Effects of artificial afforestation and successional stage on a lowland forest bird community in southern China

To examine the relationship between forest succession after severe logging forestry practices and the composition of avian communities, we investigated how forest bird composition and guild structure change as a function of structural properties along a successional gradient, including a climax mature forest (>400 years), a rehabilitated mixed forest (50–70 years), and a disturbed Masson pine forest (70 years) of the Dinghushan Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China. Of a total of 51 resident species recorded, mixed forests hosted the highest numbers of individuals and species, reflecting the high species richness of both forest and non-forest species. For forest-dependent species, however, mature stands had the highest observed and estimated species richness. Of 6 habitat-use guilds identified, vertical-profile generalists and understory-birds formed the two dominant guilds, accounting for 54.0% and 38.7% of all individuals respectively. The results of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) clearly showed that most forest-dependent species were associated with high proportions of native canopy cover and the mean density of dead trees and large trees, which are characteristic of old-growth mature forests (horizontal heterogeneity) at stand level. Accordingly, conservation efforts should focus on the specialized requirements of the most habitat-restricted species in the future, especially for understory insectivores (Babblers) and large-tree users in mature subtropical monsoon forests of southern China. Moreover, since regenerating mixed forests are very similar to mature forests in both vegetation structure and bird community composition, we recommend that logging cycles (>50 years) be increased to a minimum of 50 years in southern China, so that a balance between economic and ecological interest can be reestablished.

Research highlights
► We investigated how lowland forest bird communities were influenced along a successional gradient.
► Mature monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest holds the highest forest-dependent species richness.
► Most forest-dependent species are associated with high proportions of native canopy cover, the mean density of dead trees and large trees.
► Understory insectivores (Babblers) and large-tree users are more sensitive to deforestation and degradation.
► The forest logging cycles should be increased to a minimum of 50 years in southern China.