Response of birds to high biodiversity silvopastoral systems: Integrating food production and biodiversity conservation through applied nucleation in southern Brazil

Abstract

The quality of a landscape’s matrix is a key condition for the conservation of biodiversity and affects the diversity and composition of bird assemblages in agricultural landscapes with forest remnants. In southern Brazil most agricultural landscapes are a mosaic of cultivated areas, treeless pastures and forest remnants. These landscapes must be planned and managed for food production while synergically enhancing ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we compared the diversity and composition of bird species in High Biodiversity Silvopastoral Systems (SPSnuclei), treeless pasture areas, forest edges and forest interiors. SPSnuclei is a type of silvopastoral system (SPS) whose design was inspired by applied nucleation reforestation techniques using multispecies agroforestry nuclei. In this study, we sought to understand the influence of the SPSnuclei on the diversity and composition of birds by comparing SPSnuclei to treeless pasture areas, forest edges and the forest interior. We hypothesize that multispecies agroforestry nuclei would restore some of the ecosystem biodiversity, and therefore resilience. To quantify bird diversity, sound recorders were installed simultaneously within these habitats during the spring and summer of 2016 and 2017 on three dairy farms. We identified calls from 108 bird species in 2400 min of recordings (600 min/habitat). The High Biodiversity Silvopastoral System increased the diversity of birds in the agroecosystem. Species richness was higher in the parcels with SPSnuclei compared to treeless pastures (P < 0,05). Although, species richness was smaller in the SPSnuclei than forest edge and interior of the forest remnants (P < 0,05). Eight species from the interior and forest edge were observed in the SPSnuclei, but not in the treeless pastures. This research presents evidence that SPSnuclei has positive effects on the diversity and composition of the avifauna in agricultural landscapes and could act as stepping stones that increase connectivity between forest remnants.