Diversidad y endemismo de aves en dos fragmentos de bosque de Polylepis besseri en el Parque Nacional Tunari (Cochabamba, Bolivia)

Abstract

BIRD DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM IN TWO FRAGMENTS OF Polylepis besseri FORESTS IN TUNARI NATIONAL PARK (COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA) Se realizo un estudio de la diversidad y endemismo de aves en dos fragmentos de bosque de Polylepis besseri en el Parque Nacional Tunari, para generar informacion cualitativa y cuantitativa de las comunidades de aves en estos fragmentos y priorizar los esfuerzos de conservacion en habitats amenazados. Mediante estudios de vegetacion se discrimino el fragmento mas y menos perturbado (P.7: Km 12 Y San Miguel respectivamente), censandose las aves en cada fragmento para su posterior analisis. La diversidad, abundancia y endemismo de aves fue mayor en San Miguel siendo el fragmento mas grande, con mayor heterogeneidad vegetal y con moderada perturbacion humana que incrementa la diversidad vegetal, fragmentos con estas caracteristicas presentan ademas de las aves tipicas de bosques especies generalistas. Cuando la perturbacion es mas intensa y la fragmentacion es mayor e inclusive si son anadidas plantaciones exoticas dentro o alrededor de un bosque la diversidad y abundancia de aves se ve afectada negativamente (P.7: Km 12). Fragmentos de bosques de Polylepis como San Miguel pueden mantener poblaciones grandes de aves amenazadas o con distribucion restringida. El grado de endemismo es inversamente proporcional al grado de perturbacion humana, es asi que areas con alta perturbacion (P.7: Km 12) pierden especies especialistas de habitat (Oreomanes traser). Pueden existir casos en que especies endemicas se beneficien con la perturbacion humana (Asthenes heterura), pero esto depende de la biologia de cada especie. Para priorizar esfuerzos de conservacion en habitats fragmentados como bosques de Polylepis es importante realizar estudios no solo referidos a la diversidad que mantienen sino tambien al endemismo que protegen. Palabras claves: Diversidad, Endemismo, Bosques de Polylepis, Parque Nacional Tunari, Cochabamba, Bolivia ABSTRACT Bird diversity and endemism in two Polylepis besseri forest fragments in the Tunari National Park were studied. The purpose of this study was to obtain qualitative and quantitative data about the bird communities in these two forest fragments in order to prioritize conservation activities in this kind of habitat. More disturbed (P.7: km 12) and less disturbed (San MigueQ forest fragments were identified through vegetation studies. Quantitative and qualitative bird censuses were done in each fragment.Bird diversity, abundance, and endemism were greater in San Miguel because it was the bigger forest fragment with more plant heterogeneity and moderate human intervention. In San Miguel, higher plant diversity and the presence of forest bird species and more generalist species were observed. It was found that Polylepis fragments, such as San Miguel, can support large populations of small ranged or threatened birds. However, when disturbance and fragmentation are high and in the presence of exotic plant cultivation inside or around the forest, bird diversity and abundance is negatively affected (P.7: km 12). As endemism is inverse proportional to human disturbance, afeas with intensive disturbance (P. 7: km 12) mar loose specialists such as Oreomanes fraseri. However, depending on the needs of each species, in some cases, endemic species can benefit from anthropogenic disturbance (Asthenes heterura). To prioritize conservation efforts in fragmented habitats like Polylepis forests it is important to further study endemism and not only diversity Keywords: Diversity endemism, Polylepis forests, Tunari National Park, Cochabamba, Bolivia.