Influencia del rolado selectivo de baja intensidad (RBI) sobre las comunidades de aves de bosques del Chaco Occidental

Abstract

Low intensity roller-chopping (RBI) is a technology applied to develop low impact silvopastoral systems in the Chaco Region. The RBI reduces the lower woody stratum (<3 m high) and increases the herbaceous cover, and it can be applied in combination with partial cuts of the forest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence at the local scale of two RBI treatments of different age (after one and seven years) on alpha and beta diversity and the trophic guild structure of forest birds in the Western Chaco, in the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Results suggest that, compared to undisturbed forest: i) the RBI created habitats of low contrast, ii) the older treatment was the less contrasted, iii) alpha diversity did not decrease in response to treatments and both seasons had low beta diversity, and iv) recent treatment had the greatest dissimilarity in bird assemblage composition, since both seasons had the highest beta diversity and bigger changes in abundance of the guilds associated with RBI. This study suggest that: i) forests treated whit RBI maintain habitat conditions and compositions of bird assemblages similar to the undisturbed forest, particularly in older treatments, and ii) RBI has potential to meet simultaneously the goals of bird conservation and sustainable production.