Multi-scale factors influencing the characteristics of avian communities in urban parks across Beijing during the breeding season.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the factors that influence the characteristics of avian communities using urban parks at both the patch and landscape level is important to focus management effort towards enhancing bird diversity. Here, we investigated this issue during the breeding season across urban parks in Beijing, China, using high-resolution satellite imagery. Fifty-two bird species were recorded across 29 parks. Analysis of residence type of birds showed that passengers were the most prevalent (37%), indicating that Beijing is a major node in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Park size was crucial for total species abundance, but foliage height diversity was the most important factor influencing avian species diversity. Thus, optimizing the configuration of vertical vegetation structure in certain

SUBMITTER: Xie S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4941401 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature