  Studies of species distributions on elevational gradients are essential to
understand principles of community organisation as well as to conserve species
in montane regions. This study examined the patterns of species richness,
abundance, composition, range sizes, and distribution of rainforest birds at 14
sites along an elevational gradient (500-1400 m) in the Kalakad-Mundanthurai
Tiger Reserve (KMTR) of the Western Ghats, India. In contrast to theoretical
expectation, resident bird species richness did not change significantly with
elevation although the species composition changed substantially (<10%
similarity) between the lowest and highest elevation sites. Constancy in
species richness was possibly due to relative constancy in productivity and
lack of elevational trends in vegetation structure. Elevational range size of
birds, expected to increase with elevation according to Rapoport's rule, was
found to show a contrasting inverse U-shaped pattern because species with
narrow elevational distributions, including endemics, occurred at both ends of
the gradient (below 800 m and above 1,200 m). Bird species composition also did
not vary randomly along the gradient as assessed using a hierarchy of null
models of community assembly, from completely unconstrained models to ones with
species richness and range-size distribution restrictions. Instead, bird
community composition was significantly correlated with elevation and tree
species composition of sites, indicating the influence of deterministic factors
on bird community structure. Conservation of low- and high-elevation areas and
maintenance of tree species composition against habitat alteration are
important for bird conservation in the southern Western Ghats rainforests.
