The Avifauna of Agricultural and Restoration Land in the Taroko National Park

27 Mar The Avifauna of Agricultural and Restoration Land in the Taroko National Park

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Abstract

本研究比較太魯閣國家公園內耕種歷史類似、相距甚短的二地，包括已廢耕的蓮花池，以及目前仍在耕種中的西寶，其鳥類組成的時空差異。自2009年12月至2010年12月，利用固定努力量的霧網捕捉法，進行每個月的鳥類調查，分析在兩地不同的農地現況下鳥類組成的月變化和地區間的差異，並探討西寶農場的農業耕種型態對於鳥類組成的影響。研究結果發現兩地的鳥種數雖差異不大，但在月間的數量與種類變化上卻有很大差異：蓮花池的鳥種以留鳥為主，西寶則以候鳥為主；西寶的農耕地在耕作時與冬季休耕期的鳥類結構有很大差異，在耕作時很少有鳥類進入利用，而休耕時則有一些灌叢性的鳥種會出現在農地裡。人為干擾、作物複雜度、高度以及棲地的變化程度均會影響農地鳥類的數量與組成。蓮花池各月份的鳥類數量和種類的變動則較穩定。研究結果顯示廢耕後的農地，會逐漸由留棲性鳥類進駐，而現耕農地在冬季休耕時則提供了候鳥重要的棲息場所。

English Abstract

This study focused on the spatial and temporal variations in the avifauna of Lianhua Pond area and Xibao village in the Taroko National Park, Taiwan. Both sites are similar in cultivation history and close to each other. However, cultivation at Lianhua Pond has been abandoned while Xibao is still in use as agricultural land. Using same sampling efforts, we conducted bird banding by mist-netting at both sites monthly from December 2009 to December 2010. We studied the monthly changes of the avian composition in the two sites to understand the relationship between different statuses of agricultural land use and bird distribution, as well as the effect of farming practices in Xibao on its bird community composition. The results showed that both sites had similar total bird species richness but the species composition and abundance had significant differences between months. The birds at Lianhua Pond were mainly composed of resident species, while at Xibao, most birds were migrants. At Xibao, species composition and abundance of birds differed significantly when the agricultural land was used for farming or in fallowing. Several species of forest birds or grassland birds appeared in the agricultural land during fallowing periods, but few birds appeared in farming periods. Compared with Xibao, the species composition and abundance were more stable between months in Lianhua Pond area. The human disturbances, along with cultivating practices in Xibao affected the species composition and abundance of its avian community. We concluded that in the Taroko National Park, the avifauna in the restored land tends to be replaced gradually by resident species, while the agricultural land provides important habitat for migratory birds during the fallowing period of winter.