太白山南坡夏秋季鸟类组成

太白山是秦岭山脉的主峰, 生物区系成分复杂。为了研究太白山鸟类区系在过去20年间的变化, 我们于2007年5–7月(夏季)和9–10月(秋季), 根据海拔和典型植被在太白山南坡选定5种生境类型(退耕林、阔叶林、混交林、针叶林和高山灌丛草甸), 并在各种生境中选择样区采用样线法对鸟类组成进行调查。两个季节共观察到鸟类122种, 其中留鸟85种, 夏候鸟31种, 冬候鸟1种, 旅鸟5种。不同的生境类型中优势种和常见种不同, 而且在夏秋两季也有变化。中低海拔退耕林带鸟类物种数最多, 夏季有60种, 优势种为绿背山雀(Parus monticolus)、黄腹山雀(P. venustulus)和冠纹柳莺(Phylloscopus reguloides); 秋季有59种, 优势种为大山雀(Parus major)。中海拔阔叶林带夏季有鸟类40种, 优势种为绿背山雀、黄腹山雀和异色树莺(Cettia flavolivaceus); 秋季37种, 优势种是黄腹山雀、黑冠山雀(Parus rubidiventris)和银脸长尾山雀(Aegithalos fuliginosus)。 中高海拔针阔混交林带夏季有46种, 优势种是黄腰柳莺(Phylloscopus proregulus)、极北柳莺(P. borealis)和黑冠山雀; 秋季有37种, 优势种是黑冠山雀、褐冠山雀(Parus dichrous)和长尾山椒鸟(Pericrocotus ethologus)。高海拔针叶林带夏季有36种, 优势种是黄腰柳莺和黑冠山雀; 秋季有27种, 优势种是血雉(Ithaginis cruentus)和黑冠山雀。高山灌丛草甸带物种最少, 夏秋季都只有7种。各生境中鸟类物种组成的季节周转率随着海拔的升高而下降, 物种丰富度也呈现同样的趋势。太白山南北坡鸟类物种组成有较高的相似性。与20年前相比, 尽管在每种生境类型中优势种和常见种的组成仍相似, 但太白山南北坡的鸟类物种组成有较大的变化。     

湖北沙湖冬季鸟类群落特征

2006年12月—2007年1月采用样线法对湖北沙湖自然保护区鸟类进行了调查,按照生境特征分为芦苇、草甸、农田、水域4个鸟类群落。共记录到鸟类76种,隶属12目28科,占湖北省鸟类种数456种的16.67%。其中,国家Ⅰ、Ⅱ级保护鸟类各1种和10种;濒危物种1种,易危物种2种,稀有物种1种。鸟类群落总体α多样性指数(H′)为2.37,均匀性指数(J)为0.55,优势度(C)为0.17,4个鸟类群落的H′、J和C值分别为：1.67～2.44、0.50～0.86、0.11～0.26。β多样性指数分析表明：农田-草甸的鸟类群落相似性指数(S_i)最高,为0.74,农田-水域的相似性指数最低,为0.40;Bray-Curtis指数(C_N)最高值是芦苇-草甸的鸟类群落,为0.00640,最低值是水域-农田,为0.00022。生境间异质性和人为活动是影响沙湖冬季鸟类群落特征的主要因素。     

