Atlantic Forest Patches Research Articles

Activity patterns of domestic dogs and native terrestrial mammals in the Tapacurá Ecological Station, Brazil

Domestic dogs are a threat to biodiversity. We evaluated the activity patterns of domestic dogs and terrestrial mammals in a patch of Atlantic forest in northeastern Brazil. We expected native mammals to change their temporal pattern of activity in the presence of domestic dogs. We installed 16 camera traps in 2019 (January-March) and 16 cameras in 2021 (February-April), with a total effort effort of 640 trap days. We classified the activity of the species as diurnal, cathemeral, nocturnal and crepuscular. We found 274 records of 11 mammal species and overlapping activity between domestic dogs and terrestrial mammals. Coatis and agoutis were strictly diurnal in both years, while domestic dogs presented a catemanal activity pattern in 2021. Aguties and domestic dogs presented a uniform pattern, but coatis did not. Although our findings suggest a limited influence of domestic dogs on terrestrial mammals, vaccination or sterilization programs should be implemented to avoid an increase in the negative impact of dogs on native fauna.

First Capture of a Jaguar Using a Minimally Invasive Capture System for GPS Tracking in an Isolated Patch of Atlantic Forest in Southern Brazil.

This study presents the first successful capture using GPS tagging of a jaguar (Panthera onca) using a minimally invasive capture system (MICS). We used snare-foot traps and a MICS during two capture campaigns in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. The specimen disarmed snares on different occasions, and capture was only possible with the MICS. The captured jaguar, an estimated 16-year-old adult male, was monitored using a GPS Vertex Plus Iridium collar with an optimal performance of 86% in expected locations. The jaguar's home range (659 km2 by MPC and 174 km2 by 95%K) was within the observed range for the species and the animal was primarily maintained in protected areas. The habitat types most frequently used were native grassland (27.2% of 4798 fixes), marsh (24.8%), and dense lowland forest (24.7%). The use of a MICS for trapping jaguars is a promising technique that shows advantages in terms of efficiency, selectivity, portability, reduced potential risk of injury to animals or trappers, and animal stress compared to other capture methods used for the species.

Persisting while changing over time: modelling the historical biogeographic of cave crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea) in Neotropics

Abstract Using species distribution modelling (SDMs) techniques, we predicted the biogeographic history of crickets commonly found in Neotropical caves as a way to detect potential long-term environmental refuges in South America. Our models were built based on a thorough investigation of existing database regarding the genus Endecous Saussure, 1878 (Ensifera: Phalangopsidae) occurrences. The predictions of their distribution were obtained for two paleoclimate scenarios (LGM — 21 ka and Mid-Holocene — 6 ka), the current climate scenario (0 ka) and one future global warming climate scenario (RCP8.5, 2080–2100). Our findings suggest that in the past, the potential distribution of the crickets was wider, with potential forest corridors connecting different karst areas with caves within their occupancy area. The future prediction indicates a drastic reduction in their spatial distribution with an increased potential for isolation in subterranean ecosystems. Atlantic humid forest patches and caves represent the main environmental refuges for these crickets. Considering the ongoing impacts on surface environments and future climate change, the conservation of caves and karst landscapes has become one of the main strategies for the maintenance of these crickets and all the correlated subterranean communities.

Correlates of plant β-diversity in Atlantic Forest patches in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Understanding how vegetation structure and floristic composition vary across landscapes is fundamental to understand ecological patterns and for designing conservation actions. In a patch-landscape approach, we assessed the β-diversity (q0 order – rare species, q1 order – common species, and q2 order – dominant species) of plants between forest patches and surveyed plots in Atlantic Forest patches located in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre, northeastern Brazil. Furthermore, we tested the influence of predictor variables linked to landscape (forest cover and edge density) and habitat (basal area), as well as the geographical distance between forest patches and plots on the β-diversity in each forest patch and plot. We measured and identified a total of 1,682 individuals (trees and lianas), corresponding to 248 species, 116 genera, and 56 families in 10 plots (50 × 2 m) from each forest patch. The β-diversity presented lower values for the Mata de Água Azul patch at a landscape scale (i.e., between forest patches) and Mata dos Macacos patch at a site scale (i.e., between plots) for all orders. Geographical distance positively influenced the β-diversity at the landscape scale, and higher turnover between plots (e.g., within forest patches) was positively associated with differences in geographical distance, edge density, forest cover, and basal area. Our results indicate the need to conserve forest patches distributed across a wide area (distant sites) that encompass different landscape contexts with different vegetation structures, in order to conserve greater floristic diversity.

