Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: JOSIVANIA GONCALVES DA SILVA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : JOSIVANIA GONCALVES DA SILVA
DATE: 19/12/2023
TIME: 16:00
LOCAL: Videoconferência
TITLE:

An umbrella of endangered species: structure of army ant-following bird assemblages in the Pernambuco Endemism Center

KEY WORDS:

Endangered species, interespecific interactions, foraging, conservation

PAGES: 17
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUBÁREA: Ecologia de Ecossistemas
SUMMARY:

The Pernambuco Endemism Center (CEP) stands out for housing more than 30% of the bird species in the Atlantic Forest, being crucial for their conservation. However, few forest remnants remain and many species are threatened with extinction. Some species of insectivorous birds have developed the behavior of following army ants to forage, taking advantage of prey that escapes from the ants. The collapse of this phenomenon has been associated with cascades of extinctions of insectivorous birds in tropical forests. In this study, the structure of army ant-following bird (ASF) assemblages in the CEP is analyzed for the first time, investigating taxonomic diversity and testing the hypothesis that specialized species (key species) play a fundamental role in the richness and diversity of mixed-species aggregations of ant-following birds. The study was conducted at the Murici Ecological Station (ESEC) and the Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve (REBIO), representing the largest remnants of the CEP. An active search for ant colonies and/or ant colonies (Eciton spp.) was carried out along trails in the study area. Data on ant-patch size, time, canopy opening, humidity and temperature were recorded. When birds were present, they were recorded (richness and abundance) and identified. A PERMANOVA analysis was performed to test the effect of Pyriglena pernambucensis abundance and environmental variables on the structure of ASF assemblages. 39 corrections were sampled, and only 15 of them contained birds following the ants. Three species of army ants have been recorded. A total of 29 species of birds were recorded following the corrections, with emphasis on P. pernambucensis, a species endemic to the CEP classified as vulnerable by the MMA. This species had a frequency of occurrence of 100% and the highest abundance, and was considered the most specialized species in following corrections in the study. Ten species of insectivorous birds threatened with extinction were recorded, eight of which are endemic to the CEP. The study adds 20 new species to the list of birds that follow army ants in the Atlantic Forest. The results indicate that the abundance of P. pernambucensis explains a large part of the richness and diversity of birds in the aggregations (p < 0.001). This result highlights the key role of this species in the dynamics of bird communities that follow the corrections. The prevalence of endangered species, including the key species in the formation of ASF aggregations, reinforces the need for special attention for the conservation of this phenomenon and the species involved. These discoveries contribute not only to the understanding of bird ecology in the region, but also to the promotion of effective conservation measures aimed at protecting threatened species.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno(a) - 1278133 - GUILHERME RAMOS DEMETRIO FERREIRA
Interno(a) - 2360032 - KIM RIBEIRO BARAO
Externo(a) à Instituição - MARCO AURELIO PIZO FERREIRA - UNESP