喜马拉雅山错那段不同海拔梯度蚂蚁多样性

为了揭示喜马拉雅山不同海拔梯度蚂蚁的多样性规律,采用样地调查法研究了喜马拉雅山错那段北坡、南坡和山间谷地的蚂蚁群落.共采集蚂蚁标本7516头,隶属于2亚科、5属、7种.利用EstimateS 9.1.0程序对该地区蚂蚁物种丰富度进行估计并绘制物种累计曲线,结果表明错那段的蚂蚁物种实际观察值等于或接近该地区蚂蚁丰富度的估计值.多样性分析显示,错那段3个垂直带蚂蚁物种数目、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Fisherα指数顺序为北坡>山间谷地>南坡,优势度指数顺序为北坡<山间谷地<南坡,个体密度顺序为北坡>南坡>山间谷地;在各垂直带上蚂蚁群落物种数目、个体密度、多样性指数总体随海拔升高呈现垂直带中下部较高,垂直带上部较低;群落各项指标更多的表现出"多域效应"现象,降水和海拔对蚂蚁物种丰富度和多样性起决定作用,凋落物的质量和坡度有重要影响.相关性分析发现错那段蚂蚁物种多样性指数与草本盖度极相关,优势度指数与灌木盖度相关性显著;群落相似性分析表明植被类型和海拔高差对蚂蚁群落间相似性有重要作用.     

湖南省雀形目鸟类新纪录4种

2011年5月～2012年6月,作者在湖南壶瓶山国家级自然保护区进行鸟类资源调查和种群监测的过程中,拍摄到4种雀形目鸟类,经分类鉴定为灰翅鸫(Turdus boulboul)、蓝喉仙鹟(Cyornis rubeculoides)、灰眉岩鹀(Emberiza godlewskii)和银脸长尾山雀(Aegithalos fuliginosus),均为湖南省鸟类新纪录。     

坡向差异对广东古兜山自然保护区蕨类植物多样性的生态影响

为揭示坡向差异对蕨类植物多样性的生态影响,作者在广东新会古兜山自然保护区海拔1,000 m以下的中低山植被东、南、西、北4个坡向,分别选取10个5 m×5 m的样方进行调查,分析蕨类植物群落多样性和种类组成的差异.结果表明:(1)东坡(半阴坡)与北坡(阴坡)物种多样性最丰富,而西坡(半阳坡)和南坡(阳坡)相对贫乏;(2)4个坡向的相似性系数均很低(不超过0.5),其中南坡(阳坡)与北坡(阴坡)间种类组成差异最大;(3)反映热量差异的区系地理性质分析显示,热带性质蕨类植物在阳坡占优势,而非热带性蕨类在阴坡占优势,南坡、西坡、东坡、北坡的热带成分比例依次下降;(4)反映光照条件的植物耐荫程度分析显示,阴性种类占优势,阳性和耐荫性种类较少,其阴性蕨类植物的比例依南坡、西坡、东坡、北坡顺序增加;阳性蕨类植物比例最高的坡面是西坡,而最低的是东坡.南坡的比例稍高于北坡.研究结果显示坡向差异对蕨类植物物种及其生态习性的多样性分布格局具有比较明显的影响,蕨类植物多样性可以作为环境和气候变化的一个较好的指示物种.     

陕西省丹汉江流域退耕地恢复过程中的植被演替

以陕西省丹汉江流域退耕地南坡和北坡不同退耕年限的自然恢复植物群落为研究对象,开展群落物种组成调查,并进行物种多样性特征分析和群落极点排序,对该区退耕地恢复过程中的植被演替规律进行研究.结果表明： 研究区退耕地植被演替的阶段依次为：一年生草本群落→多年生草本群落→灌草群落→乔灌草群落.形成多年生草本群落需2～5 a,形成灌草群落需7～10 a,形成乔灌草群落需30 a以上.南坡和北坡不同类型退耕地的植被演替阶段相同,物种多样性指数略有差异.随着退耕年限的增加,南坡物种多样性指数总体呈先降后升的趋势;而北坡物种多样性指数呈先波动上升,而后在退耕30 a时略有下降.     

