A new study has identified foraging guilds, habitat type and environmental disturbances as the primary drivers of bird species co-occurrence in Ghana’s Central Region.
The study examined how ecological traits and landscape conditions influence bird community assembly across farmland, forest reserves, urban areas, coastal savannah, wetlands and mangroves.
Over a six-month period, the team surveyed 120 sampling points and recorded 4,060 individual birds representing 216 species.
The research was led by Prof. Collins Ayine Nsor of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and published in Avian Research.
The findings indicate that species with similar feeding strategies and habitat preferences are more likely to occur together.
Approximately 60% of species co-occurred randomly, while 25% showed positive associations and 15% negative associations.
Forest frugivores, largely habitat specialists, exhibited strong positive co-occurrence patterns, suggesting tighter ecological linkages and a significant role in shaping local communities.
In contrast, carnivorous species such as the Black Heron and Spur-winged Lapwing were dominant in wetlands and mangroves and mostly co-occurred randomly with other guilds, reflecting broader ecological tolerance.
Habitat generalists recorded across multiple habitat types also demonstrated resilience to varying environmental conditions.
Although random co-occurrence contributes to regional species richness, the researchers warn that increasing disturbances across mangroves, wetlands, farmlands and urban areas pose significant threats.
Activities such as tree cutting, bushfires and indiscriminate waste disposal could reduce food availability, shelter and breeding spaces, ultimately reshaping bird assemblages.
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