The Avifaunal diversity of Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh, India : an endangered ecosystem
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概要
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Tropical dry evergreen forest is a little known forest type of southern India. These unique, commonly two layered evergreen forests occurring in drier areas, harbour mainly evergreen species with a few deciduous and semi evergreen species. Sriharikota Island in southeast India supports one of the last remaining vestiges of natural dry evergreen forest still in a protected condition. The intact patches there have been largely protected by local communities because of their religious beliefs. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) conducted a brief ornithological survey of Sriharikota Island in south eastern Andhra Pradesh in 1976. The late Dr Salim Ali and his team in two separate surveys recorded preliminary information on the ornithology of the island environs. The coastline of the island is dotted with extensive coastal vegetation including small patches of mangrove forest in the north. The present study recorded 43.8% (200 species) of the total of 456 species occurring in the state. A total of 72 terrestrial species was recorded from the seven habitats on the island during the present study with the highest number of species (47) from dry evergreen forests. Six additional species (Lesser Frigate Bird Fregata minor, Red Knot Calidris canuta, Great Knot C. tenuirostris, Common Tern Sterna hirundo, Black Tern Chlidonias niger, and Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus and one subspecies Philippine Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis) were also noted during the current study. Of the 30 passerine migrant species recorded from the island three species, Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum, Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides and Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, were the commonest. The tropical dry evergreen forests of the Coromandel Coast are currently threatened by excessive tree felling and grazing. Protection given by the Indian Space Research Organisation, at Sriharikota is a commendable effort as these forests provide us with vital insights into ecosystem patterns.
著者
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Rao Prakash
Bombay Natural History Society:(present Office)world Wide Fund For Nature India
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Mohapatra Khirod
Bombay Natural History Society:(present Office)jps Associates Private Limited