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Vol. 51 No. 3, 2012
Bird Species Richness along an Elevational Gradient in a Forest at Jianfengling, Hainan Island, China
Fa-Sheng Zou1,2,3,*, Gui-Zhu Chen3, Qiong-Fang Yang1,2, and Yi-De Li4
1Guangdong Entomological Institute, Guangzhou 510260, China
2South China Institute of Endangered Animals, Guangzhou 510260, China
3School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
4Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
Fa-Sheng Zou, Gui-Zhu Chen, Qiong-Fang Yang, and Yi-De Li (2012)
The avian communities of Hainan I., China are poorly known and under
considerable threat. In our studies at Jianfengling, Hainan I. between
May 2000 and Sept. 2004, 117 bird species were recorded using
fixed-radius point counts and mist-netting at 3 elevations (200, 500,
and 1000 m). Numbers of bird species recorded at the 3 elevations were
67 (200 m), 67 (500 m), and 89 (1000 m), of which 15 species were
recorded exclusively at 200 m, 11 at 500 m, and 24 at 1000 m. The
highest bird species richness occurred at the highest elevation (1000
m). The pattern of bird species richness differed from those of
continental China and the island of Taiwan. Each elevation hosted a
unique assemblage of special conservation concern. Species which
require mature, full-canopy forest, and are often associated with
mixed-species flocks were mainly distributed at 1000 m. The remnant
forest at this elevation is clearly of high conservation importance.
Illegal logging and hunting continue mainly at lower elevations (200
and 500 m). Frugivores, notably the pigeons Ducula spp. and Treron
spp., are among bird species targeted by illegal hunters. We recommend
that the Hainan Jianfengling National Nature Reserve be expanded to
include this area of semi-deciduous monsoon forest at 200 m. Other
coherent management strategies are training staff, increasing public
awareness, providing incentives for conservation, and implementing
conservation guidelines.
Key words: Bird community, Conservation, Elevation gradient, Hainan Island.
*Correspondence: Tel: 86-20-84182827. Fax: 86-20-84183704. E-mail:zoufs@gdei.gd.cn
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