陕西秦岭平河梁自然保护区小型兽类的组成与分布

2005年9月利用铗日法辅以陷阱法对位于秦岭山脉南坡东段的平河梁自然保护区及牛背梁自然保护区小型兽类进行了调查，共设置采集点10个；2 460铗日中共捕获小型兽类689只，隶属于3目6科19属27种（另有两种鼢鼠和一种鼯鼠系其他手段捕获），平均捕获率28.01%。对捕获的27种小型兽类生态和垂直分布进行分析结果表明：平河梁保护区3个群落的Shannon-Weiner多样性指数在2.9288—3.3639之间，Pielou均匀性指数在0.7669—0.8602之间。在上述调查的基础上，结合前人对邻近地区的调查，据一些物种的分布特点，订出平河梁自然保护区小型兽类的名录，计48种，结果显示秦岭南坡东段小型兽类的物种多样性和丰富度要高于秦岭其他地区。另在考察中采集到白尾鼹(Parascaptor leucura)、小纹背鼩鼱(Sorex bedfordiae)、斯氏鼢鼠(Myospalax smithii)、川西白腹鼠(Niviventer excelsior)，在秦岭山区尚属首次记录。还整理了秦岭南坡小型兽类名录，认为秦岭南坡有小型兽类55种，在动物地理区划上应属于西南区。     

坡向对东祁连山高寒草甸群落物种功能群及其多样性的影响

为探究祁连山东缘地区不同坡向的高寒草甸群落物种功能群和多样性差异,该研究选择北坡(N坡)、西北坡(NW坡)、西坡(W坡)、东坡(E坡)、东北坡(NE坡)、西南坡(SW坡)和南坡(S坡)7个坡向类型,调查各坡向的植被特征(高度、盖度和频度),测定土壤因子,分析物种均匀度和多样性指数及其相关性等。结果发现：(1)研究区样地共有植物11科18属21种,主要有豆科(4属4种)、菊科(3属3科)、蔷薇科(1属3种)、莎草科(2属2种)、禾本科(2属2种)和蓼科(1属2种);不同坡向的植物科、属数量变化趋势与种相同,均为东北坡、西南坡、北坡(76.19%)>南坡(66.67%)>东坡(61.90%)>西坡、西北坡(19.05%)。(2)不同坡向的草地群落组成不同,其中东坡、南坡和东北坡主要以草本植物为主,西南坡和北坡为草本和灌丛交错区,西坡和西北坡主要以灌丛为主。(3)不同坡向的物种功能群不同,其中东坡、南坡、东北坡、北坡和西南坡的莎草类重要值最高,西坡和西北坡只有豆科和杂类草,且杂类草重要值最高。(4)不同坡向的优势功能群不同,其中：禾本科植物的重要值大小为阴坡(NE坡)>阳坡(S坡和SW坡)>半阳坡(E坡),莎草科植物重要值大小为半阳坡(E坡)>阳坡(S坡)>阴坡(NE坡和N坡),豆科植物重要值大小为阳坡(S坡)>阴坡(N坡、NW坡和NE坡)>半阳坡(E坡)>半阴坡(W坡),杂类草植物重要值大小为半阴坡(W坡)>阴坡(N坡和NE坡)>半阳坡(E坡)>阳坡(SW坡和S坡)。(5)随着坡向梯度变化,物种丰富度和香农 威纳多样性指数变化一致,其大小均表现为：阴坡>阳坡>半阳坡>半阴坡。(6)冗余分析发现,土壤含水量和碳氮比是影响灌丛植物［瑞香(Daphne odora)、金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)和头花杜鹃(Rhododendron capitatum)］重要值的重要因素。研究表明,不同坡向的土壤水分、养分和光照等的变化显著影响了高寒草甸植物群落物种功能群及其多样性。     

泰山南北坡植物物种多样性垂直梯度格局的比较

以泰山南北坡14块样方的调查资料为基础,分析了泰山植物物种多样性沿海拔梯度的分布格局。结果表明:在相同海拔范围内,南坡物种丰富度大于北坡,泰山物种丰富度随海拔的升高而减少。整个群落及不同层次的物种多样性沿海拔梯度在泰山南北坡呈现不同的分布格局。在人为干扰程度低的情况下,北坡的群落物种丰富度在各个层次均较高,而多样性指数在各个层次不一样,北坡乔木层的多样性指数较南坡低,但灌木层和草本层则是北坡明显大于南坡。整体上,物种多样性指数与海拔的相关性,北坡要比南坡好。     

