Avifauna em remanescentes urbanos do Cerrado com e sem invasão de leucenas e sob restauração

Abstract

The process of urbanization can cause various modifications to the natural environment. Within this process, the introduction of various exotic plants for diverse uses is present; however, in many cases, these introductions result in biological invasions. Among the various invasive species, the tree species Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. (Fabaceae) stands out due to its high dispersal power and ability to cause damage to native biodiversity within the invaded areas. In this context, it is of utmost importance to assess the potential impacts caused by the invasive plant on the biodiversity of the invaded areas, in order to assist in decision-making for the minimization of these impacts. This study compared the composition of the bird community between two linear parks in the municipality of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, one with and the other without the presence of L. leucocephala. Through Bray-Curtis similarity analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), it was possible to observe differences in the composition of the avifauna between these locations. Analysis of the IndVal (Indicator Value) allowed us to observe the preference of species in each treatment, which was much greater in areas without L. leucocephala. Although the study did not investigate a causal relationship, the difference in similarity between the areas was significant (p < 0.01), which may indicate that the presence of this invasive plant can negatively influence the composition of the bird community in urban landscapes.