.2020.12.14.16927-17062 www.threatenedtaxa.org 26 October 2020 (Online & Print) Vol. 12 | No. 14 | Pages: 16927–17062 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS ISSN 0974-7907 (Online); ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Publisher Host Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society Zoo Outreach Organization www.wild.zooreach.org www.zooreach.org No. 12, Thiruvannamalai Nagar, Saravanampatti - Kalapatti Road, Saravanampatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, India Ph: +91 9385339863 | www.threatenedtaxa.org Email: [email protected] EDITORS English Editors Mrs. Mira Bhojwani, Pune, India Founder & Chief Editor Dr. Fred Pluthero, Toronto, Canada Dr. Sanjay Molur Mr. P. 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Avasthi, Rohtak University, Haryana, India coordenador do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Rodovia Ilhéus/Itabuna, Km Dr. D.B. Bastawade, Maharashtra, India 16 (45662-000) Salobrinho, Ilhéus - Bahia - Brasil Dr. Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, India continued on the back inside cover Caption: Incrustations of Terpios hoshinota on Acropora muricata (T. hoshinota exhibiting osculum with radiating networks). © Rocktim Ramen Das Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 September 2020 | 12(14): 16927–16943 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5815.12.14.16927-16943 #5815 | Received 26 February 2020 | Final received 17 September 2020 | Finally accepted 20 September 2020 A r t Elevational pattern and seasonality of avian diversity in i c l Kaligandaki River Basin, central Himalaya e Juna Neupane 1 , Laxman Khanal 2 , Basant Gyawali 3 & Mukesh Kumar Chalise 4 1,2,3,4 Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal 2,4 Nepal Biodiversity Research Society (NEBORS), Lalitpur, Nepal. 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected] (corresponding author), 3 [email protected], 4 [email protected] Abstract: This study explored bird diversity, seasonal variation, and associated factors along an elevational gradient in an important biodiversity area (IBA) of central Nepal: the Kaligandaki River basin of Annapurna Conservation Area. The field survey was carried out in 2019 over two seasons, winter (January and February) and summer (May and June) using the point count method. A total of 90 sampling plots were set up from elevations of 800m (Beni) to 3,800m (Muktinath). Data for variables including the number of fruiting trees (indicator of resource availability) and distance to the road (indicator of disturbance) were collected, and their influence on avian diversity were assessed. The results revealed a diverse assemblage of avian fauna in the study area with consistent species richness over the two seasons. A decline in species richness and diversity with increasing elevation was observed. Of the different habitat types within the study area, forest and shrubland habitats showed the strongest association with bird species distribution and richness. We emphasize the need for long-term monitoring programs with standardized sampling approaches to better understand the avifauna in the central Himalaya. Keywords: Biodiversity pattern, birds, elevational gradient, monotonic decline, species richness. Editor: Carol Inskipp, Bishop Auckland Co., Durham, UK. Date of publication: 26 September 2020 (online & print) Citation: Neupane, J., L. Khanal, B. Gyawali & M.K. Chalise (2020). Elevational pattern and seasonality of avian diversity in Kaligandaki River Basin, central Himalaya. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(14): 16927–16943. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5815.12.14.16927-16943 Copyright: © Neupane et al. 2020. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication. Funding: This study was supported by a student research grant under the Hariyo Ban program of WWF Nepal (GX70, AID-367-A-16-00008). Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Author details: Juna Neupane, MSc, is a 2019 graduate in zoology