武夷山大安源甜槠常绿阔叶林群落物种组成及多样性分析

采用相邻格子样方法对武夷山大安源甜槠〔Castanopsis eyrei(Champ.ex Benth.)Tutch.〕常绿阔叶林群落的物种组成及物种多样性进行了研究,并分析了群落的种-面积曲线以及样方面积与物种多样性的关系。结果表明:在面积4 800 m2的样方中共记录维管植物31科57属97种,其中乔木78种、灌木8种、草本植物5种、藤本植物6种;乔木主要为常绿树种,落叶树种仅10种;优势科为壳斗科(Fagaceae)、杜鹃花科(Ericaceae)、杜英科(Elaeocarpaceae)和山茶科(Theaceae)等,优势属为栲属〔Castanopsis(D.Don)Spach〕、杜鹃属(Rhododendron Linn.)和杜英属(Elaeocarpus Linn.);优势树种为甜槠、马银花〔Rhododendron ovatum(Lindl.)Planch.〕、鹿角杜鹃(R.latoucheae Franch.)和薯豆(Elaeocarpus japonicus Sieb.et Zucc.)等,其中甜槠的相对胸高断面积达64.93%,重要值也最高(25.70%),在群落中具有明显的优势地位。群落中胸径小于5 cm的乔木个体数量占76.88%,径级越高个体数量越少。南坡样方的Simpson指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均高于北坡,显示该群落南坡的物种多样性高于北坡。该群落的种-面积曲线拟合方程为y=21.836ln(x)-87.287(R2=0.990 2),且随样方面积的增加,物种数量、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou指数呈增加且趋于稳定的趋势,总体上调查样方面积应设置在2 000 m2以上。综合分析结果说明:武夷山大安源甜槠常绿阔叶林的物种组成较丰富、物种多样性水平较高;光照条件是导致该群落南坡多样性大于北坡的主要环境因素。     

广西猫儿山地区鸟类组成及垂直分布格局

猫儿山是华南地区的最高峰,为了了解其鸟类随着海拔高度变化的规律,利用网捕法和样线法对猫儿山地区的鸟类组成及分布格局进行了研究。结果表明,猫儿山地区共有鸟类268种,隶属于16目51科,其中留鸟130种,夏候鸟51种,冬候鸟15种,旅鸟72种。依据不同海拔的典型植被类型把猫儿山地区分成7类生境,其中低海拔的农田生境鸟类多样性最丰富,有156种。随着海拔的升高,猫儿山鸟类种数逐渐减少,G-F指数也表现相似的规律。猫儿山鸟类在区系组成上主要以东洋界鸟类为主,在181种繁殖鸟中,东洋界鸟类有149种,古北界鸟类有15种,其余为广布种。随着海拔的升高,东洋界的鸟类所占的比例逐渐降低,而古北界的鸟类所占的比例逐渐升高。猫儿山鸟类组成的垂直分布格局的形成是多种因素共同作用的结果。     

