Mehta & Wilby - India bird populations and climate variability R2.pdf (239.14 kB)
Modes of climate variability and associated bird communities in India
Birds are sensitive to climate variability and change. This pilot study explores variations in bird communities in India under contrasting phases of the El NinoSouthern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Statistical analyses were performed using monthly bird data for the years 1990-2015 in Goa and Tamil Nadu. Monthly precipitation, temperature, the Oceanic Nino Index and the Dipole Mode Index were used as explanatory variables for species richness (SR) and counts of three marker species (Brahminy Kite, Indian Pond Heron and Lesser Whistling Duck). Due to highly autocorrelated series, small sample sizes and many test permutations there is greater likelihood of Type I errors when interpreting correlation results. However, pooling bird data by climate mode and state revealed that SR was generally greater under El Nino or negative IOD (locally wet conditions) than under La Nina or positive IOD (locally dry conditions). In Goa, the Brahminy Kite, Indian Pond Heron and Lesser Whistling Duck had significantly higher counts during El Nino than La Nina events. In Tamil Nadu, there were significantly more Kites under negative than positive IOD phases. Regional variations in sensitivity may reflect species-dependent factors such as food availability and security of nesting sites. Further research is needed to establish causal mechanisms between climate mode and SR as well as into the combined effects of ENSO and IOD on bird communities across South Asia.
History
School
- Social Sciences
Department
- Geography and Environment
Published in
AreaCitation
MEHTA, A. and WILBY, R.L., 2018. Modes of climate variability and associated bird communities in India. Area, 50(3), pp. 397-409.Publisher
Wiley © Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).Version
- AM (Accepted Manuscript)
Publisher statement
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: MEHTA, A. and WILBY, R.L., 2018. Modes of climate variability and associated bird communities in India. Area, 50(3), pp. 397-409, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12412. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.Acceptance date
2017-10-25Publication date
2018-04-16ISSN
0004-0894eISSN
1475-4762Publisher version
Language
- en