The influence of size and distance of Atlantic forest patches on seed rain over tropical pasture

The influence of size and distance of Atlantic forest patches on seed rain over tropical pasture

Dramatic decline in a titi monkey population after the 2016-2018 sylvatic yellow fever outbreak in Brazil.

Platyrrhini are highly vulnerable to the yellow fever (YF) virus. From 2016 to 2018, the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil faced its worst sylvatic YF outbreak in about a century, thought to have killed thousands of primates. It is essential to assess the impact of this epidemic on threatened primate assemblages to design effective conservation strategies. In this study, we assessed the impact of the 2016-2018 YF outbreak on a geographically isolated population of Near Threatened black-fronted titi monkeys (Callicebus nigrifrons) in two Atlantic Forest patches of the Santuário do Caraça, MG, Brazil. Extensive preoutbreak monitoring, conducted between 2008 and 2016, revealed that the home range and group sizes of the population remained stable. In 2016, the population size was estimated at 53-57 individuals in 11-12 groups. We conducted monitoring and playback surveys in 2019 and found that the population had decreased by 68% in one forest patch and completely vanished in the other, resulting in a combined decline of 80%. We discuss this severe loss of a previously stable population and conclude that it was highly likely caused by the YF outbreak. The remaining population is at risk of disappearing completely because of its small size and geographic isolation. A systematic population surveys of C. nigrifrons, along other sensible Platyrrhini species, is needed to re-evaluate their current conservation status.

Small Landscape Elements Double Connectivity in Highly Fragmented Areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest in Brazil is a biodiversity hotspot, yet its diverse ecosystems and species are becoming increasingly threatened by habitat loss and extreme habitat fragmentation. Most habitat patches of Atlantic Forest are dispersed across agricultural landscapes (e.g., grazing and cropping) in relatively small and isolated fragments (80% < 50 ha). Forest fragments < 1 ha, scattered trees in pastures, tree lines on trenches and fences, and remnant riparian forest, collectively called here Small Landscape Elements (SLEs), are very common in this context. While these SLEs make up much of the Atlantic Forests footprint, very little is known about their role or impact on the persistence and conservation of species. In this study, we investigate the role of SLEs on landscape configuration, particularly their contribution toward landscape connectivity of individual species and the genetic flow of species between larger forest fragments. We randomly selected 20 buffers of 707 hectares within a 411,670 hectare area of the Atlantic Forest that was completely covered by forest in the past located in the south of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The forest cover randomly varied between these buffers. We used graph theory to measure landscape connectivity as the probability of connectivity for different disperser movement types between landscape knots (habitat patches). We used three estimated dispersal distances in the models: pollen disperser insect (50 m), low-mobility seed disperser bird (100 m) and high-mobility seed disperser bird (760 m). The SLEs together increased the probability of connection by roughly 50%, for all model dispersers, if compared to a theoretical baseline landscape containing no SLEs. Of all SLEs, riparian forests contribute the most toward enhancing landscape connectivity. In these highly fragmented landscapes, such as the Atlantic Forest (>70%), the position of SLEs within the landscapes was more important than their respective areas for connectivity. Although the landscapes were deeply fragmented, we showed that the presence of SLEs can increase connectivity and reduce further biodiversity loss in the Atlantic Forest.

Rediscovery of the endangered lichen Pseudocyphellaria aurata (Lobariaceae, Ascomycota) in mainland Spain

Lichens, as well as other organisms, should be considered important biodiversity components for the establishment of priorities in conservation biology. In this study, we report six new recent localities of the highly endangered, epiphytic macrolichen Pseudocyphellaria aurata in Spain: two in Navarra and four in A Coruña. Previous Spanish reports based on literature and herbarium specimens suggest a reduction of the distribution area of P. aurata and local extinction. Pseudocyphellaria aurata is known to be extinct in six localities, where it has not been observed since the middle of the 19th century (Cádiz, Pontevedra, Málaga). Four records reported for central Spain (Zaragoza, Salamanca, Teruel) are considered unplausible. The newly discovered populations are located in well-preserved patches of atlantic deciduous forest with strong oceanic influence, whose long-term ecological stability seems evident because of the presence of ancient trees. Nevertheless, these populations are small, fragmentary, and are threatened by habitat degradation, forestry and maybe fungal pathogens. Two populations, Intzola and Beba (Navarra and A Coruña, respectively), account for 75.7% of thalli. The localities with the highest number of trees colonized by P. aurata are Santa Leocadia and Beba in A Coruña. We reassessed the conservation status of this species concluding that conservation initiatives must be implemented to avoid its extinction in mainland Spain.

