Trophic activities of herons (Family: Ardeidae) in the coastal wetland in Buenavista, La Guajira (Colombia)

Geomar Molina-Bol�Var,Iris Jimenez-Pitre,Oscar Aldana-Ardila

doi:10.17485/ijst/2018/v11i18/122626

Geomar Molina-Bol�Var, Iris Jimenez-Pitre + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2018/v11i18/122626

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Abstract

Objective: This investigation had as objective to describe the tropic activities of the heron family Ardeidae) in units of Vegetation and Environment (EVU) of the coastal wetland Buenavista (CBH), La Guajira (Colombia). Methods: The CBH was divided into four sampling stations and five EVU\'s: beach (B), aquatic vegetation (VA), quagmire (Q), sand bank (SB) and open water (WO). The observations were carried out through censuses in points 25 fixed radio m., during 30 min. Findings: 340 individuals were sighted, of which the majority is found in the Q by the conditions of the place for food. The 71% of the individuals were found foraging, a fact that is given when the bird enters its peak or more than half on the substrate in search of food and 29% feeding activity; it is considered that the bird captures with his beak the dam and engullirla achieved. Application: The diversity of the herons was low, it was determined that the abundance of some species is due to the resources that offers this habitat and anthropogenic activities. Keywords: Activities Food Webs, Coastal Wetland in Buenavista, Herons, Units of Vegetation and Environment

Highlights

Aquatic birds are an ecological indicator to evaluate the quality of coastal wetlands
The herons are biological species with a significant number of Colombian biodiversity affected by habitat destruction and transformation[3] on the other hand, the family Ardeidae is constituted by 66 species, of which in Colombia have been recorded about 35%, and in the coastal wetlands of the Guajira Peninsula, including the Coastal Wetland Buenavista (CBH) have been reported in the 60% of the species reported in the country[4]
In the CBH are 7 of the 23 species of herons reported for the country which corresponds to 30.5%, this confirms that a significant number of herons reported for Colombia are in the Caribbean Region

Summary

Introduction

Aquatic birds are an ecological indicator to evaluate the quality of coastal wetlands. The herons are biological species with a significant number of Colombian biodiversity affected by habitat destruction and transformation[3] on the other hand, the family Ardeidae is constituted by 66 species, of which in Colombia have been recorded about 35%, and in the coastal wetlands of the Guajira Peninsula, including the Coastal Wetland Buenavista (CBH) have been reported in the 60% of the species reported in the country[4] This taxonomic group is important because they are part of one of the faunal components of the coastalmarine ecosystems[2,4,5]. The choice of an area to protect is justified by the presence of threatened species, or regions with a high diversity of species such as are the case of the tropical forests, or by the presence of numerous endemic species Another methodological approach for the selection of these areas is the formulation of biological indicators of species richness[6].

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