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Effects of habitat-patch size and patch isolation on the diversity of forest birds in the urban-forest mosaic of Durban, South Africa

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Abstract

Loss of habitat area and structural heterogeneity through anthropogenic fragmentation poses a threat to the survival of wildlife, which may be exacerbated by urban pressures. Understanding the underlying ecological processes that influence species’ persistence in fragmented landscapes is vital for conservation. We described the effects of forest fragmentation via measures of patch size and isolation on the taxonomic richness and functional richness of forest bird communities in five Protected Areas within the urban-forest mosaic of the Durban Metropolitan Area, South Africa. We conducted 137 fixed-radius point-count surveys across 41 distinct forest patches during the austral breeding season. We quantified the avian taxonomic, guild and functional richness and measured at each survey patch. We measured the influence of patch size, Euclidean isolation distance, patch shape and habitat configuration (i.e. habitat amount) on each diversity measure. We then conducted a series of General Linear Models to determine how fragmentation and patch configuration influenced the diversity of forest birds. The explanatory variables in the top models had a significant effect on all avian diversity measures but habitat amount did not. The amount of habitat surrounding a patch was not significant for measures of bird diversity but based on the Akaike’s weight it was important for specialist species. Isolation distance did not have a significant effect on the measures of bird diversity. An increase in patch shape index increased species richness. These results show the importance of large forest fragments/patches for the conservation of forest birds and for maintaining ecosystem functioning and services of forests in increasingly urbanising landscapes, to the benefit of the environment and its human population.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank University of KwaZulu-Natal (ZA), National Research Foundation (ZA), Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (ZA) and D’RAP eThekwini Municipality (ZA) for funding the project. We thank the Ford Wildlife Foundation (ZA) for vehicle support. We are grateful to eThekwini Municipality and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for allowing us to work in their Protected Areas. We thank Moses Chibesa, David Phiri, Sambulo Cele and Pumla Dlamini for assisting with fieldwork. We are most grateful for the constructive comments of the reviewers.

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  1. Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    Mfundo S. T. Maseko, Manqoba M. Zungu, David A. Ehlers Smith, Yvette C. Ehlers Smith & Colleen T. Downs

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  1. Mfundo S. T. Maseko
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  2. Manqoba M. Zungu
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  3. David A. Ehlers Smith
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Correspondence to Colleen T. Downs.

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Maseko, M.S.T., Zungu, M.M., Ehlers Smith, D.A. et al. Effects of habitat-patch size and patch isolation on the diversity of forest birds in the urban-forest mosaic of Durban, South Africa. Urban Ecosyst 23, 533–542 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-020-00945-z

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