Perplexing Regional Gaps: Bird Diversity in the U.S

A recent analysis conducted by a team of researchers from Ohio State University (OSU) explored bird diversity in the United States, considering both functional and species diversity patterns.

The findings revealed a perplexing aspect that scientists have yet to fully comprehend: in the West, where species and functional richness are highest during the breeding season, functional diversity patterns contrast sharply with those in the East.

In the East, functional diversity is lowest when species richness is high, which raises intriguing questions about the overall diversity of birds’ ecosystem contributions during periods when migratory species are absent.

Lead author Marta Jarzyna, an assistant professor of Evolution, Ecology, and

Scroll to Top