鄱阳湖都昌候鸟自然保护区丰水期和枯水期鸟类多样性

2009年12月和2010年5月,利用样线法和同步调查法对江西省鄱阳湖都昌候鸟自然保护区的鸟类开展了调查,分析了丰水期和枯水期鸟类群落结构的特征及其差异.野外调查共记录到鸟类14目43科169种.丰水期鸟类有36科96种,枯水期鸟类36科135种.其中,国家重点保护鸟类17种.结合保护区日常监测到白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)、灰鹤(G.grus)、白头鹤(G.monacha)和白枕鹤(G.vipio)的分布记录,该保护区鸟类累计达173种.保护区枯水期鸟类以雀形目、鹆形目和雁形目为主,分别占枯水期鸟类种类总数的47.4％、13.3％和9.6％;丰水期鸟类以雀形目、鸻形目和鹳形目为主,分别占鸟类种类总数的58.3％、8.3％和10.4％.枯水期和丰水期鸟类物种组成存在明显的季节性变换.枯水期农田生境鸟类多样性最高,其次是草洲、沼泽和水体,泥滩生境鸟类多样性最低;丰水期农田和水体生境鸟类多样性基本相同.都昌候鸟自然保护区枯水期的优势种为八哥(Acridotheres cristatellus)、白头鹎(Pycnonotus sinensis)、灰椋鸟(Sturnus cineraceus)、麻雀(Passer montanus)和山斑鸠(Streptopelia orientalis),丰水期为白鹭(Egretta garzetta)和八哥.     

江西武夷山-黄岗山西北坡森林繁殖鸟类多样性调查

研究区属于江西武夷山国家级自然保护区范围,为中国亚热带东部最高的山地,森林原生性保存较为完好。2004—2012年,在研究区海拔300—2160 m范围,布设了穿越所有代表性生境的1条主样线和6条辅助样线,共记录有森林繁殖鸟188种,占中国东部丘陵平原亚区繁殖鸟种数的71.76%。在这些繁殖鸟中,物种数在10种及以上的优势科有鸫科(Turdidae)13种、鹟科(Muscicapidae)10种、画眉科(Timaliidae)21种、莺科(Sylviidae)22种,占研究区森林繁殖鸟种数的35.1%、雀形目(PASSERIFORMES)的51.2%。将研究区按海拔高度、植被类型和人类干扰程度分为4类生境进行分析,结果显示:物种数以次生林恢复区最多(138种)原生性森林区(127种)农林营作干扰区(119种)中山灌丛草甸区(51种),其中中山灌丛草甸区由于生境条件因素各项指标数值均最小,其余3类生境分区,无论是总鸟种数、雀形目鸟种数,还是优势科鸟种数,均支持中间膨胀效应(Mid-domain effect)。G-F指数由低海拔向高海拔依次降低,即:农林营作干扰区(DG-F=0.775)次生林恢复区(DG-F=0.772)原生性森林区(DG-F=0.760)中山灌丛草甸区(DG-F=0.603);雀形目鸟种G-F指数分析,原生性森林区(DG-F=0.650)则略大于次生林恢复区(DG-F=0.633),提示顶级植物群落更大的森林内部空间和多样的内部层次结构,对雀形目鸟种多样性具有积极意义。分析显示次生林恢复区与原生性森林区相似性系数最高,表明经过30a左右自然演替恢复的次生林,对于森林繁殖鸟来说其生态功能已接近顶级群落,而农林营作干扰区和中山灌丛草甸区相似性系数最低。同时,研究区鸡形目(GALLIFORMES)鸟类生态位分异表现最为典型。     

Landbird community composition varies among seasons in a heterogeneous ponderosa pine forest

ABSTRACT.   There is growing recognition of the need to conserve areas used by birds during migration, including forest and upland habitats. Because extensive thinning and burning treatments are planned for ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ) forests in the southwestern United States, information on the use of these forests by landbirds during migration is needed for conservation planning. We compared species richness among spring, breeding, and fall seasons at 69 points in a ponderosa pine forest to assess changes in landbird communities and the role of different ponderosa pine cover types in habitat selection among seasons. We detected a total of 64 bird species. Bird community similarity was lowest between the breeding and fall seasons and highest between the spring and breeding seasons. Twenty percent of the species detected were present exclusively in the fall and, of these, over half were Neotropical migrants. Only two species (3%) were detected exclusively during the spring. Although we found little difference in bird species similarity among vegetative cover types during the breeding season, forests that contained a deciduous component exhibited higher bird species similarity with each other than with habitats that did not include a deciduous component in spring and fall. In addition, foliage foragers dominated the community in spring and fall, and all Neotropical migrants detected exclusively in fall were found in ponderosa pine forests with a deciduous component. Our results indicate that ponderosa pine forests may be important to migrating or dispersing landbirds in autumn, especially if there is a deciduous component.     