Holocene vegetation, climate and fire dynamics in the Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil

We analysed pollen and macro-charcoal from a sediment core representing the last 9840 cal yr BP, collected at 2003 m a.s.l. in a patch of upper montane Atlantic Rain Forest (UMARF) embedded in a campos de altitude (high-elevation grassland) matrix in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, southeastern Brazil. From 9840 to 4480 cal yr BP, campos de altitude (CDA) was the dominant vegetation at the site, indicating that the climate was relatively cool and dry. However, pollen data document that UMARF was near the core site throughout the recorded Holocene. Relatively frequent high-magnitude fires occurred during the Early Holocene but became rarer in the Mid-Holocene after 4480 cal yr BP, when the climate became wetter. In the Mid-Holocene, UMARF and tree fern taxa became slightly more frequent at the site, but CDA vegetation continued to dominate most of the high-mountain landscape. A climatic change to wetter and warmer conditions during the last 1350 cal yr BP is evidenced by an increase in UMARF and even lowland forest taxa in our core, as well as the near complete absence of fire after this date.

Paragoniosomatinae, a new subfamily of Gonyleptidae (Arachnida: Opiliones), based on a new species from the Chapada Diamantina relict cloud forests, Brazil.

In this paper, we describe a new subfamily of Gonyleptidae, Paragoniosomatinae subfam. nov., based on a new genus and species, Paragoniosoma cachaceiro gen. nov., sp. nov., found in an upper montane cloud forest of Chapada Diamantina mountains, one of the small interior patches of Atlantic Forest. This discovery suggests that the narrow-restricted cloud forests are old relicts of an Atlantic Forest hotspot. Paragoniosoma cachaceiro gen. nov., sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of four areas on the dorsal scutum, serose dry mark in areas III-IV, seven basal setae in penis (macrosetae A and B) in two rows, and very large tarsal process. We performed a phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters that revealed a close relationship of the new species with Goniosomatinae, a subfamily that includes six genera and 38 valid species distributed throughout the coastal Atlantic Forest. The new species also has the same habitat and other behavioural and ecological traits as Goniosomatinae, furnishing great insights on the evolution of their characteristic biology, e.g., subsocial behavior. Field surveys of harvestmen from the type locality and nearby lowland seasonal forests indicate a unique fauna, including additional new, undescribed species. In addition to phylogenetics, this dissimilarity with other regions and the presence of endemic species of other animal and plant taxa provide support for the consideration of the cloud montane patches of Chapada Diamantina as relicts. We discuss this rule in the historical biogeographic context of Atlantic Forest and suggest that the new species represents evidence of an Atlantic Forest that was more widespread in the past.

Distribution modeling applied to deficient data species assessment: A case study with Pithecopus nordestinus (Anura, Phyllomedusidae)

The arboreal frog Pithecopus nordestinus is geographically present in almost all Brazilian Northeast territory and Minas Gerais State. It is currently classified as deficient data (DD) by IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, requiring further knowledge about its geographic distribution and population status. In this context, the species distribution modeling can be applied, since its basis uses species occurrence records and environmental variables related to bioclimatic and landscape features. This kind of method predicts the species suitability of certain organism in the geographic space. We obtained 159 P. nordestinus occurrence records, covering all the previously known distribution of the species. These records were collected from direct field sampling, scientific literature, museum collections, and available online databases. We used four species distribution modeling algorithms to obtain the potential range (extent of occurrence) and available habitat for this frog through habitat area analysis proposed by IUCN. The generated models can be considered as excellent, with mean AUC value of 0.981. The environmental variables related to temperature and radiation were the most important to the construction of this distribution model. Our results indicate that the forested areas of the Atlantic Forest domain and forest patches inside the Caatinga biome present the highest suitability values for the species occurrence and the major part of available habitats, a fact possibly related to the known arboreal habit of this amphibian. We thus provide a new distribution area for P. nordestinus more broadly than previously known and a new polygon for conservation purposes based on extent of occurrence, and an increase of occupancy based on habitat area analysis. The identification of additional areas where the P. nordestinus occurrence was not yet well known, new habitats for possible dispersal or recolonization; and the selection of conservation hotspots applied to this species are direct applications from our study. In addition, the methodological procedures used here may serve as a baseline tool for new investigations with focus on still deficient data species and its ecological and conservation planning requirements.

