A avifauna da lagoa do horto florestal, Região Amazônica, Zé Doca, Maranhão, Brasil

Abstract

Urban ponds are permanent or temporary wetlands located close to civilization. They play an extremely important role for local avifauna, as they serve as places to rest, feed, reproduce and as migration routes. The general aim of this study was to assess the structure and temporal dynamics of wetland-dependent and non-wetland-dependent avifauna in the Horto Florestal Lagoon. The study area is located in Lagoa do Horto Florestal, in the municipality of Zé Doca, Maranhão, Brazil. Field data was collected between June 2023 and May 2024 using four fixed counting points, three times a month. Each point was sampled for 20 minutes. 92 species of birds were recorded, belonging to 15 orders and 32 families, with 26 species categorized as wetland-dependent and 66 non-dependent. The majority belonged to the non-Passeriformes (N = 51), followed by the Passeriformes (N = 41). The most representative families were Tyrannidae with fifteen species, Thraupidae with nine and Ardeidae with seven. The most abundant wetland-dependent birds were Myiozetetes cayanensis (N = 3.38), Jacana jacana (N = 3.11) and Chloroceryle amazona (N = 2.27), with four seasonal visitors from the Northern Hemisphere standing out in this group, namely: Calidris minutilla, Tringa solitaria, Tringa melanoleuca and Tringa flavipes. For the non-dependent species, the highest abundance was for Pitangus sulphuratus (N = 10.35), Thraupis palmarum (N = 9.19) and Columbina squammata (N = 4.32). Only Picumnus pygmaeus and Furnarius figulus are endemic to Brazil and no species is threatened with extinction. It was observed that, during the dry and flood seasons, birds not dependent on wetlands showed greater similarity than dependent birds. In addition, there was a slight trend towards greater richness and abundance of dependent and nondependent species during the rainy season; however, no statistically significant differences were observed, nor were richness and abundance correlated with temperature and rainfall. Although overall richness and abundance were not related to the variables drought, flood, temperature and rainfall, some species, in isolation, had their populations influenced by these characteristics, such as: Aramus guarauna, Tigrisoma lineatum, Butorides striata, Pteroglossus aracari, Picumnus pygmaeus, Forpus xanthopterygius, Psittacara leucophthalmus, Taraba major, Todirostrum cinereum, Phaeomyias murina, Myiozetetes cayanensis, Empidonomus varius, Turdus leucomelas and Volatinia jacarina, indicating that these species possibly have a close relationship with these variables, as the different rainfall and temperature regimes, as well as the different seasons, can influence the amount of resources available. We conclude that the Horto Florestal Lagoon is an area of great importance for the maintenance of local avifauna, as 10 it provides essential resources in the midst of an anthropized area, enabling the survival of several species, both resident and migratory