Bird assemblage structure in the Desert Puna in areas with different disturbance activity of a subterranean herbivorous rodent
Herbivorous subterranean rodents, such as Ctenomys mendocinus (tuco-tuco), have a significant impact on vegetation cover and composition. This study aimed to examine the indirect influence of tuco-tucos on bird populations and assemblages in the southernmost region of the desert Puna. In a shrub-st...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Pirineos: Revista de Ecología de Montaña |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pirineos.revistas.csic.es/index.php/pirineos/article/view/349 |
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| Summary: | Herbivorous subterranean rodents, such as Ctenomys mendocinus (tuco-tuco), have a significant impact on vegetation cover and composition. This study aimed to examine the indirect influence of tuco-tucos on bird populations and assemblages in the southernmost region of the desert Puna. In a shrub-steppe community, at an altitude of between 3,000 and 3,100 m.a.s.l., bird surveys were conducted from February 2001 to October 2004. Transects of 50 m in length and 40 m in width were established: 56 located in highly disturbed patches and 53 in patches with low disturbance by tuco-tucos. Our results show that areas with higher disturbance by tuco-tucos are associated with a decrease in bird abundance (93 individuals in disturbed areas vs. 226 in undisturbed areas) and lower species richness (6 species in disturbed areas vs. 11 in undisturbed areas).
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| ISSN: | 0373-2568 1988-4281 |