Pollen morphology of Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae) from the Atlantic Forest in southeast Brazil (São Paulo) with a contribution to the systematics of Neotropical species

Dioscorea is a highly diverse genus in Brazil, particularly the south-eastern region, and most especially in the Atlantic Forest. Recent phylogenetic studies have helped clarify the intricate subgeneric classification of the genus, although some species remain to be sampled, and further studies are necessary to ascertain their systematic placement in the genus. Here, a palynological description of nine species occurring in a patch of Atlantic Forest, in the State of São Paulo, is provided. Three of these have not yet been sampled in molecular studies. The pollen of D. tauriglossum had never been characterised before. Dioscorea pollen are spheroidal to ellipsoidal, small to medium in size (the larger dimensions in D. dodecaneura and the smaller in D. amaranthoides), with disulculate aperture. The pollen wall ornamentation contributed to the segregation of two species – psilate-perforate (D. altissima, syn. D. choncrocarpa) and rugulate-perforate (D. monadelpha), as well as the separation of the other seven species in two groups – microreticulate (D. dodecaneura, D. multiflora, D. tauriglossum), and striate (D. amaranthoides, D. laxiflora, D. olfersiana, D. trilinguis). Systematic implications of the palynological variation found are discussed under the light of recent molecular phylogenetic studies.

Systematics of the enigmatic South American Streblopus Van Lansberge, 1874 dung beetles and their transatlantic origin: a case study on the role of dispersal events in the biogeographical history of the Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Streblopus Van Lansberge, 1874 has been one of the most mysterious dung beetle groups of the Neotropical fauna, having a rather peculiar morphology, very few known specimens in collections and a difficult placement among the scarabaeine lineages. In this work, based on the examination of a recently collected series of specimens and a synthesis of some scattered, but deeply valuable, information available in the literature, we readdress many of the questions posed by past authors. It is shown that Streblopus is a relict genus composed of two currently living species of widely disjunct distribution, namely S. opatroides Van Lansberge, 1874, from patches of Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Espírito Santo, and S. punctatus (Balthasar, 1938), known from a few localities across Sub-Andean humid forests in the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon Forest. We redescribe both and present in detail the evidence pointing to their validity as two independent species; a discussion of their remarkable sexual dimorphism is also given. The biogeography of Streblopus in South America is addressed, and we conclude that the present disjunct distribution of the genus is a consequence of the retreat of the tropical forest corridors that once connected the Atlantic Forest to the Amazon Basin through the South American Dry Diagonal during several periods of the Neogene, particularly until the Middle Miocene. Finally, we propose an African origin for the genus based on its close phylogenetic relationship with a group of Old World taxa ‒ particularly Circellium Latreille, 1825 and Scarabaeini. Having diverged from those groups in the late Upper Cretaceous, we argue that the ancestor of Streblopus arrived in South America crossing the Atlantic Ocean by rafting. We present a synthesis of data from a wide variety of biological groups to support our ideas and contend that long-distance dispersal hypotheses should be taken more seriously by scarab beetle specialists.

SEASONAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION OF ROAD-KILLED VERTEBRATES ON BR330, SOUTHWEST BAHIA, BRAZIL

In the present study, we aimed to characterize and quantify the vertebrates road-killed along 12.8 km of the BR-330 highway in southwestern Bahia. The road is surrounded by patches of Atlantic Forest and Caatinga and by human-modified areas. From May/2012 to August/2013, we performed 35 surveys, monitoring 448 km in total. During this period, we registered 146 road-killed individuals belonging to 60 species (35 birds, 15 reptiles, 7 mammals and 3 amphibians). The species most likely to be road-killed in the study area were the toad Rhinella jimi and the snakes Oxyrhopus trigeminus and Sibynomorphus neuwiedi . The Jaccard index showed higher values when compared to the observed richness of road-killed species, which is corroborated by the ten new species recorded during five additional surveys from August/2015 to July/2016. The number of road-killed vertebrates was significantly higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. We identified 26 road-kill hotspots along the studied stretch of road. The presence of water bodies associated with vegetational landscape surrounding these hotspots may be a reason for the higher concentration of road-kills. Besides being one of the few studies conducted in an ecotonal area in the northeast of Brazil, our data indicate some important patterns that should be considered for regional and national policies on impact mitigation.

