Effects of burn severity on the diversity and relative abundance of birds 3-years postfire in a coastal forest of Nothofagus glauca (Phil.) Krasser in central Chile
Journal
Journal for Nature Conservation
ISSN
1617-1381
1618-1093
Open Access
closed
Volume
86
Higher temperatures and more extended dry periods due to climate change are increasing the frequency and severity of fires in Mediterranean zones. Little is known about the impact of fire on bird communities in this ecosystem of Chile. In this study, we assessed bird diversity and relative abundance on field plots representing different burn severity levels (unburned, low severity, medium severity, and high severity) on a coastal forest of Nothofagus glauca (Phil.) Krasser in central Chile. This study was conducted during the summer of 2020, three years postfire. In total, thirty-two bird species were found in this forest type, and the relative abundance by species varied from 0.2 to 18 individuals per hectare. We found no significant effect of burn severity on bird diversity 3-years since the fire. However, the responses of relative abundance to the burn severity levels differed by species. Overall, the relative abundance of some species did not differ with the burn severity; other species declined in their relative abundance when burn severity increased, while other species showed an inconsistent non-monotonic pattern. While several bird species did not vary in relative abundance with the fire severity, others exhibited a high vulnerability, results that can guide the active restoration and species conservation of this type of ecosystem.