. Animal Ecology. Animal ecology. and tree strata rank lowest. The largest mainiual populations occur in the subterranean and fjronnd strata. In a l-'.iiropean oak-hornheani forest (Turcek 1951) 15 per cent of the bird species nested on the ground, 2^ per cent in the herb and shrub strata. 31 per cent in or on the trunks of the trees, and 29 per cent in the tree canopy. The largest number of indi- viduals (52 per cent) occurred in the forest canopy, although the bioniass of these birds constituted a smaller percentage of the total (16 per cent) than did the ground and herb population (67 per c
. Animal Ecology. Animal ecology. and tree strata rank lowest. The largest mainiual populations occur in the subterranean and fjronnd strata. In a l-'.iiropean oak-hornheani forest (Turcek 1951) 15 per cent of the bird species nested on the ground, 2^ per cent in the herb and shrub strata. 31 per cent in or on the trunks of the trees, and 29 per cent in the tree canopy. The largest number of indi- viduals (52 per cent) occurred in the forest canopy, although the bioniass of these birds constituted a smaller percentage of the total (16 per cent) than did the ground and herb population (67 per cent). In re- spect to feeding, however, the distribution was differ- ent : ^2 per cent found their food on the ground, 9 per cent in the herbs and shrubs, 10 per cent on the tree trunks, 25 per cent in the tree foliage, and 6 per cent in tiie open spaces between the canopy, trees, and shrubs. Seasonal rhanpcs Outside of the tropics, the forest community changes drastically with the seasons such that four aspects may be recognized, each of which is divisible into two or three different sectors. The total popu- lation of the soil macrofauna in the temperate decidu- ous forest is highest during the hiemal aspect because of the migration of many foliage insects into this stratum to hibernate. Forest species hibernate in densities that vary randomly throughout the forest, except where there are differences in topography or substratum. Forest tracts adjacent to grass- or farm- land, however, receive an influx of non-forest species that hibernate principally on the forest-edge gen- erally, and along the south edge in particular, where exposure to solar radiation and protection from cold northerly winds produces warmer temperatures (Weese 1924). During the vernal aspect, insects and other in- vertebrates come out of hibernation, and the adults of forms variously frequenting the herb, shrub, and tree foliage return to their characteristic stratum. The population of ground animals remain
Size: 2127px × 1175px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodive, booksubjectanimalecology
