FOREST FRAGMENTATION AND IMPACTS ON THE BIRD COMMUNITY

ABSTRACT The study aimed at verifying the patterns of bird community related to different land-use/land-cover. The study area was a Conservation Unit and its buffer area. We used the fixed-point method, visiting 80 points in five times, through one year. The points were plotted in lands agriculture (AGR) and planted forest (FP) and, in areas covered by native forest (NF). The diversity index (H'), abundance (IPA), richness (X2) and categories of species-trophic were calculated, as well as the difference between H' and X2 according to land-use/land-cover was verified by an ANOVA. We also evaluated the taxonomic and functional similarity of the bird community, based in IPA and bird presence/absence. There were significant differences for both X2 and H', comparing NF and FP; NF and AGRP and; AGRP and FP. Concerning the trophic categories, the significant differences were between NF and AGRP and; FP and AGRP, because AGRP is a homogeneous environment with less diversity of resources. Conversely, NF and FP presented similarities as a consequence of the heterogeneity of its structures that subsidize greater avifauna stability than other land-use/land-cover. We conclude that the bird diversity and richness is related to the complexity of the landscape structure.