New avian records along the elevational gradient of Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea

0429209 - BC 2015 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Sam, Kateřina - Koane, B.
New avian records along the elevational gradient of Mt. Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea.
Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. Roč. 134, č. 2 (2014), s. 116-133. ISSN 0007-1595
R&D Projects: GA ČR GD206/08/H044; GA ČR GA13-10486S; GA MŠMT ME09082; GA ČR(CZ) GP14-32024P
Grant - others:GA JU(CZ) 156/2013/P; US National Science Foundation(US) DEB-0841885; European Social Fund(CZ) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0064
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : Mt. Wilhelm
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

In current paper, we describe avifauna of the mountain Mt. Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea. The north slopes of Mt. Wilhelm, the highest peak in Papua New Guinea, support a complete elevational gradient of relatively undisturbed rainforest, from 200 m to the tree line at 3,700 m. Based on field work in 2010 and 2012 over the Mt. Wilhelm elevational gradient, we report novel distribution data for 43 species, including geographic and elevational range extensions, demographic data, and new records of species poorly known in New Guinea. Our new data regarding avian distributions reveal that New Guinea continues to be an excellent theatre to study diversification, competition and community structure. We recorded many extensions to upper elevational ranges (7% of the total number of species), which is especially surprising considering the elevational distance of 500 m between sites, resulting in significant under-estimation of limits at in-between elevations, and that we did not consider potential extensions of < 100 m as significant. However, our main caveat is the absence of historical data for Mt. Wilhelm. Our new elevational records suggest that some species are expanding upslope in response to climate change.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0240009