Hotspots and hotmoments of wildlife roadkills along a main highway in a high biodiversity area in Brazilian Amazonia / Hotspots e hotmoments de atropelamentos de animais silvestres ao longo de uma rodovia em uma área de alta biodiversidade na Amazônia brasileira

Wildlife roadkills have become a concern in the Amazon biome due to the opening of major roads in recent decades. In this study, we aimed to describe wildlife roadkills in a 100-km stretch of the BR-163 highway, in western Pará state, determining which vertebrate groups are most affected and whether there are spatial (hotspots) and temporal (hotmoments) aggregations of roadkills. From July 2019 to June 2020, we carried out 25 surveys at 15-day intervals, from a vehicle at a maximum speed of 40 km h-1. We recorded 351 individuals at an observed rate of 0.14 ind km-1 day-1. Despite their lower detectability and faster carcass removal rate from the road due to small size, most recorded roadkills were amphibians (0.066 ind km-1 day-1). We mapped several hotspots along the study stretch considering the total number of animals recorded, and separately for amphibians and reptiles. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the number of roadkills of all vertebrates, amphibians and reptiles recorded are influenced by temperature and precipitation. Information on places with the highest incidence of roadkills can support actions such as the installation of underpasses and fences, aimed at reducing the impacts on wild vertebrates of this Amazonian highway.(AU)

Atropelamentos de fauna silvestre tornaram-se preocupantes no bioma amazônico devido à abertura de grandes rodovias nas últimas décadas. Neste estudo objetivamos caracterizar a fauna silvestre atropelada em um trecho de 100 km da rodovia BR-163, no oeste do estado do Pará, determinando quais grupos de vertebrados são mais afetados e se há agregações espaciais (hotspots) e temporais (hotmoments) de atropelamentos. De julho 2019 a junho 2020 realizamos 25 amostragens a intervalos de 15 dias, a partir de um veículo a uma velocidade máxima de 40 km h-1. Registramos 351 indivíduos a uma taxa observada de 0.14 ind km-1 dia-1. Apesar de sua menor detectabilidade e taxa de remoção mais acelerada da rodovia devido ao seu pequeno porte, a maioria dos atropelamentos foi de anfíbios (0.066 ind km-1 dia-1). Mapeamos diversos hotspots ao longo do trecho estudado considerando o número total de animais registrados, e, separadamente, para anfíbios e répteis. Análise de regressão linear múltipla indicou que o número total de registros de vertebrados atropelados, e o de anfíbios e répteis é influenciado por temperatura e precipitação. Informação sobre locais com maior incidência de atropelamentos pode subsidiar ações como a instalação de estruturas de passagem de fauna e cercas de proteção, visando a diminuição dos impactos sobre vertebrados silvestres desta rodovia amazônica.(AU)

Checklist of the birds of Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil: diversity and conservation

Several phytogeographic regions (Cerrado, Pantanal, Atlantic Forest, Gran Chaco, and Chiquitano Dry Forests) converge in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and influence regional biodiversity. Despite a list of birds in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul being published by Nunes et al. (2017), it is necessary to update and critically review avifauna records. In this study, we gathered the results of several records obtained from species lists and online data platforms of the 336 sites in this state over the last decades and grouped them into Main (Primary and Secondary) and Tertiary Lists. The avifauna of Mato Grosso do Sul is composed of 678 species, of which 643 (95%) have records proving their occurrence (Primary List), whereas 34 still lack documentation (Secondary List). The number of related species for Mato Grosso do Sul represents 34% of the Brazilian avifauna. Some species stand out for their unique occurrence in Mato Grosso do Sul, such as Melanerpes cactorum, Celeus lugubris, Phaethornis subochraceus, and Cantorchilus guarayanus, reflecting the influence of different phytogeographic regions of the Chaco and Chiquitano Dry Forests. Migrants represent 20% of the bird community occurring in the state, of which 93 species correspond to migrants from various regions of South America (south and west) and 40 to boreal migrants. Thirty-three species perform nomadic movements across the Pantanal Plain and other regions of the state. Thirty-one species are included in some conservation-threatened categories of global and/or national endangered species lists. Other 30 species are included in the near-threatened category at the global level and 23 at the national level. In addition, species typical of dry forests (in Serra da Bodoquena and Maciço do Urucum) and those from the Atlantic Forest in the south of the state deserve attention due to their restricted distribution and the high anthropogenic pressure on their habitat.(AU)

Nestling development and data on nests and eggs of Topaza pella (Aves, Trochilidae) in Amapá state, northern Brazil / Desenvolvimento de filhotes e dados de ninhos e ovos de Topaza pella (Aves, Trochilidae) no Amapá, norte do Brasil

