Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti
Species with highly restricted distributions are intriguing especially when they co-occur with similar and related species that are more widely distributed. They are also of conservation concern because of their restricted distributions and low population size. The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Field Ornithology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.afonet.org/vol94/iss2/art1/ |
| _version_ | 1797791140974428160 |
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| author | Zainab Z. Khan H. S. Sushma Paul Antony B Kaushik M. Koli Aditi Neema M R Meera M Arasumani V.V. Robin Rajah Jayapal Shomita Mukherjee |
| author_facet | Zainab Z. Khan H. S. Sushma Paul Antony B Kaushik M. Koli Aditi Neema M R Meera M Arasumani V.V. Robin Rajah Jayapal Shomita Mukherjee |
| author_sort | Zainab Z. Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Species with highly restricted distributions are intriguing especially when they co-occur with similar and related species that are more widely distributed. They are also of conservation concern because of their restricted distributions and low population size. The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) is an endangered species endemic to the central Indian landscape that occurs in apparently unconnected pockets. Two other species of owlets, with wide distributions in India, Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) and Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) co-occur with Forest Owlet. Understanding how species use the habitat matrix is central to prioritizing conservation action. We studied the three species across an extensive part of the predicted range of Forest Owlets through 350 surveys. Our results indicate that Jungle Owlet occupancy (ψ = 0.5896, SE = 0.08) was highest, followed by Forest Owlet (ψ = 0.2517, SE = 0.10), and Spotted Owlet (ψ = 0.1781, SE = 0.07). The Forest Owlet showed a preference for stands of forests with large trees but not necessarily with closed canopies, as well as open habitats (agricultural land cover). The Spotted Owlet showed a preference for agricultural land cover with lower litter and bare ground cover. In contrast, the Jungle Owlet showed a preference for dense forest and canopy cover. The preference for agricultural cover by the Forest Owlet provides important insights into our understanding of the ecology of this owlet. Most significantly, it brings up several conservation challenges for managing this endangered species across a human-use landscape. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:14:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f96276f81f9148a79b8ed407fbbd07aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1557-9263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T02:14:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Field Ornithology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f96276f81f9148a79b8ed407fbbd07aa2023-06-30T19:00:16ZengResilience AllianceJournal of Field Ornithology1557-92632023-06-019421244Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewittiZainab Z. Khan0H. S. Sushma1Paul Antony B2Kaushik M. Koli3Aditi Neema4M R Meera5M Arasumani6V.V. Robin7Rajah Jayapal8Shomita Mukherjee9Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaIndian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, IndiaIndian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, IndiaIndian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Tirupati, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, IndiaSpecies with highly restricted distributions are intriguing especially when they co-occur with similar and related species that are more widely distributed. They are also of conservation concern because of their restricted distributions and low population size. The Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) is an endangered species endemic to the central Indian landscape that occurs in apparently unconnected pockets. Two other species of owlets, with wide distributions in India, Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) and Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) co-occur with Forest Owlet. Understanding how species use the habitat matrix is central to prioritizing conservation action. We studied the three species across an extensive part of the predicted range of Forest Owlets through 350 surveys. Our results indicate that Jungle Owlet occupancy (ψ = 0.5896, SE = 0.08) was highest, followed by Forest Owlet (ψ = 0.2517, SE = 0.10), and Spotted Owlet (ψ = 0.1781, SE = 0.07). The Forest Owlet showed a preference for stands of forests with large trees but not necessarily with closed canopies, as well as open habitats (agricultural land cover). The Spotted Owlet showed a preference for agricultural land cover with lower litter and bare ground cover. In contrast, the Jungle Owlet showed a preference for dense forest and canopy cover. The preference for agricultural cover by the Forest Owlet provides important insights into our understanding of the ecology of this owlet. Most significantly, it brings up several conservation challenges for managing this endangered species across a human-use landscape.https://journal.afonet.org/vol94/iss2/art1/call playbackcentral indiaforest owletoccupancyowlets |
| spellingShingle | Zainab Z. Khan H. S. Sushma Paul Antony B Kaushik M. Koli Aditi Neema M R Meera M Arasumani V.V. Robin Rajah Jayapal Shomita Mukherjee Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti Journal of Field Ornithology call playback central india forest owlet occupancy owlets |
| title | Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti |
| title_full | Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti |
| title_fullStr | Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti |
| title_full_unstemmed | Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti |
| title_short | Habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets: the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti |
| title_sort | habitat determinants of species occupancy and niche partitioning among sympatric owlets the paradoxical role of agricultural lands for the endangered forest owlet athene blewitti |
| topic | call playback central india forest owlet occupancy owlets |
| url | https://journal.afonet.org/vol94/iss2/art1/ |
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