Bird Taxonomic and Functional Diversity in Three Habitats in Buenos Aires City, Argentina

Florencia E Curzel,Lucas M Leveau

doi:10.3390/birds2020016

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGS), such as parks and wooded streets, are open areas with vegetation that provide sustainability to urban areas. However, their role in conserving bird diversity in neotropical cities has scarcely been analyzed. The aim of this study was to analyze the variation of bird assemblages in non-wooded streets, wooded streets, and parks in Buenos Aires City, Argentina. We compared the taxonomic and functional diversity between these habitat types. We selected five non-wooded streets, five wooded streets, and five parks in the city. Bird surveys were performed in 100 m long and 50 m wide transects. We found that taxonomic diversity had the greatest value in the parks, followed by wooded streets, and then the non-wooded streets. Functional diversity was similar between habitats. The taxonomic and functional composition changed between habitats. Non-wooded streets were dominated by the Rock Dove (Columba livia) and the Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata), whereas parks had the highest abundance of the Picazuro Pigeon (Patagioenas picazuro) and the Rufous-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris). Non-wooded streets were dominated by omnivorous and granivorous species, whereas parks had a higher abundance of herbivorous and frugivorous species. The positive association between UGS and bird diversity highlights the role of UGS as biodiversity conservation sites in neotropical cities.

Highlights

Estimated species richness per transect showed that parks had more species richness than wooded and non-wooded streets (LRT = 27.32, degree of freedom = 2, p = < 0.001; Table 1; Figure 2B)
Functional dispersion index (FDis) values were similar between habitats (LRT = 1.59, df = 2, p = 0.149; Table 1; Figure 2D)
Our results showed changes in taxonomic diversity and species and functional trait composition between habitat types

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization is a process defined as the increase in human concentration, which involves the movement of people from rural to urban areas [1,2,3,4]. A report from the United Nations claimed that in 2018, 55.3% of the human population lived in urban areas, and this figure is projected to increase by 2030, while the rural population is expected to diminish [5]. This process leads to the loss of urban green areas within cities [6].

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Conclusion