Validating distribution models for twelve endemic bird species of tropical dry forest in western Mexico

Abstract:Few reports have described the relationship between the distribution of frugivorous birds and vegetation successional changes in dry forests. We assessed the abundance and behaviour of frugivorous birds in early, intermediate and mature dry forests in the Balsas river basin, Guerrero, Mexico. We selected nine dry-forest fragments, three fragments per stage, in these three stages of succession. We analysed the vegetation, estimated bird abundances in 10-min count periods, and recorded the way birds process fruits in circular plots (11–15 plots per fragment, 123 plots in total). Birds were classified as seed predators (15% of all individuals in this study), pulp consumers (15%) or legitimate dispersers (70%). Bird abundance was higher in mature forests in the dry season, while abundance and richness of legitimate dispersers and seed predators were positively related to vegetation complexity. Mature forests have a high vegetation complexity and a high cover ofBurseraspecies that produce fruit during the dry season. During the rains, abundance was higher in early-successional sites when the zoochorous plants produced fruit. Legitimate disperser migrants (i.e.Tyrannus vociferans, Myiarchus cinerascensandM. tyrannulus) were widespread, helping the establishment of zoochorous trees such asBurseraspp. in early-successional forests.

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Litter and soil arthropods diversity and density in a tropical dry forest ecosystem in Western Mexico

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/s10531-006-9109-7 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 16 (13) ◽

pp. 3703-3717 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

J. G. Palacios-Vargas ◽

G. Castaño-Meneses ◽

J. A. Gómez-Anaya ◽

A. Martínez-Yrizar ◽

B. E. Mejía-Recamier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Ecosystem ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Soil Arthropods ◽

Western Mexico

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Riparian Areas and Conservation of Herpetofauna in a Tropical Dry Forest in Western Mexico

Biotropica ◽

10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00677.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 237-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ireri Suazo-Ortuño ◽

Javier Alvarado-Díaz ◽

Miguel Martínez-Ramos

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Riparian Areas ◽

Western Mexico

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Behavioral responses to seasonality by two Sceloporine lizard species from a tropical dry forest

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075610x12610595764291 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 97-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Marciano Valtierra-Azotla ◽

Bradford Lister ◽

Andrés García

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Behavioral Responses ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Behavioral Strategies ◽

Lizard Species ◽

Western Mexico ◽

Dry Seasons ◽

Resource Levels

AbstractWe investigated behavioral responses of two lizards, Sceloporus melanorhinus and S. utiformis, to environmental seasonality in a tropical dry forest of western Mexico. We conducted focal observations of individuals in the field during both the rainy and dry seasons and compared perch use, foraging and social behaviors and displacement activity within and between species. Our results indicate that seasonal changes occur in the behavior and activity of both male and female S. melanorhinus and S. utiformis. Feeding frequency, social displays, and distances travelled increased significantly in both species during the rainy season. These seasonal changes tended to be more pronounced in the arboreal species; S. melanorhinus. Surprisingly, female S. melanorhinus perched higher than males during the rainy season. Most of the observed changes are similar to the responses to seasonality observed in other lizards, both for species that exist within our study area, and for species that inhabit other seasonal environments in tropical and temperate ecosystems. Thus, the seasonal patterns in behavior documented in this study may represent a general set of behavioral strategies that allow lizards to better adapt to seasonal fluctuations in their environment, such as changes in predation pressure, variation in resource levels, and differences in insolation, temperature, and moisture levels.

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Distribution of bird species richness at a regional scale in tropical dry forest of Central America

Journal of Biogeography ◽

10.1046/j.1365-2699.2001.00575.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 651-662 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Thomas W. Gillespie ◽

Hartmut Walter

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Central America ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Bird Species ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Bird Species Richness

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Diversidad de aves en fragmentos de bosque seco tropical en paisajes ganaderos del Departamento de Córdoba, Colombia

Revista de Biología Tropical ◽

10.15517/rbt.v65i4.26313 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 65 (4) ◽

pp. 1625

Author(s):

