Date: August 7, 2018
Source: University of Kent
Summary:
Protected riverbank habitats
within areas of oil palm cultivation can play a key role in reducing the
negative impacts on tropical bird numbers but need to be increased in size, new
research from the University of Kent has shown.
Converting rainforests to oil
palm plantations has well documented impacts on tropical wildlife, including
birds. But so far there has been little research on the value natural
vegetation in river areas in plantations has for nature, although these are
often preserved for water management as 'riparian reserves'.
However, a new study, led by the
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology in the School of Anthropology and
Conservation at the University of Kent, in partnership with Universiti Malaysia
Sabah, demonstrates that riparian areas can help to lessen the negative impacts
of oil palm cultivation on bird communities.
The team counted birds across 28
rivers at a site in Malaysia and were able to examine their findings in
relation to the width of the protected forest alongside the rivers. The study
showed that large riparian reserves tend to support more bird species, with the
largest ones hosting similar number as nearby forests.
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