Comparative impacts of fragmentation on birds in two bioregions in a biodiversity hotspot, the Cape Floristic Region

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dc.contributor.advisorKrug, Cornelia B.en_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorLloyd, Pennen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorSamways, Michael J.
dc.contributor.authorKieck, Marius Burgeren_ZA
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.
dc.date.accessioned2009-03-03T08:42:25Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2010-06-01T08:29:00Z
dc.date.available2009-03-03T08:42:25Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2010-06-01T08:29:00Z
dc.date.issued2009-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MScConsEcol (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
dc.description.abstractHabitat loss and fragmentation are two of the most pressing threats to biodiversity. Avifaunal diversity and integrity is under immense pressure from these two processes. We have made major advances in our understanding of avifaunal responses to habitat fragmentation, but mostly focus on either fragment scale and/or landscape scale influences of fragmentation on birds. A more comprehensive approach to assessing the impacts of fragmentation was used in this study. The avifaunas of two different geographical regions and bioregions were surveyed and a multiscale analysis of avifaunal responses to fragmentation was attempted. The study sites include the West Coast and East Coast Renosterveld Bioregions in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Assemblage shifts, feeding guild compositional changes, species abundance variation and species persistence were examined at the three spatial scales. Time- and distance-restricted point counts were used to document birds that were directly dependent on the habitat fragments. Forty fragments were selected in each bioregion and a once-off snapshot of the avifaunal richness and diversity was obtained. Results indicate that the avifauna of the two bioregions responded differently to habitat fragmentation. In the East Coast Renosterveld Bioregion, the assemblages, guild composition and species abundances were most accurately predicted by landscape configuration. An assemblage shift occurred at 20 ha fragment area, compared to the 50 ha fragment area threshold of the West Coast Renosterveld Bioregion’s avifauna composition. In the West Coast Renosterveld Bioregion, fragment area was the better predictor of assemblage, guild composition and species abundances. However in both bioregions, the persistence of common species was equally sensitive to area and landscape scale effects.en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/1627
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
dc.rights.holderUniversity of Stellenbosch
dc.subjectRenostervelden_ZA
dc.subjectTheses -- Conservation ecology and entomologyen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Conservation ecology and entomologyen_ZA
dc.subject.lccBird populations -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshFragmented landscapes -- Environmental aspects --South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshBiodiversity -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshHabitat conservation -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherConservation Ecology and Entomologyen_ZA
dc.titleComparative impacts of fragmentation on birds in two bioregions in a biodiversity hotspot, the Cape Floristic Regionen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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