IISc study revealed how logging and climate change impact montane birds

Source: This post is based on the article “IISc study in Arunachal Pradesh reveals how logging and climate change impact montane birds” published in “The Hindu” on 5 January 2024.

Why in news?

Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) in Bengaluru have found that logging and climate change pose a threat to montane birds.

What was done in research?

1) The team collected data from the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh which is home to over 500 bird species.

2) Researchers studied the effects of forest logging and climate change on bird communities in tropical mountains by examining over 10 years of data.

2) Mist netting and bird ringing data were used to understand how the composition of the mid-elevation Eastern Himalayan understorey bird community changed in primary (undisturbed) forests as well as in logged forests.
Note- Understorey bird community is the community of birds that remain beneath the main canopy of a forest

What are the findings of the research?

1) Forest loss and climate change are major threats to the ecosystem of Tropical montane forests on mountains.

2) Many bird species have started shifting to higher elevations due to rising temperatures.

3) Logging can lead to the loss of large-bodied, old, growth-dependent species, and decrease the overall biodiversity.

4) Logging has a detrimental impact on understorey insectivores, which are typically confined to specific niches, leading to a significant decline in their numbers.

5) Logged forests also experience decreased densities of foliage-dwelling insects, diminishing the available resources for birds.

6) The study highlights the need to safeguard primary forests in order to mitigate the effects of climate change.