Bird assemblages as indicator of forest quality

Abstract

Fragmentation and loss of habitat have caused major impacts on biodiversity. Along this factors, changes in the composition of the food chain also interfere with the dynamics of ecosystems, causing loss of species and ecological functions. The aim of this study is to functionally characterize bird assemblages in forest remnants embedded in matrix and anthropic areas inserted in a continuous Atlantic Forest vegetation. For this, we used data collected through points into eight fragments located in the Rio Corumbataí and three areas of continuous forest of the Serra do Mar - Serra de Paranapiacaba (Carlos Botelho State Park and the Serra do Mar State Park - Picinguaba and Santa Virginia) , and secondary data . To characterize these areas will be used to functional diversity (FD) for the assemblage of birds, which takes into account specific peculiarities, enabling a more detailed analysis of these assemblages . A theoretical framework from secondary data substantiate the search for patterns of changes in the composition of assemblies according to the degree of degradation / defaunation of this fragments. It is hoped that this proposal to identify functional changes in the assemblies, as well as crossing this information with landscape metrics in order to identify which characteristics influence the functional composition of birds in agricultural landscapes. These findings may help to develop strategies for biodiversity conservation.