Responses of Bird Communities to Forest Succession in Xinglongshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu

The structures of bird communities and guilds were compared among three successional-stage forests (deciduous forest,mixed forest and coniferous forest) to evaluate the effect of natural succession on breeding bird communities. The number of bird species, species diversity and guild diversity were the highest in the mixed forest and the lowest in the deciduous forest. Results from multiple comparisons and cluster analysis showed that there were differences in bird communities among three stages. Eleven of 36 recorded bird species differed significantly among three successioanal stages. Guilds also showed different responses to natural succession. For example, frugivore and gramnivore were most abundant in the mixed and deciduous forests. From a conservation point of view, bird biodiversity will be favored by the protection of all successional stages since different stages possess different bird communities and guilds. Artificial disturbance is recommended to maintain three successional stages, and, consequently, to maintain bird species diversity at the landscape scale.