Comparative analysis of birdlife in different ecological restoration methods with emphasis in the role of artificial perches

Abstract

Artificial perches provide complexity to the landscape, a factor that can increase animal biodiversity. We tested the hypothesis that artificial perches used in ecological restoration promoting increased of the specific birdlife diversity in a restored landscape in southern Brazil. The study was conducted in the southwest of Parana State, in an area that served for years to agriculture and pasture. Estimates of species and diversity of avifauna in 12 experimental plots were obtained one year after the beginning of the restoration. Data from plots restored through nucleation (this method consists too insert artificial perches) were used to create a data set analyzed with and without the records of birds obtained exclusively on artificial perches. These data were compared with those from experimental plots re-vegetated by either passive or active restoration (high diversity planting). In addition, we investigated the ability of different restoration techniques to attract avifauna occurring in a nearby forest. Restored plots using nucleation had higher richness (42± 3.00SD species), abundance and diversity compared to passive restoration and high diversity planting. However, when the results obtained exclusively from artificial perches were disregarded, the pattern of the diversity components in the nucleation did not differ from that of the passive restoration. Thus, the artificial perches provided an additional niche and, in this study, represented 34% of the increase in the accumulated richness observed in nucleation. Thus, perches are an important natural engineering structure that causes local increase in bird richness.