广西大明山鸟类群落组成、区系成分和垂直分布

为了了解鸟类组成和海拔分布状况,利用样线法和固定调查点法于2007~2015年对广西大明山的鸟类进行了研究。在大明山共记录鸟类337种,隶属于17目56科。繁殖鸟类(包括留鸟和夏候鸟)共计234种,占大明山鸟类种数的69.4%,具有明显优势,构成了大明山鸟类区系组成的主体。大明山具有典型的华南区向华中区过渡的鸟类区系特征,67.1%的繁殖鸟类属于东洋型的种类。随着海拔的增加,东洋型的种类逐渐减少。依据海拔梯度和植被的不同,可以将大明山鸟类分成6个类群,鸟类总种数和繁殖鸟类种数均以海拔500~900 m的范围内最多,海拔200~500 m范围内鸟类次之。由于大明山地处热带南缘,本研究将为今后监测气候变暖对鸟类的影响提供依据。     

Temporal changes in the breeding bird community caused by post-fire treatments after the Samcheok forest fire in Korea

The Samcheok forest fire of April 2000 was the biggest stand-replacing fire recorded in Korea, and led to the largest-scale salvage logging operation (performed until 2005) ever implemented. We investigated the effects of the treatments performed after the fire on the breeding bird community in 2002–2005 (the management period) and 2006–2008 (the post-management period). A total of 75 line transect surveys resulted in 660 detections of 54 species in undisturbed stands (CO), in burned and naturally restored stands (NI), and in burned and logged stands (IT). Four species (Parus major, Aegithalos caudatus, Dendrocopos kizuki, and Parus ater) were identified as indicator species in CO which showed no temporal changes in bird communities and habitat structure. Among the various stand treatments, the standardized species richness was highest in CO (11.6 ± 4.6 species/transect in 2002–2005, 12.1 ± 3.5 in 2006–2008), and this richness did not change over time. On the other hand, low richness was observed in NI (6.8 ± 2.6 in 2002–2005, 9.6 ± 2.3 in 2006–2008), and the lowest richness was seen in IT (5.0 ± 2.4 in 2002–2005, 6.1 ± 1.8 in 2006–2008), but both of these increased over time. Although the bird abundances in NI and IT were lower than those in CO (38.0 ± 27.7 birds/transect in 2002–2005, 31.3 ± 10.9 in 2006–2008), the abundances in NI (15.1 ± 8.6 in 2002–2005, 17.6 ± 11.4 in 2006–2008) and IT (11.7 ± 8.3 in 2002–2005, 10.0 ± 4.6 in 2006–2008) were not significantly different. There was no significant difference in abundance between time periods for any of the stand treatments. These results imply that NI (i.e., no salvage logging) allows greater bird richness but not abundance to be recovered compared to IT. No indicator species was consistently present in NI throughout the two time periods covered due to the rapid regrowth of vegetation, but four open-habitat dwellers (Falco tinnunculus, Phoenicurus auroreus, Emberiza cioides, and Sturnus cineraceus) colonized IT during the post-management period. The bird assemblage in IT, as assessed by canonical correspondence analysis, shifted to open habitats, while the avifauna in NI became similar to that in CO over time. While post-fire treatment can provide new colonization opportunities for open-habitat dwellers, the slow colonization process, the low species richness, and the low bird abundance observed in large areas of IT indicate that post-fire treatment using salvage logging inhibits the restoration of forest bird communities by producing a poorer breeding bird community that is very different from the original one. Based on these lessons from the response to the Samcheok forest fire, we suggest that preserving as much of the disturbed forest as possible is essential, and that the current approach to post-fire treatment—intensive salvage logging—needs to be revised to ensure the effective restoration of breeding bird communities in disturbed temperate pine forests.     

