Assembleias avifaunísticas de ambientes naturais e antropizados: uma abordagem ecomorfológica

Abstract

In ornithology, even on small spatial scales, ecomorphometric studies that use a holistic combination of morphometric characteristics can show morphometric relationships of communities or ecological guilds that may differ depending on the environmental context in which they are integrated. The North Coast of Rio Grande do Sul (LN/RS) comport a transition zone of biomes (Pampa and Atlantic Forest) that provides a heterogeneous landscape composition for the region, with wide biological diversity. However, for decades, native formations have been transformed into urban conglomerates or are exploited by agriculture, thus creating a challenge for the conservation and preservation of local biodiversity, in particular for bird species restricted to native environments. In this way, we chose five assemblages of Passeriformes of native or anthropized environments in Osório, host city of LN/RS, and using nine morphometric characteristics (body and beak), we evaluated the general morphometry of the assemblages, as well as the morphometry of ten ecological groups in each assembly. Furthermore, we evaluated the taxonomic similarity, taxon sharing and ecological composition of these assemblages. To reach our goals, we utilize citizen science, literature, statistical tests and the principal component analysis (PCA). In the ecomorphometry of guilds and assemblies, we identified statistically significant differences in characteristics related to the ability to fly, move and feed; correlations between morphometric characteristics and ecological specializations; morphospaces of distinct and partially overlapping volumes; and morphospaces occupied exclusively by an assembly or guild. In the occurrence and distribution of species, we found different values in taxonomic similarity and statistically significant difference in the distribution of ecological and threatened guilds in assemblages linked to natural environments. Therefore, the existence of morphometric particularities among Passeriformes assemblages can suggests that distinct selective expressions occur in relation to the sampled environments, which reinforces the importance of preserving native formations linked to the Pampa, Atlantic Forest, lagoons and natural zones for the maintenance of bird diversity LN/RS.