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Effects of forest patch size on avian diversity

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Abstract

The effects of landscape patchiness on the diversity of birds of the Georgia Piedmont were investigated during 1993. Birds were sampled along line transects within relatively large (10–13.25 ha) and small (less than 3.25 ha) forest patches located within nonforest agricultural landscapes. Patterns of habitat use in these patches were compared to those in contiguous forest patches larger than 13.25 ha. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in diversity between large and small woodlots and between contiguous and fragmented landscapes, especially in terms of the numbers of edge and interior species and winter-resident, summer-resident, and year-round birds observed.

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McIntyre, N.E. Effects of forest patch size on avian diversity. Landscape Ecol 10, 85–99 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00153826

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