Data from: Deciduous forests hold conservation value for birds within South Andaman Island, India

We assessed the importance of deciduous and evergreen habitats for forest birds (including several endemic and threatened species) within South Andaman Island, India. To this end, we compared the composition and diversity (taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic) of forest birds across the two habitat types, and evaluted species-specific responses to habitat variables within the island.

The dataset collected and R codes used in this study are published here. Bird species traits were sourced from Tobias et al. (2022) and Wilman et al. (2014). Phylogenetic trees were sourced from birdtree.org (Jetz et al. 2012).

Taxonomic Coverage: Birds, 54 species

Geographic Coverage: South Andaman Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Temporal Coverage: March-May 2022 and December 2022-April 2023

Brief summary of field methods: We conducted line-transect surveys for forest birds across evergreen and deciduous forests in South Andaman Island, India. Twenty-seven transects were sampled either in the morning (between 0515 – 0930 hrs) or in the afternoon (between 1515 – 1730 hrs) from March-May 2022 and December 2022-April 2023. For every bird detected, we noted species identity, group size (if visible), time of detection, and whether the bird(s) was seen or heard. Detections of flying birds and nocturnal species (owls and nightjars) were excluded.For each transect, we measured - a. tree density and basal area (using the point-centered quarter method, or PCQ); b. canopy cover, proportion of deciduous trees, and presence of cane, bamboo runners and clumps of standing bamboo (averaged across PCQ points);c. number of large trees and cut logs (counted within a 20m-wide belt along each transect); and d. distance from nearest settlement/village (using Google Earth Pro).

The dataset published here contains eight data files and two R code files, along with a ReadMe.txt file that explains each of these files.

Funding:

Science and Engineering Research Board (Govt. of India) - SRG/2021/001523

The Rufford Foundation

The Rauf Ali Fellowship

Arvind Datar

Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies

References:

Jetz, W., G. H. Thomas, J. B. Joy, K. Hartmann, and A. O. Mooers. 2012. The global diversity of birds in space and time. Nature 491:444–448.Tobias, J. A., C. Sheard, A. L. Pigot, A. J. M. Devenish, J. Yang, et al. 2022. AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25:581–597.Wilman, H., J. Belmaker, J. Simpson, C. de la Rosa, M. M. Rivadeneira, and W. Jetz. 2014. EltonTraits 1.0: Species-level foraging attributes of the world’s birds and mammals. Ecology 95:2027–2027.