山东五莲山植物群落结构及物种多样性

五莲山自然保护区地处鲁东南沿海地区,为全面了解其群落结构组成及物种多样性,作者进行了野外调查,共获得11个标准样方,面积6 600 m²。样方内记录到高等植物52科141种。该保护区地带性植被为常绿—落叶针阔叶天然次生混交林、落叶阔叶林,主要森林植被为赤松—板栗群落(Pinus densiflora-Castanea mollissima community)、麻栎—赤松群落(Quercus acutissima-Pinus densiflora community)、赤松—杜鹃群落（P. densiflora-Rhododendron simsii community）、麻栎—杜鹃群落(Q. acutissima-Rhododendron simsii community)。样方数据显示该区域木本植物种类不是很丰富,但植物群落结构复杂,具有明显的生境异质性,其多样性指数乔木层＜木本层＜灌木层。作者认为影响该保护区核心区多样性的最显著特征应该为海拔和坡度,而人为干扰会严重影响外围保护区植被类型及其物种多样性。整体上看,本区域正处于群落演替早期,种间竞争尚不充分,物种多样性偏低。     

甘肃兴隆山自然保护区森林演替对鸟类群落结构的影响

运用固定面积法调查了青林三个主要演替阶段森林(阔叶林、混交林和针叶林)的鸟类群落结构。结果表明,混交林中鸟类物种数、鸟类物种多样性和种团多样性最高,阔叶林最低。方差分析和聚类分析均表明,三种演替阶段森林的鸟类群落组成差异显著。所记录到的35种鸟类中有11种差异显著。其中,山雀科和科在阔叶林中占优势,而柳莺亚科在混交林和针叶林中占优势。食性种团中,阔叶林以食虫鸟和食果食虫鸟为主;混交林和针叶林均以食虫鸟、食果食虫鸟、食谷鸟和食果鸟为主。鉴于阔叶林和混交林有向顶级群落(针叶林)演替的趋势,建议采取人为干扰来维持三种演替阶段森林的面积,以便从景观水平上保护鸟类物种多样性。     

Composition and diversity of bird communities in Swedish farmland–forest mosaic landscapes

CapsuleThe amount of forest (at local and landscape scales) and occurrence of residual habitats at the local scale are shown to be the major factors influencing bird community composition in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Aims To investigate the importance of local habitat and landscape structure for breeding birds in farmland–forest landscapes in central Sweden.

Methods Breeding birds were censused at 292 points. A detailed habitat mapping was made within 300 m of the points. Within a 300–600 m radius only two major habitats (forests and arable fields) were identified.

Results Cluster analyses of bird communities identified three site types that also differed in habitat composition: (i) partially forested sites in forested landscapes; (ii) heterogeneous sites with residual habitats in mosaic landscapes; and (iii) field-dominated farmland sites in open landscapes. A total of 19 of 25 farmland bird species (restricted to farmland or using both farmland and forest) had the highest abundance in farmland sites with mosaics of forest and farmland, while only six farmland species had the highest abundance in field-dominated sites. The bird community changed from being dominated by farmland species to being dominated by forest species (common in forest landscapes without farmland) at small proportions (10–20%) of forest at the local scale. A major difference in habitat composition between heterogeneous and field-dominated sites was the occurrence of different residual habitats (e.g. shrubby areas and seminatural grasslands). These habitats seemed to influence bird community composition more than land-use, despite covering <10% of the area. Seminatural grasslands were important for bird community composition and species-richness, but grazing seemed to be less important. Among different land-use types, cereal crops were the least preferred fields. Set-asides with tall vegetation and short rotation coppices were positively associated with species-richness of farmland birds.

Conclusion In general, the composition of the landscape was important for bird community composition, although amount and distribution of forests, occurrence of residual habitats and land-use of fields at the local scale had the strongest influence on bird community composition. The possible implications of these patterns for managing farmland–forest landscapes are discussed.