Habitat guilds experience land-use change

Habitat guilds experience land-use change

Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Environment 

In news

• A new study has noted a drastic loss of bird species in all modified landscapes in Uttarakhand.
• Natural oak-dominated forests and modified forests were analysed. 

Key takeaways 

• Uttarakhand is home to the Western Himalayan temperate forests which harbour a large number of endemic bird species. 
• Six major land-use types which included natural oak forest, degraded oak forest (lightly used), lopped oak forest (intensively used), pine forest, agricultural cultivation area and sites with buildings were studied.
• The results showed that there was a low diversity of species in monoculture areas and urban sites. 
• It also noticed strong decline in some of the habitat guilds in the areas that experienced land-use change. 
• Habitat guilds are groups of bird species that have common habitat preferences.