The role of breeding range, diet, mobility and body size in associations of raptor communities and land-use in a West African savanna

摘要: To provide insight into raptor declines in western Africa, we investigated associations between land-use and distribution patterns Cameroon. We examined the role of breeding distribution, species’ migratory mobility, diet, body size, thus area requirements, on 5-km scale richness abundance. recorded 15,661 individuals, comprising 55 species during road surveys, spanning four annual cycles. Results revealed evidence for importance National Parks (N.P.’s), natural vegetation, humans, cotton shaping assemblages, but responses differed functional groups biogeographical zones. Human populations habitat, interacting with zone, were important predictors Afrotropical richness, N.P.’s Palearctic richness. Areas cleared habitat Guinea zone had comparatively rich abundant large, small sedentary humans limited positive effects. abundance peaked at higher levels human than raptors. Vertebrate-hunting was positively associated cropland, while Inundation a stronger negative impact insectivorous Richness large raptors declined increasing distance to N.P.’s, contrary communal scavenger which increased populations. Humans, loss Sudan zones similar, effects assemblages. conclude that populations, vegetation loss, expanding will negatively affect majority raptors, vertebrate-hunting may benefit from cropland expansion.