Spatial conservation planning framework for assessing conservation opportunities in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Abstract

Historic rates of habitat change and growing exploitation of natural resources threaten avian biodiversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot. We implemented a twostage framework for conservation planning in the Atlantic Forest. First, we used ecological niche modeling to predict the distributions of 23 endemic bird species using 19 climatic metrics and 12 spectral and radar remote sensing metrics. Second, we utilized the principle of complementarity to prioritize new sites to augment the Atlantic Forest's existing reserves. The best predictors of bird distributions were precipitation metrics (the seasonality of rainfall) and radar remote sensing metrics (QSCAT). The existing protected areas do not include 10% of the habitat of each of the 23 endemic species. We propose a more economical set of protected areas by reducing the extent to which new sites duplicate the biodiversity content of existing protected areas. There is a high concordance between the proposed conservation areas that we designed using computerized algorithms and Important Bird Areas prioritized by BirdLife International. Insofar as deforestation in the Atlantic Forest is similar to land conversion in other biodiversity hotspots, our methodology is applicable to conservation efforts elsewhere in the world.

Distribution and conservation of three important bird groups of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil

“…This sector is covered by five vegetation type: open ombrophilous forest, dense ombrophilous forest, ecological tension zone, seasonal semideciduous forest and pioneer formation (IBGE, 2004) (Figure 1). The altitude reaches more than 900 m; the average temperature ranges from 24 to 26 °C, and the average annual rainfall is of 1,1180 mm, with the rains being more consistent in the west and in the highlands (IBGE, 1985).…”

“…Currently there are only 157 protected areas in the region (Paula, 2012), and probably many of these are not functional for conservation of endemic and/or threatened birds, as noted by Giorgi et al (2014) in southeastern Atlantic Forest. There are also the Important Bird Areas (IBA henceforth) which are places of great importance due to the significant number of endemic and/or threatened bird species, and they ensure the long-term conservation of these birds and areas (Bencke et al, 2006).…”

“…Thus to evaluate the application of biogeographic principles related to the dynamics of avian distribution is an extremely useful tool in conservation planning (Whittaker et al, 2005;Giorgi et al, 2014).…”

Distribution, threats and conservation of the White-collared Kite (Leptodon forbesi, Accipitridae), the most threatened raptor in the Neotropics

“…Here we use Ecological Niche Models (ENM henceforth) to evaluate the environmental variables influencing L. forbesi distribution and the extent of the areas climatically suitable for the species. Information on habitat suitability presented here has the potential to inform future conservation actions for the maintenance of L. forbesi preferential habitat (see Thorn et al, 2008;Marco-Júnior & Siqueira, 2009;Wu et al, 2012;Giorgi et al, 2014).…”

Four decades after Belton: a review of records and evidences on the avifauna of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

“…Both birding and (especially) wildlife photography are fast-growing activities that have gained many enthusiasts in Brazil through the development of digital databases (e.g., WikiAves), specific events (e.g., Avistar and Festival Brasileiro de Aves Migratórias), and specialized magazines (e.g., Passarinhando and Uru). Besides being powerful tools for environmental education (Farias, 2007), these hobbies have great potential for generating large volumes of useful data (see Dickinson et al, 2010), for example, by nourishing national databases of bird records, which are key for spatial and temporal analysis, as well as for careful conservation planning (Giorgi et al, 2014;Lees & Martin, 2014;Pegas & Castley, 2014;Callaghan & Gawlik, 2015). Continuing Belton's legacy, and now making broad use of public-access databases nourished by both amateur and professional birders, we provide here the fifth update of the checklist of the birds of RGS.…”