Forest cover and environmental type shape functional diversity of
insectivorous birds within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Abstract
Arthropod-eating birds comprise a diverse group with varying degrees of
sensitivity to environmental changes and distinct responses to habitat
degradation. In our study, we investigated the impact of landscape and
habitat characteristics on the functional diversity of insectivorous
birds in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Our hypotheses are focused on
(I) how species composition and functional diversity respond to habitat
turnover and nestedness and (II) whether an increase in native forest
cover positively influences bird species richness and functional
diversity. Our research encompasses 22 different landscapes within the
Cantareira-Mantiqueira region, southeastern Brazil, including native
forests, pastures, and marshes, within 1 km radius buffers. To assess
functional diversity, we employed beta pair and beta multi-function
indices for each environment type. Generalized mixed linear models were
calculated to examine the effects of the native forest cover gradient
and environment type on functional diversity. Our findings indicated
negative effects of increased native forest cover on functional
diversity indices. Bird communities were susceptibility to turnover in
pasturelands, to nestedness in marshes, and both species nestedness and
turnover in native forests. These results may be partially due to the
predominantly second-growth, small-sized, and early successional stages
of the native forest fragments in the region. These findings underscore
the intricate interplay between landscape characteristics, habitat
types, and bird functional diversity within the Brazilian Atlantic
Forest. They also highlight the significance of considering habitat
quality and succession stages in conservation efforts in this region.