The Central Indian Highlands-Biogeography (CIH-B) Project aims to develop a spatial protocol for PA network assessment through a comprehensive analysis of breeding bird distribution and landscape characteristics of the region.

During the current period, field work on bird distribution and vegetation was carried out in East Maikal Range, Kaimur Hills, and parts of Vindhya Scarplands. So far, about 55% of the total study area has been covered under the field survey. Simultaneously, progress was also achieved in development of spatial databases pertaining to bioclimatic variables, soil resources, and land cover information. The process of spatial integration of field data with these thematic layers in GIS is currently under way.

Meanwhile, we investigated the nature of association between bird assemblages and vegetation characteristics in central India. Our aim was to examine if bird species composition was a function of vegetation structure of the habitat type in which the birds occur. Breeding birds were surveyed in 23 vegetation types, using area search method and in total, 90 species of birds were encountered; in each bird-survey block, seven habitat variables describing vegetation structure were also quantified. We constructed two matrices of dissimilarity –one based on bird species composition, and another on the basis of vegetation structure. The two matrices were, then, compared and contrasted using Mantel’s test and randomization analysis. We detected a strong statistically significant association between bird species composition and vegetation structure (Mantel’s r = 0.62, p<0.01).

We discuss the usefulness and limitations of matrix analysis in applied ecological research, particularly in comparison with the conventional species diversity approach. The implications of the findings for forestry management are also highlighted.