Bird community differences between planted stands of Quercus spp and Picea abies in Östergötland, Sweden

Maja Burke’s project is about comparing bird communities in oak-dominated (Quercus spp) and spruce (Picea abies) forest stands in Östergötland, Sweden. Using sound recordings analyzed by the BirdNET system, she found that oak stands supported a higher bird species richness and a distinct species composition compared to spruce stands. However, total bird abundance (amount of sound) did not differ. These findings suggest that increasing oak plantations in silviculture could enhance biodiversity while addressing ecological and climate-related challenges associated with spruce monocultures.