Species composition and distribution of birds in Aburi Botanic Garden, Ghana

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/05/2012
Views (926)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Species composition and distribution of birds in Aburi Botanic Garden, Ghana

Edward D. Wiafe, Esther Chaachele Faalong
Int. J. Biosci. 2(5), 1-11, May 2012.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2012; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Traditionally, botanic gardens have been set aside to conserve mainly trees, but it has additional contributions to harbor birds and other faunal species. Conservationist have neglected the animal component of the botanic gardens, it is against this background that this study sought to investigate into the bird species composition, abundance, and their distribution in the Aburi Botanical Garden, Ghana. The garden was stratified into Botanic Reserve (closed forest) and Cultivated Area (open forest), and a total five transects were distributed in each area. Bird census was carried out along these transect between the hours of 6am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm each day for three days The Botanic Reserve constituted more species with fewer individuals whereas the Cultivated Area had more individuals with fewer species. Food and light penetration were the main determining factors in the distribution and abundance of birds in the Botanic Gardens. The distribution of birds and their abundance were suspected to be influenced by the habitat type and the kind of resources it avails.The bird species dominant in the area are generalist species with only a small fraction being specialist species. It is therefore recommended that policies of the Botanic Gardens should include the protection of birds and other faunal species because of their interdependent relationship.

Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA. 2000. BirdCensus Techniques.London, Academic Press.

Borrow N, Demey R. 2001. Birds of Western Africa. London: Christopher Helm.

Brooks T, Balmford A, Burgess N, Hansen L A, Moore J, Rahbek C,Williams P, Bennun L, Byaruhanga A, Kasoma P, Njoroge P, Pomeroy D. WondafrashM. 2001. Conservation priorities for birds and biodiversity: do East African Important Bird Areas represent species diversity in other terrestrial vertebrate groups? Ostrich Suppl. 15: 3–12.

Bunnun L, Howell K. 2002. Birds.In (Ed.) Glyn Davis.African Forest Biodiversity; a field survey manual for vertebrates. Earth watch Europe, Oxford, UK. P. 121 – 161.

Cowlishaw G, Dunbar R. 2000. Primate conservation biology. London, The University of Chicago Press.

Hammer Ø, Harper DAT, Ryan PD. 2001. PAST: Paleontological Statistics Software  Package for Education and Data Analysis (Version 2.13) [Computer software] Palaeontologia Electronica 4(1), 1- 9.

Luck GW, Daily GC. 2003. Tropical countryside bird assemblages: richness, composition, and foraging differ by landscape context. Ecology Application 13, 235–247.

Parks, Gardens. 2000. Aburi Botanic Gardens.Accra, Department of Parks and Gardens. P. 29p

SalaOE,Chapin FS,Armesto JJ, BerlowE, Bloomfield J,Dirzo R, Huber-Sanwald E, Huenneke LF, Jackson RB, Kinzig A, Leemans R,Lodge DM, Mooney HA, Oesterheld M, Poff NL, Sykes MT,Walker BH,WalkerM,Wall DH. 2000.  Global  biodiversity  scenarios  for  the  year 2100.Science 287, 1770–1774.

Şekercioğlu ÇH, Daily GC, Ehrlich PR. 2004. Ecosystem consequences of bird declines. The National Academy of Sciences 101(52), 18042–18047doi: 10.1073/pnas.0408049101.

Şekercioğlu  CH.  2006. Increasing  awareness  of avian ecological function. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 21, 464–471.

Struhsaker TT. 1987. Forestry issues and conservation in Uganda. Biological Conservation 39, 209-234.

Related Articles

Agronomic performance and profitability of coffee wildlings using different soil media mixtures

Maribel L. Fernandez, Ricardo B. Casauay, Ronel A. Collado, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 189-199, August 2025.

Implications of aberrant glycosylation on age-related disease progression

Tahmid Ahmad Patwary, Mukramur Rahman, Md. Nafis Fuad Prottoy, Sayad Md. Didarul Alam, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 176-188, August 2025.

Design and development of solar powered water sprayer: A green technology innovation

Lorenzo V. Sugod, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 159-175, August 2025.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and social awareness regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in the kyrgyz population in the post-pandemic period

Mirza Masroor Ali Beg, Haider Ali, Yahya Nur Ahmed, Yavuz Gunduz, Hafsa Develi, Tilekeeva UM, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 151-158, August 2025.

Tumor suppressing ability of myrtenal in DMBA-induced rat mammary cancer: A biochemical and histopathological evaluation

Manoharan Pethanasamy, Shanmugam M. Sivasankaran, Saravanan Surya, Raju Kowsalya, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 141-150, August 2025.

Assessing tree diversity in cashew plantations: Environmental and agronomic determinants in buffer zones of Mont Sangbé National Park, western Côte d’Ivoire

Kouamé Christophe Koffi, Kouakou Hilaire Bohoussou, Serge Cherry Piba, Naomie Ouffoue, Sylvestre Gagbe, Alex Beda, Adama Tondossama, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 122-133, August 2025.

Anthelmintic potential of powdered papaya seed Carica papaya in varying levels against Ascaridia galli in broiler chicken

Roniemay P. Sayson, Mylene G. Millapez, Zandro O. Perez, Int. J. Biosci. 27(2), 114-121, August 2025.