Session

Biodiversity loss is a critical global concern, especially in mountain regions where land-use/land-cover (LULC) change and climate warming have significant impacts on species and communities. Effective ecological research and up-to-date biodiversity data are essential to support conservation efforts. However, obtaining this information is often challenging and costly, so bioindicators can serve as surrogates, offering insights into the broader biocenosis. Even birds are considered excellent bioindicators because they occupy various ecological niches and trait spaces. This presentation examines the effectiveness of birds as bioindicators for the diversity of other taxa in a mountain region of the Central Alps, focusing on different grassland types. We conducted surveys of bird communities at 115 sites across a gradient of grasslands, permanent corps and arable areas, comparing these with the diversity of taxa, such as bats, butterflies, grasshoppers, arachnids, and vascular plants. Our objectives were to identify indicator bird species for different agriculturally used LULC types, evaluate cross-community concordance between birds and other taxa, and model the efficiency of bird indices and indicator species as bioindicators of diversity across different habitat types and taxa. We identified specific bird species that serve as indicators for various LULC types and discovered that the efficiency of bird indices and individual species varied by habitat type and taxa. Additionally, we showed that by utilizing a combination of different indices, a more comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functioning can be gained. The results underscore the importance of selecting appropriate bioindicators and indices for conservation planning, biodiversity monitoring and research. Finally, this study provides a framework for using bird-based monitoring programs and bird-derived indices to guide biodiversity conservation and to attain a more holistic understanding of ecological biodiversity patterns and trends.