Une methode simple et rapide pour decrire les habitats d'oiseaux: le stratiscope

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Abstract
The stratiscope described permits a rapid quantification of avian habitats. The stratiscope is an optical device which divides the biological space into horizontal planes (layers of vegetation) and vertical planes for each layer by the appropriate position of a diaphragm. Several structural parameters can be measured, i.e., number of layers, percent cover and horizontal and vertical structural diversity. The use of the stratiscope is exemplified along a gradient of increasing vegetational complexity, where it allows drawing of foliage profiles. Simultaneously, the structure of the breeding bird communities were determined by census in each habitat, in order to measure the richness (S) of the communities, their overall density (D) and the information-theoretical diversity H''. These basic parameters of bird communities are significantly correlated with those of habitat structure: 5 out of 15 coefficients of correlation are significant at the 1% level and 8 at the 5% level. The main importance of this technique is that it is standardized and leads to a general classification of habitats regardless of, e.g., species composition.

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