Jose Alejandro Vergara Paternina ◽

Jesús Ballesteros Correa ◽

Carlos González Charrasquiel ◽

Juan C. Linares Arias

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Bird Species ◽

Sampling Period ◽

Shannon Index ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Secondary Forests

In Colombia the tropical dry forest is one of the most threatened and least known ecosystems; these have been impacted by different transformation processes and habitat fragmentation, which have affected bird conditions and survival. This research evaluated the influence of landscape elements (forest and pastures with different tree covers) on bird diversity in the tropical dry forest of Córdoba, Colombia. The study was developed within an extensive livestock landscape to characterize the avifauna in four habitat types formed by fragments of secondary forests with different tree cover: secondary forest, pastures with high tree cover, pastures with low tree cover and only pastures. The influence of tree cover on bird diversity was evaluated with monthly samplings in 200 m long transects (per habitat), with two observation intervals (6:00 - 9:00 and 15:00-18:00), from September 2011 to May 2012. A total of 6 667 individuals belonging to 180 species and 48 families of birds were registered. The most abundant species were Columbina talpacoti (5.37 %), Brotogeris jugularis (5.14 %), Tyrannus melancholicus (4.81 %) and Bubulcus ibis (4.80 %). The most abundant family was Tyrannidae (16.4 %), followed by Psitacidae (9.0 %) and Columbidae (8.2 %). The family with the highest number of species was Tyrannidae with 28 species, followed by Accipitridae and Icteridae with 10 species each. The greatest species richness was present in the secondary forest habitat, followed by the pastures with high tree cover, and pastures with low cover. The lowest abundance and species richness was found in pastures without tree cover with significant differences between the habitats (Fisher, p <0.05). According to the Shannon index, the diversity of birds was higher in the secondary forests. In contrast, the lowest diversity was found in pastures without tree cover. The greatest species richness occurred in the months of October and November. In the rest of the sampling period, the number of recorded species and individuals showed some stability. The importance of trees presence in extensive livestock areas was evidenced because they help to contain an important diversity of bird species, and they also generate connectivity among fragments of secondary forests in the cattle landscape.

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Avian community characteristics and demographics reveal how conservation value of regenerating tropical dry forest changes with forest age

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5217 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5217 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Steven C. Latta ◽

Nathan L. Brouwer ◽

Danilo A. Mejía ◽

Maria M. Paulino

Keyword(s):

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Bird Species ◽

Buffer Zone ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Neotropical Migrants ◽

Bird Conservation ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Mature Forest ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Understory Shrubs

Expansion of secondary forests following the abandonment of agriculture may have important implications for bird conservation, but few studies have examined the dynamics of this process. We studied bird use of a chronosequence of differently-aged abandoned pastures regenerating to dry forest to better understand how the value of these habitats to birds changes over time. In a five year study on Hispaniola, we recorded 7,315 net captures of 60 species of landbirds in sites that began the study at two, five, 10, and 20 years post-abandonment, and in mature native dry forest. Twenty-five species made up 97% of all net captures. Highest capture rates were in the two youngest sites. These early-successional habitats had many over-wintering Neotropical migrants; among residents, granivores and frugivores predominated. In contrast, both the twenty-year-old and mature forest sites had few migrants, more resident insectivores and omnivorous species, and a greater proportion of endemics. Age and sex ratios, body condition and site persistence suggest early successional sites were sub-optimal for most over-wintering migrants, but habitat improved with age for three migratory species; results for permanent residents varied among species. Remnant trees and understory shrubs in the agroecological matrix likely contributed to avian diversity in regenerating dry forest sites, and proximity to mature forest also likely affected the diversity and abundance of birds in regenerating habitat. Our study shows that regenerating forests do not fully compensate for loss of mature dry forest habitat, even after 24 years of regeneration; natural restoration of complex microhabitats in dry forest sites converted to agriculture may take decades or longer. The highest value of regenerating forests may be as habitat for some over-wintering Neotropical migrants, and in creating a buffer zone that enhances biodiversity conservation by re-integrating these lands into the protected tracts of mature forest needed by the islands more unique and endemic bird species.

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