Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética

Grasslands bird and biodiversity conservation aligned with livestock production. The Southern Cone Grasslands comprise one of the richest grazing and agricultural areas in the world, and consequently have been heavily altered by livestock and crop production, such that the natural features of the landscape have substantially changed. Currently, habitat loss through afforestation, agriculture and grazing are the main threats to the birds of this biome. A total of 480 bird species occur in the grasslands of Rio Grande do Sul, including several globally threatened species such as Saffron-cowled Blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus), Marsh Seedeater (Sporophila palustris), Chestnut Seedeater (Sporophila cinnamomea) and Black-and-white Monjita (Xolmis dominicanus). The few protected areas created in the Southern Cone Grasslands lack effective implementation and management. The poor state of the protected areas system, plus the ever increasing threats across the landscape, lead to an urgent need for a grassland conservation plan to be developed with the productive sector. In 2004, the four BirdLife International Partners who share the Southern Cone Grasslands created the Alianza del Pastizal. This innovative initiative aims to improve ecosystem management in priority grasslands areas through sustainable and low-impact uses that maintain and enhance the biodiversity value of the grasslands ecosystems, and improve the economic and social development of landowners and rural communities. In 2007, the Alianza undertook a pilot survey in three different Apropampa ranches in the Bagé and Lavras do Sul regions of Rio Grande do Sul to obtain a preliminary understanding of how the current cattle-raising techniques affect the bird and vegetation communities. A total of 144 species of birds were recorded in the three properties, including five globally threatened species. The vegetation surveys found a total of 106 native grasses and herbs in open areas, and an absence of the exotic invasive anonni grass (Eragrotis plana), which combined indicate the high quality of the natural grasslands. Some of the management techniques employed on the ranches led to overgrazing and trampling, jeopardizing the growth of tall grasses, which are important for a number of bird species. In addition, cattle trampling in marshy areas dominated by the sedge (Eryngium pandanifolium) can cause serious damage to the vegetation and consequently habitat modification and loss. In general, the Bagé and Lavras do Sul regions held good quality natural grasslands and important populations of globally and regionally threatened birds. By making a few changes to the current management regimes, ranchers could make a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation in the region.

The only breeding record of Spartonoica maluroides (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) for Brazil is based on the observation of a fledgling in southern Rio Grande do Sul in January 1976. On 7 December 2005 we discovered a nest containing three nestlings at the southeastern end of Lagoa Pequena, municipality of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The nest was concealed at the base of a cavity in a Spartina densiflora (Poaceae) tussock located at the edge of a saltmarsh. The nest was built of fine pieces of dead Scirpus olneyi (Cyperaceae) and S. densiflora leaves firmly interlaced to the internal leaves of the tussock. Live leaves of S. densiflora lining the cavity comprised a substantial part of the nest's architecture, forming most of its upper lateral walls and roof. The lower section was more elaborate, resembling a deep cup and forming a distinct incubation chamber. Adults reached the nest's interior through an irregular apical opening amidst the leaves. The nest was 244 mm high and 140 mm wide. The incubation chamber had an external diameter of 138.5 mm, an internal diameter of 79.4 mm and was 86 mm deep. It was lined with fine leaves and white plant fibers. Nestlings were five to six days old. A total of 107 neossoptiles restricted to the capital, spinal and alar tracts were recorded in one nestling. The distribution of neossoptiles in the ocular region of S. maluroides forms a distinct pattern which can be typical of Furnariidae and related families. Two adults attended the nest, bringing small insects to the nestlings and removing fecal sacs. We recorded at least 74 visits to the nest during a ca. 6 h period during an afternoon. The average number of visits per hour was 12.8 ± 1.3. An adult bird spent on average 0.7 ± 0.56 minutes inside the nest attending nestlings. The nest remained unattended on average for 3.61 ± 3.13 minutes. The hour of the day had no influence on the amount of time spent by an adult in the nest or away from it. We returned to the area on 15 December 2005 and found the nest abandoned. Observations confirm that S. maluroides is a resident breeder in southern Brazil and that the saltmarshes of the Lagoa do Patos estuary are an important year-round habitat for the species. A nestling and the nest were collected to document the record.

We report the first record of the Puna Flamingo Phoenicoparrus jamesi (Sclater, 1886) (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) for the Atlantic coast of South America, based on the observation of a single adult bird on an oceanic beach of São José do Norte municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil, on 30 October 2013. This record is likely attributable to vagrancy and constitutes the first for the Atlantic coast of South America, the second for Brazil and the first for the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Afforestation of temperate grasslands with fast-growing trees for industrial pulpwood production is spreading in South America. Despite high afforestation rates resulting from governmental policies that stimulate pulpwood production in grasslands of southern Brazil and Uruguay, the impact of this activity on biodiversity remains to be properly assessed. We used an Impact-Reference study design to evaluate how grassland afforestation affects the composition of grassland bird assemblages. We sampled eucalyptus plantations and neighboring natural grasslands in southern Brazil from 2006-2009, and relied on nested sampling and analysis to separate the effects of afforestation from the natural variability of grasslands. We recorded a significant difference in composition between assemblages from grasslands and tree plantations. Species adapted to open, treeless areas tended to be negatively affected in relation to edge or forest birds in eucalyptus plantations. Afforestation is systematically replacing the bird assemblage of hilltop grasslands by a collection of common edge and forest species that occur in nearby riverine and hillside forests. Although most grassland birds negatively affected by tree plantations are common and widespread, observed and predicted afforestation rates in southeastern South America may result in regional population reductions in the near future.

We report the first record of the Puna Flamingo Phoenicoparrus jamesi (Sclater, 1886) (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) for the Atlantic coast of South America, based on the observation of a single adult bird on an oceanic beach of São José do Norte municipality, Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil, on 30 October 2013. This record is likely attributable to vagrancy and constitutes the first for the Atlantic coast of South America, the second for Brazil and the first for the state of Rio Grande do Sul.