The Crimson Topaz, Topaza pella, is the least known of the two hummingbird species of this exclusively Amazonian trochilid genus, that also includes T. pyra. Most available information on T. pella nests, young and reproductive behavior is based on anecdotal observations from Guyana in the 1930s and 1950s. Here, we provide new data on nest description, eggs and parental care of T. pella, and the growth and development of two nestlings over a 22-day period. We studied four nests in areas of dense terra firme forest in the state of Amapá, Brazil. All nests were in forked branches of shrubs over water bodies, and had a cup-like form. One nest contained two elongated white eggs, and another, two nestlings, which had their development recorded until they left the nest.(AU)

O beija-flor-brilho-de-fogo, Topaza pella é o menos conhecido das duas espécies de beija-flor desse gênero exclusivamente amazônico, que também inclui T. pyra. A maioria das informações disponíveis sobre ninhos, jovens e comportamento reprodutivo de T. pella é anedótica, a partir de observações na Guiana nas décadas de 1930 e 1950. Nós fornecemos novos dados, descrevendo o ninho, ovos, cuidado parental e o desenvolvimento de dois filhotes de T. pella ao longo de 22 dias. Estudamos quatro ninhos encontrados em áreas de floresta densa de terra firme no estado do Amapá, Brasil. Todos os ninhos estavam em galhos bifurcados, inclinados verticalmente sobre corpos dágua e apresentaram formato de cesto baixo. Em um dos ninhos registramos dois ovos alongados de cor branca e, em outro, encontramos dois filhotes, que tiveram seu desenvolvimento registrado até deixarem o ninho.(AU)

Richness, abundance and microhabitat use by Ardeidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) during one seasonal cycle in the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River

The Amazon floodplains become periodically submerged as result of seasonal changes in the water levels throughout the year. These changes influence the availability of microhabitats and consequently the abundance of organisms in these ecosystems. In this study we investigated 1) how changes in the water level affect the richness and abundance of ardeid birds in the lowland floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River, and 2) the microhabitats used by these birds throughout the seasonal cycle. Ten lakes were surveyed at each of the four phases of the seasonal cycle. In total, 3,280 individuals of 11 species were recorded. Of these, eight species occurred in the four phases, and three were observed in one or two phases. In the analysis including the entire family, there were more individuals in the phase with waters at lowest level and less in the phase that the water level was lowering. Many species were present throughout the seasonal cycle, suggesting that they might be resident species. However, their abundance varied throughut the cycle, suggesting that parts of their populations temporarily migrate elsewhere. The microhabitat that was most commonly used by most species at all phases of the seasonal cycle, with the excetions noted below, was aquatic macrophytes, suggesting that ardeid birds have a strong preperence for this kind of habitat. Three species - Egretta caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758), Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758) and Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) - preferred other microhabitats at some phase of their seasonal cycle. The present study shows that the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River are richer in ardeid bird species than other areas of the Amazon biome and other biomes in Brazil. The fact that we found rare species in our study and that they depend on aquatic macrophytes demonstrates the importance of conserving the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River.

Richness, abundance and microhabitat use by Ardeidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) during one seasonal cycle in the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River

The Amazon floodplains become periodically submerged as result of seasonal changes in the water levels throughout the year. These changes influence the availability of microhabitats and consequently the abundance of organisms in these ecosystems. In this study we investigated 1) how changes in the water level affect the richness and abundance of ardeid birds in the lowland floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River, and 2) the microhabitats used by these birds throughout the seasonal cycle. Ten lakes were surveyed at each of the four phases of the seasonal cycle. In total, 3,280 individuals of 11 species were recorded. Of these, eight species occurred in the four phases, and three were observed in one or two phases. In the analysis including the entire family, there were more individuals in the phase with waters at lowest level and less in the phase that the water level was lowering. Many species were present throughout the seasonal cycle, suggesting that they might be resident species. However, their abundance varied throughut the cycle, suggesting that parts of their populations temporarily migrate elsewhere. The microhabitat that was most commonly used by most species at all phases of the seasonal cycle, with the excetions noted below, was aquatic macrophytes, suggesting that ardeid birds have a strong preperence for this kind of habitat. Three species - Egretta caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758), Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758) and Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) - preferred other microhabitats at some phase of their seasonal cycle. The present study shows that the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River are richer in ardeid bird species than other areas of the Amazon biome and other biomes in Brazil. The fact that we found rare species in our study and that they depend on aquatic macrophytes demonstrates the importance of conserving the floodplain lakes of the lower Amazon River.(AU)