Caracterização da avifauna em seis áreas da Caatinga Potiguar relevantes para conservação

Abstract

The Caatinga has been subjected to several anthropogenic disturbances and despite its relevance, it is still poorly protected and lesser known biome. The objective of this study is to characterize the bird community of six areas in a Caatinga region that is a priority for conservation in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, based on available data from environmental studies, regarding several ecological parameters. Environmental studies and reports were obtained via request to IDEMA, and the bird survey was carried out using point-counts, transect, Mackinnon’s list and mist-net methodologies. The avifauna was characterized regarding species richness, trophic structure, adaptive capacity, habitat use, presence of threatened, migratory, endemic and ethnobiologically relevant taxa. Diversity, relative abundance and evenness indices were estimated for Area 1. The richness found for the study areas was 181 species, close to that described in the literature. The representation of trophic guilds and migratory species followed the patterns already observed for other areas of the Caatinga. In relation to the popular use of the species, it is possible to draw a parallel with the main threats to birdlife in the Caatinga, such as hunting for food and the removal from natural areas for illegal trafficking as pets. The most similar areas in terms of species composition were Areas 3, 4 and 5. Area 1 was the most different from the others, where the diversity and evenness indices revealed a rich and uniform bird community. Some of the records appear to be the result of errors in species identification, due to incompatibility with the literature and lack of records for proofing. However, these studies provide relevant data for understanding communities in poorly sampled regions, such as the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Therefore, the present study reinforces the biological importance of the study area, in addition to emphasizing the importance of periodic monitoring as impact assessment and mitigation tools, highlighting the need for methodological and executive improvements in this process.