Ecosystem engineering: Rufous-bellied woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus (Vigors, 1831) modifying tree shapes of Himalayan broadleaved forests
Abstract
The study, conducted from 2005 to 2018, encompassed twelve sites in Nepal, including both protected and non-protected areas. The primary focus of the observations was on tree species, their shapes, structures, and their interactions with the rufous-bellied woodpecker. The rufous-bellied woodpecker in Nepal's Himalayas predominantly utilized specific tree species, notably oak (Quercus semecarpifolia and Q. glauca), birch (Betula utilis), Himalayan holly (Ilex dyperina), and maple (Acer species). These trees displayed a remarkable diversity in girth sizes, ranging from 0.5 meters to almost 2.5 meters, with tree heights varying from 5 to 30 meters. Among these, Quercus semecarpifolia was the preferred choice. Notably, rufous-bellied woodpeckers exhibited a distinctive behavior of drilling numerous small holes around tree trunks, often forming ring-like structures. These "sap-wells" were meticulously created by drilling dense rows of small holes encircling the tree trunks and served as the primary food source for the woodpeckers. They attracted a wide array of insects and offered a valuable source of protein. This continuous interaction between the woodpeckers and the trees resulted in unique modifications to the trunks of old-growth forest trees. Over time, the trees developed swollen trunks, and some trunks even displayed bending and deformations due to the woodpecker’s sap-well chiselling activities. Furthermore, the study observed several other bird species benefiting from these sap-wells created by the rufous-bellied woodpeckers. This observation underscores the broader ecological significance of these structures, benefiting a diverse range of species within the ecosystem. In essence, this study sheds light on the rufous-bellied woodpecker's role as an "ecosystem engineer" and an indicator of forest health in the temperate Himalayas, emphasizing its critical ecological importance.
References
Abdulali H. 1968. Sap sucking by Indian woodpeckers. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 65:219–221.
Ali S. and Ripley S.D. 1987. Compact handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Aubry K.B. and Raley C.M. 2002. The pileated woodpecker as a keystone habitat modifier in the Pacific Northwest. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-181. 2002. Pp 257–274.
Baral H.S. 2011. Status and conservation of Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus in Nepal. A preliminary report to Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Government of Nepal. Project Supported by the Rufford Small Grants Foundation / UK. Unpublished.
Baral H.S. and Huettmann F. 2020. The fate of the great woodpeckers and hornbills in Nepal: No big trees, no life. In: Regmi G., Huettmann F. (eds) Hindu Kush-Himalaya Watersheds Downhill: Landscape Ecology and Conservation Perspectives. Springer, Cham.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36275-1_35
Baral R., Czeszczewik D., Walankiewicz W., Churski M., Bhusal P., Thapa T.B. and Mikusiński G. 2018. Characteristic of tree cavities in sal Shorea robusta forest, Nepal. Journal of Forest Research, 23(4):214–220, https://doi.org/10.1080/13416979.2018.1479131
Bhatnagar P. 2022. Breeding biology of rufous-bellied woodpecker (Dendrocopos hyperythrus) in Rudraprayag District (Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalayas), Uttarakhand, India Parul Bhatnagar. Research Square, DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1503937/v1
Bhattarai K. 1998. A comparative study in habitat ecology of cavity nesting birds in Isle (disturbed) and Icharni (protected) along riverine forest of Chitwan National Park. Central Dept. of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. MSc dissertation. Unpublished.
Bhusal P., Czeszczewik D., Walankiewicz W., Churski M., Baral R., Lamichhane B.R. and Mikusiński G. 2015. Availability of tree cavities in a sal forest of Nepal. iForest (early view). https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor1493-008
BirdLife International 2016. Dendrocopos hyperythrus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22681105A92892942. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22681105A92892942.en
BirdLife International 2020. Species factsheet: Dendrocopos hyperythrus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org (Accessed on 19/02/2020.)
Del Hoyo J., Elliott A. and Sargatal J. (eds) 2002. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 7. Jacamars to Woodpeckers. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.
Eve R. 2007. First record of rufous-bellied woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus in Lao PDR. Forktail, 23:174–175.
Fleming R.L. Sr and Fleming R.L. Jr 1970. Avian sap drinkers of the Himalayas. Journal of Bengal Natural History Society, 36:54–57.
Fleming R.L. Sr, Fleming R.L. Jr and Bangdel L. S. 1984. Birds of Nepal. Third edition. Kathmandu: Avalok.
Gorman G. 2014. Woodpeckers of the world: the complete guide. London, UK: Christopher Helm.
Grimmett R., Inskipp C. and Inskipp T. 2011. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Helm Field Guides. London, UK: Christopher Helm.
Grimmett R., Inskipp C., Inskipp T. and Baral H.S. 2016. Birds of Nepal. London, UK: Bloombury Publishing.
Heim W., Thomas A. and Wulf T. 2016. Rufous-bellied woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus and Chinese paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi incei at Muraviovka Park, Far East Russia: first records for the Amur Oblast. Amurian Zoological Journal, 8:217–222.
Inskipp C. and Baral H.S. 2019. Nepal's forest birds: their status and conservation. Himalayan Nature, Kathmandu.
Inskipp C. and Inskipp T. 1991. A guide to the birds of Nepal. Second edition. London, UK: Christopher Helm. http://archive.org/details/guidetobirdsofne85insk
Inskipp C., Baral H.S., Phuyal S., Bhatt T.R., Khatiwada M. Inskipp T., et al. 2016. The Status of Nepal’s Birds: the National Red List Series. Zoological Society of London. Available online; https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/asia/national-red-list-of-nepals-birds (Accessed on 19 May 2016)
Osmaston A.E. 1916. Curious habits of wood-peckers in the Kumaon hills. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 24(2): 363–366.
Rasmussen P.C. and Anderton J.C. 2011. Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Vols. 1 and 2. Washington D.C., USA: Smithsonian Institution and Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.
Roberts T. 1992. Birds of Pakistan. Vol 2. Oxford University Press
Robson C. 2009. A field guide to the birds of south-east Asia. New Holland, London.
Shahabuddin G., Menon T., Chanda R. and Goswami R. 2018. Ecology of rufous-bellied Woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus in Himalayan oak forests. Forktail 34:58–64.
Shrestha K.B., Måren I.E., Arneberg E., Sah J.P. and Vetaas O.R. 2013. Effect of anthropogenic disturbance on plant species diversity in oak forests in Nepal, Central Himalaya. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management, 9(1):21–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/21513732.2012.749303
Val'chuk O.P. 2000. Range and ecology of the rufous-bellied woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus subrufinus in Ussuriland and in adjacent China. Russian Journal of Zoology 79(2): 194–200.
Zusi R.L. and Marshall J.T. 1970. A comparison of Asiatic and North American sapsuckers. Natural History Bulletin Siam Society, 23:393–407.
The Nepalese Journal of Zoology has a licensing policy that permits distribution, remixing, adaption, and build upon your work under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License. Authors retain the copyright of the contents published in NJZ and need to grant the right of first publication to the journal. It also allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., on their website) prior to and during the submission process (e.g., as a preprint), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work. However, authors need to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements with NJZ for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in an institutional book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
