Name: Augusto Cezar Francisco Alves
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 26/08/2021
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| Leonora Pires Costa | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| Agnaldo Silva Martins | Internal Alternate * |
| Leonora Pires Costa | Advisor * |
| Luiza Fonseca Amorim de Paula | External Examiner * |
| Marcelo Ferreira de Vasconcelos | Co advisor * |
| Rômulo Ribon | External Examiner * |
Summary: Inselbergs are characterized by abruptly uplifted rocky outcrops in flat
environments, with recognized environmental heterogeneity and great floristic richness associated with the characteristics of the phytophthionomies present, forming, therefore, islands of high biological diversity. Since seminal studies identify that mountain top environments exert a high level of influence on patterns of diversification and occurrence of associated biota, the aim of this study was to explore the hypothesis of inselbergs formations as unique areas in the Atlantic Forest biome, characterized by high avifaunal diversity and concentration of rare, endemic and/or characteristic species of xeric environments. The richness, composition and diversity of birds in 11 inselbergs located in the central corridor of the Atlantic Forest were assessed using integrative and systematized methods that included listening points and active search, as well as observations and records documented during previous periods. The evaluation of the inselbergs covered the three typical phytophysiognomies of the lower Doce River region, from August 2018 to June 2019, with one represented by semideciduous seasonal forest and two referring to deciduous seasonal forest. In all, 162 bird species were recorded in the inselbergs, with Primolius maracana, Amazona rhodocorytha, Strix huhula and Rhytipterna simplex figuring in threat categories. The total number of bird species recorded in the inselbergs of this portion of the Central Atlantic Forest corridor represents 22.3% of the total listed for the state of Espírito Santo in an area estimated at 13.64 ha. The multivariate and similarity analyses showed that there is a significant variation in the structure of assemblages among physiognomic forms; mainly of elements associated with preserved forest environments and those associated with xerophytic vegetation environments. Preliminary data indicate that inselbergs play a key role in maintaining metapopulations. The assemblage of birds recorded in the semideciduous seasonal forest of the inselbergs has great affinity with the pattern observed in lowland forests, with the exception of species that move altitudinally. In the deciduous seasonal forest formations, it was observed that there is similarity with the composition of species typical of open areas and Caatinga forest environments. This study points out that there is a huge gap on the bird diversity of the Atlantic Forest inselbergs, and that if conservationist actions are directed at these environments, they can act as a key piece in the recovery of the biota of this basin, because they shelter relicts of the biota of this region.
Keywords: inselbergs, birds, Atlantic Forest Central corridor, habitat loss, Rio Doce.