Survey of medium-sized and large mammals in semideciduous Atlantic Forest patches near Alfenas, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil

We surveyed, with the aid of camera traps, medium-sized and large terrestrial mammals in 8 patches of semideciduous Atlantic Forest near the city of Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We recorded species occurrence using 2 camera traps per fragment, which were simultaneously active for 2 months each. We recorded 16 species, plus a species of armadillo that we were unable to identify to genus. The rarefaction curve tended to stabilize, evidencing the efficacy of our methods. The species richness was similar or higher to other surveys carried out in remnants of seasonal semideciduous Atlantic Forest or transitional areas. However, such seemingly high richness in a severely degraded and fragmented region, including large carnivores and endangered species, hides a wide variation in richness among fragments. This calls for urgent actions to improve the landscape for these animals to ensure their survival in the long term, as some populations are probably not viable in the long run.

Separability Analysis of Atlantic Forest Patches by Comparing Parametric and Non-Parametric Image Classification Algorithms

The aim of this work was to differentiate Atlantic Forest patches, as well as their spatial distribution, from other tree covers that compose the landscape, by comparing three methods of digital images classification, using techniques of geoprocessing and remote sensing. The study area was a sub-basin of the Ipero River, tributary of the Ipero-Mirim stream, Sarapui River basin, in Aracoiaba da Serra, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. This research has been developed on a Geographic Information System environment platform, using medium resolution images from Sentinel-2 Satellite. Three image classification algorithms: Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC), Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Tree (RT) were applied to verify the separability of forest patches, forestry and other uses. The results were analyzed by means of a confusion matrix, accuracy and kappa index, thus showing that the three algorithms were able to successfully differentiate the targets, with the higher efficiency attributed to MLC and the lowest to RT. Overall, the three classifiers presented errors, but specifically for the forest patches, the highest accuracy was obtained from SVM.

Multiple-scale approach for evaluating the occupation of stingless bees in Atlantic forest patches

Studies at multiple scales are essential to obtaining a holistic view of bee conservation. We aimed to detect the main factors that should be considered in a multiple-scale approach for small forest patches in order to contribute to the conservation plans for stingless bees. The study was conducted in small forest patches of the Atlantic Forest, in the municipality of Salto de Pirapora (SP, Brazil). The spatial analysis was developed based on forest patch size, forest patch core size, distance from the nearest forest patch, and distance from the nearest body of water. Based on these criteria, we selected three hotspot forest patches (including all criteria that favor the presence of stingless bees with arboreal nesting habits) and three control forest patches (which does not fulfill all these criteria), and we evaluated the presence of stingless bees based on the occupation of artificial shelters installed in the patches. From the 72 installed artificial shelters, we observed 27 shelters (37.5%) carrying some association with stingless bees presence. Bees showed a preference for occupying artificial shelters that were located in the patches’ cores (66.7%). The structure and composition of the vegetation showed great importance to the occupation of the artificial shelters, as there was a strong correlation between the occupied shelters and the diameter and the height of the trees. There was also a correlation between the presence of grasses and shrubs (p < 0.05), which were the main providers of floral resources. The data of the land cover was an essential factor for the development of spatial analysis, and we found a strong negative correlation with pastures and a positive correlation with forestry (p < 0.05). To elaborate multiscale approaches, it is essential to evaluate the quality of foraging (amount of flowers) and nesting (diameter and height of trees) resources, as well as the surroundings of the patches. The study provided data so that the information can be extrapolated to other scenarios and encourage the conservation of small forest patches as a strategy for the conservation of stingless bees.

