Avian Communities in the Amazonian Cangas Vegetation: Biogeographic Affinities, Components of Beta-Diversity and Conservation.

The Amazonian cangas is a vegetation type distributed as patches of open vegetation embedded in a matrix of tropical forest and that grows over iron-rich soils in the Serra dos Carajás region. To characterize cangas avifauna, we surveyed birds in eight patches varying from 43 to 1,366 hectares. Cangas avifauna has compositional affinities with savannas widespread throughout the Amazon and other biomes, and we estimate that more than 200 bird species occurs in this habitat. Species composition was relatively homogeneous, and the similarity among cangas patches was the dominant component of the beta-diversity. Bird communities in cangas patches exhibited statistically significant nested structure in respect to species richness and patch size. In contrast, the nested site arrangement was not affected by the isolation of patches. Number of species and composition are moderately affected by the area of cangas patches but not by its degree of isolation. To conserve this unique habitat are necessary a strict protection of carefully chosen patches of cangas and an investigation of the conservation value of secondary vegetation recovered by the mining companies.

Avian Communities in the Amazonian Cangas Vegetation: Biogeographic Affinities, Components of Beta-Diversity and Conservation

ABSTRACT The Amazonian cangas is a vegetation type distributed as patches of open vegetation embedded in a matrix of tropical forest and that grows over iron-rich soils in the Serra dos Carajás region. To characterize cangas avifauna, we surveyed birds in eight patches varying from 43 to 1,366 hectares. Cangas avifauna has compositional affinities with savannas widespread throughout the Amazon and other biomes, and we estimate that more than 200 bird species occurs in this habitat. Species composition was relatively homogeneous, and the similarity among cangas patches was the dominant component of the beta-diversity. Bird communities in cangas patches exhibited statistically significant nested structure in respect to species richness and patch size. In contrast, the nested site arrangement was not affected by the isolation of patches. Number of species and composition are moderately affected by the area of cangas patches but not by its degree of isolation. To conserve this unique habitat are necessary a strict protection of carefully chosen patches of cangas and an investigation of the conservation value of secondary vegetation recovered by the mining companies.

Composição e dinâmica da avifauna da usina eólica da praia da Pedra do Sal, Delta do Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil / Composition and dynamics of birds of the wind farm of the beach of the Pedra do Sal, Delta do Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil

The impact of wind farms on birds is one of the least studied themes in Brazil, which contrasts with the importance of this new source of renewable energy. The present study aimed to characterize the composition and ecological dynamics of species of resident and migratory birds present in the area of Wind farm of the Pedra do Sal, in Parnaíba, state of Piauí. The study was developed through thirty-three samples distributed in two complete seasonal cycles (September 2011 to August 2013), by the method of point counts disposed at the base of each wind turbine. We recorded 6,843 contacts of birds belonging to 67 species in 22 families and 13 orders, and the species with the highest number of contacts was the Charadrius collaris Vieillot, 1818. The predominant trophic categories were the insectivorous birds (18 species) followed by birds that feed on aquatic invertebrates (17 species). The majority of birds recorded is from aquatic environments. During the development of this study, no collisions between birds and wind turbines were recorded.

O impacto dos parques eólicos sobre as aves é um dos temas menos estudados no Brasil, o que contrasta com a importância dessa nova fonte de energia renovável. O presente estudo buscou caracterizar a composição e dinâmica ecológica das espécies de aves residentes e migratórias presentes na área da Usina Eólica da Pedra do Sal, em Parnaíba, Estado do Piauí. O estudo foi desenvolvido por meio de trinta e três amostragens distribuídas em dois ciclos sazonais completos (setembro de 2011 a agosto de 2013), através do método do ponto de escuta, dispostos na base de cada um dos aerogeradores. Foram registrados 6.843 contatos de aves pertencentes a 67 espécies distribuídas em 22 famílias e 13 ordens, e a espécie com maior número de contatos foi a batuíra-de-coleira (Charadrius collaris). As categorias tróficas predominantes foram as das aves insetívoras, representadas por 18 espécies, seguidas pelas aves que se alimentam de invertebrados aquáticos (17 espécies). A maioria das aves registradas é de ambiente aquático. Durante o desenvolvimento desse estudo não foram registradas colisões entre as aves e os aerogeradores.

Composição e dinâmica da avifauna da usina eólica da praia da Pedra do Sal, Delta do Parnaíba, Piauí, Brasil / Composition and dynamics of birds of the wind farm of the beach of the Pedra do Sal, Delta do Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil

The impact of wind farms on birds is one of the least studied themes in Brazil, which contrasts with the importance of this new source of renewable energy. The present study aimed to characterize the composition and ecological dynamics of species of resident and migratory birds present in the area of Wind farm of the Pedra do Sal, in Parnaíba, state of Piauí. The study was developed through thirty-three samples distributed in two complete seasonal cycles (September 2011 to August 2013), by the method of point counts disposed at the base of each wind turbine. We recorded 6,843 contacts of birds belonging to 67 species in 22 families and 13 orders, and the species with the highest number of contacts was the Charadrius collaris Vieillot, 1818. The predominant trophic categories were the insectivorous birds (18 species) followed by birds that feed on aquatic invertebrates (17 species). The majority of birds recorded is from aquatic environments. During the development of this study, no collisions between birds and wind turbines were recorded.(AU)

O impacto dos parques eólicos sobre as aves é um dos temas menos estudados no Brasil, o que contrasta com a importância dessa nova fonte de energia renovável. O presente estudo buscou caracterizar a composição e dinâmica ecológica das espécies de aves residentes e migratórias presentes na área da Usina Eólica da Pedra do Sal, em Parnaíba, Estado do Piauí. O estudo foi desenvolvido por meio de trinta e três amostragens distribuídas em dois ciclos sazonais completos (setembro de 2011 a agosto de 2013), através do método do ponto de escuta, dispostos na base de cada um dos aerogeradores. Foram registrados 6.843 contatos de aves pertencentes a 67 espécies distribuídas em 22 famílias e 13 ordens, e a espécie com maior número de contatos foi a batuíra-de-coleira (Charadrius collaris). As categorias tróficas predominantes foram as das aves insetívoras, representadas por 18 espécies, seguidas pelas aves que se alimentam de invertebrados aquáticos (17 espécies). A maioria das aves registradas é de ambiente aquático. Durante o desenvolvimento desse estudo não foram registradas colisões entre as aves e os aerogeradores.(AU)