Paper Title
Habitat Alterations in Tropical Forest and its Impact on Diversity of Birds in Northeast India

Abstract
Anthropogenic activities on account of traditional practices are devastating natural forest in tropical countries. The local government rehabilitates natural habitatsthrough monoculture plantations and altering their structure and composition. This is affecting local biodiversity severely. A study was conducted in Sialsuk community reserve forest in Mizoram, India. A natural forest and a plantation forest site was undertaken to assess this aspect on avian diversity. Vegetation composition with 7 tree species, tree diversity, 0.04tree/m2, and tree diversity(H=0.708) at plantation site was recorded very low. Natural forest had vegetation composition with 23tree species, diversity H = 2.669 and average tree density was 0.057/ m2. Avian diversity in natural forest site was represented by 33 bird species that belong to 8 taxonomic order. Order Passeriformes was represented by 24 species of birds. Avian diversity in plantation forest site was represented by one taxonomic order (Passeriformes) and three species of birds in this order only. Drastic loss of avian fauna was evident due to alteration of habitat. Same could also apply be true for other faunal groups. Running title: Habitat change and avian diversity Key words - Tropical forest, Habitat alteration, Avian biodiversity.