Challenges to the conservation of stingless bees in Atlantic Forest patches: old approaches, new applications

Fragmentation is one of the many threats that leads to the decline in the population of bees, and stingless bees compose the most abundant pollinator group in the neotropical rain forests. Considering the importance of forested areas to the presence of bees that forage above the ground and nest in trees, this study aimed to discuss the effectiveness of artificial bee shelters as a strategy for the conservation of stingless bees in fragmented habitats. Artificial bee shelters (n = 72) were installed in Atlantic Forest patches and were monitored for 8 months. Four (5.5%) artificial shelters were successfully colonized by Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille, 1807) and 23 (32%) shelters contained signs of initial colonization or traces of dead stingless bees. Difficulties faced by the bees in colonizing the artificial bee shelters included water accumulation, predation, and occupation by other species. The occurrence of Scaptotrigona bees may be related to the group’s need to nest in the hollows of living trees. The artificial shelters supported the swarming of Scaptotrigona bees by providing nesting sites that assisted in their self-maintenance in highly fragmented forest patches with scarce adequate nesting sites. The use of artificial bee shelters can be a strategy for studying stingless bees in their natural environment and for evaluating conservation strategies.

Association of the occurrence of Brazilian spotted fever and Atlantic rain forest fragmentation in the São Paulo metropolitan region, Brazil

Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF) is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. In the São Paulo Metropolitan Region (SPMR) it is transmitted by Amblyomma aureolatum ticks. In this region, annual lethality of the disease can reach 80% and spatial occurrence depends on environmental factors and more particularly on the presence and interaction of domestic and wild carnivores as well as the presence and characteristics of the remnant Atlantic Rain Forest patches. This study analyzed the association between forest fragmentation and its influence on the risk of occurrence of the disease in the human population. Domestic dogs tested for R. rickettsii antibodies in nine different areas under the influence of different patterns of Rain Forest fragmented landscapes and human occupancy. Landscape metrics were obtained by analyzing satellite images and high-resolution orthophotos. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine among the different landscape variables the one that could best explain the data variance, and the results were tested against canine seroprevalence in order to address disease occurrence risk levels. From 270 canine samples, the seroprevalence ranged from 0 to 37%. PCA showed an inverse correlation between functionally connected large forest patches and the canine seroprevalence for R. rickettsii (p=0.030; Spearman’s R=−0.683), while there was a positive correlation between forest border effect and canine seroprevalence (p=0.037; Spearman’s R=− 0.909). The further attributed disease occurrence risk level supported the real spatial prevalence of the disease reported for the last eight years (p=0.023; Spearman’s R=0.63). The results suggest an important relation of deforestation and fragmentation with the occurrence of BSF in the SPMR.

Bird based Index of Biotic Integrity: Assessing the ecological condition of Atlantic Forest patches in human-modified landscape

Wooded biomes converted to human-modified landscapes (HML) are common throughout the tropics, yielding small and isolated forest patches surrounded by an agricultural matrix. Diverse anthropogenic interventions in HMLs influence patches in complex ways, altering natural dynamics. Assessing current condition or ecological integrity in these patches is a challenging task for ecologists. Taking the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a case study, we used the conceptual framework of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a multimetric approach, to assess the ecological integrity of eight small forest patches in a highly disturbed HML with different configurations and histories. The IBI was developed using bird assemblages found in these patches, and its performance was compared with analytical approaches commonly used in environmental assessment, such as general richness and Shannon’s diversity index. As a first step, the IBI procedure identifies an existing gradient of human disturbance in the study region and checks which biotic characteristics (candidate metrics) vary systematically across the gradient. A metric is considered valid when its’ relationship with the gradient provides an ecological interpretation of the environment. Then, the final IBI is elaborated using each valid metric, obtaining a score for each site. Over one year of sampling, 168 bird species were observed, providing 74 different bird candidate metrics to be tested against the disturbance gradient. Seven of them were considered valid:richness of threatened species; richness of species that use both “forest and non-forest” habitats; abundance of endemics, abundance of small understory-midstory insectivores, abundance of exclusively forest species; abundance of non-forest species, and abundance of species that forage exclusively in the midstory stratum. Each metric provided complementary information about the patch’s ecological integrity. The resulting IBI showed a significant linear relationship with the gradient of human disturbance, while total species richness and Shannońs diversity index did not. Application of numerical approaches, such as total species richness and Shannon’s diversity, did not distinguish ecological traits among species. The IBI proved better for assessing and interpreting ecological and environmental condition of small patches in highly disturbed HML. The IBI framework, its multimetric character, and the ease with which it can be adapted to diverse situations, make it an effective approach for assessing environmental conditions in the Atlantic Forest region, and also for many other small forest patches in the tropics.