THE ROLE OF DEAD WOOD IN THE DIVERSITY OF AVIFAUNA OF THE FOOTHILL FOREST ON THE TERRITORY OF THE UKRAINIAN- SLOVAK BORDER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24144/1998-6475.2022.53.29-36Keywords:
dead wood, biodiversity, protected species, double nesting birds, managed forest, borderlands.Abstract
Bird research was conducted from January 2020 to February 2023 in the managed foothill forest of the Ukrainian-Slovak border strip. The publication presents data on groups of birds in two seasons - winter (29 species) and nesting (45 species). Throughout the year, 50 species of birds can be found in the forest. Eleven species (20%) of them are species of protected categories of regional, national, and European levels. Most of these species (71.7%) are directly related to dead wood: Dendrocopos leucotos, Dendrocoptes medius, Picus viridis, Dryocopus martius, Ficedula albicollis, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, and some others. The analysis of the topical and trophic structure of the bird communities in winter and breeding seasons indicates that the most numerous species composition and population density are double-nesting species that feed on insects and other invertebrates living in dead wood. Dead wood in the forest is a key factor that determines the presence and abundance of both background and rare bird species including protected categories. Any forestry measures aimed at the elimination of standing trees and lying dead wood will be critical, first of all, for bird species that are protected by legislation.
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