CONSPICUOUS ROADSIDE AVIFAUNA’S SEASONAL VARIATION IN ECOTONE AND WETLAND ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN THE PANTANAL’S AQUIDAUANA REGION

Abstract ∙ Transport by road is the main mechanism for integrating Brazil, but roads are drivers of land cover conversion, fragmentation, and direct mortality by wildlife-vehicle collisions. In Aquidauana, BR419 and MS170 are important unpaved roads into the rural Pantanal region, and improvement and paving has been planned for BR419, which may increase risks to local avifauna. The aim of this study was to assess the species composition and richness of conspicuous avifauna (defined as being easily quantifiable using roadside surveys), and their spatial and seasonal variation among two important roadways. One of the surveyed roadways accessing rural areas of the Aquidauana region of the Pantanal was scheduled for improvement and paving. Transects of 73 km long were sampled along both highways, six samples along each transect between February and May 2012, for a full sample effort of 103:06 hours. A total of 6888 individuals from 33 families and 93 species were observed in the transects combined, and 83 species were identified in each transect. Jaccard Similarity Index was 0.79, and we found a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) among the bird communities between the highways. Species associated with freshwater environments were more abundant along and indicator species of MS170. That avifauna along MS170 varied temporally and species richness was strongly correlated with river discharge, while the same was not true with BR419. Species particularly vulnerable to wildlife-vehicle collisions, e.g., vultures (Coragyps atratus, C. aura) and Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus), were abundant along BR419. While mitigation measures for mammals, reptiles, and amphibians are common and effective, the vertical movement of most birds into the roadway presents a different challenge for which a technical solution may not currently exist. To protect species observed along the currently unpaved roadways of Pantanal’s Aquidauana region, following road improvement, speed limits should be calibrated to facilitate safe transportation for drivers and the continued existence of wild species. Resumo · Espécies de pássaros conspicuentes variação sazonal em ambientes de ecotone e pântano na região Aquidauana do Pantanal O transporte rodoviário é o principal mecanismo de integração do Brasil, mas as estradas são propulsoras da conversão, fragmentação e mortalidade direta da cobertura vegetal por colisões de veículos silvestres. Em Aquidauana, a BR419 e a MS170 são importantes estradas não pavimentadas para a região rural do Pantanal, melhorias e pavimentação foram planejadas para a BR419, o que pode aumentar os riscos para a avifauna local. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a composição de espécies e a riqueza da avifauna conspícua (definido como sendo facilmente quantificável usando levantamentos de beira de estrada) e sua variação espacial e sazonal entre duas estradas importantes. Uma das estradas pesquisadas acessando áreas rurais da região de Aquidauana do Pantanal foi programada para melhorias e pavimentação. Transectos de 73 km de extensão foram amostrados ao longo das duas rodovias, seis amostras ao longo de cada transecto entre fevereiro e maio de 2012, para um esforço amostral completo de 103:06 horas. Um total de 6888 indivíduos de 33 famílias e 93 espécies foram observados nos transectos combinados, e 83 espécies foram identificadas em cada transecto. Índice de Similaridade de Jaccard foi de 0,79, e encontramos uma diferença estatisticamente significativa (P < 0,05) entre as comunidades de aves entre as rodovias. Espécies associadas a ambientes de água doce foram mais abundantes e espécies indicadoras da MS170. Essa avifauna ao longo da MS170 variou temporalmente e a riqueza de espécies foi fortemente correlacionada com a descarga do rio, enquanto o mesmo não ocorreu com a BR419. Espécies particularmente vulneráveis a colisões de veículos silvestres , por exemplo, abutres (Coragyps atratus, C. aura) e Caracará (Caracara plancus), foram abundantes ao longo da BR419. Embora as medidas de mitigação para mamíferos, répteis e anfíbios sejam comuns e eficazes, o movimento vertical da maioria das aves na pista apresenta um desafio diferente para o qual uma solução técnica pode não existir atualmente. Para proteger as espécies observadas ao longo das estradas atualmente não pavimentadas da região de Aquidauana, no Pantanal, seguindo a melhoria das estradas, os limites de velocidade devem ser calibrados para facilitar o transporte seguro dos motoristas e a existência contínua de espécies silvestres

Beyond pre-Columbian burning: the impact of firewood collection on forest fuel loads

Government agencies in the United States adopted a prescribed burning policy based in part on paleo-environmental evidence of pre-Columbian Native American burning regimes. However, biomass collection by Native Americans in the pre-Columbian era left little direct or indirect evidence of its magnitude or influence on fire regimes. In many developing countries, local peoples harvest biomass for shelter, tool production, cooking, and heating, and often manage forests communally. The objective was to use modern proxy biomass collection estimates analogous to pre-Columbian era practices in the western US to estimate the potential impacts of regionwide firewood collection on fuel loads in the Sierra Nevada range of California. A minimum of 59% of the forested area of the Sierra Nevada range could have been completely stripped of 100 hr (2.54-7.62 cm diameter) surface fuel accumulation each year in the pre-Columbian era, but upper estimates suggest Native American fuelwood requirements may have exceeded the amount of 100 hr surface fuels accumulated over the entire range each year. The collection and removal of the fuels from the surface fuel loads may have contributed to reduced fire severities over that era. Dead wood collection in Nepal and India was found to reduce the threat of forest fires. Including the effects of cultural practices on fuel loads may improve reconstructions of past fuel and fire regimes, and may benefit modern management strategies.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author