Species Diversity Across Canopy Levels in The Amazon Rainforest
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Hope Thomas, Mia Ter Kuile-Miller
Presenter(s): Hope Thomas, Mia Ter Kuile-Miller
Mentors(s): Tanya Dewey
The Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazon rainforest contains an incredible amount of biodiversity, and a lot of it is structured within the forest canopy levels. There are many differences between the canopy levels that could affect bird diversity between them. This study investigated how bird species diversity differs among different canopy levels, with an additional comparison of effort levels using acoustic monitors versus observational data. It was hypothesized that bird diversity would be greater at the top canopy level. Point counts were conducted daily for six days at each level of the canopy, including the river, middle, and top levels, for 30 minutes. Acoustic monitors were set up at each level and recorded continuously for 24 hours a day for six days. The results were statistically analyzed for species diversity. Results indicated a significant difference in bird diversity among the canopy levels. When it comes to point counts, the most diverse was the river, while the least was the middle, and based on the audio monitors, the least diverse was the river, with the most diverse being the top. These findings highlight the importance of vertical forest structure in maintaining avian biodiversity. Protecting intact canopy layers is critical for conserving tropical bird communities.