BIRD LIFE IN AGRICULTURAL-LIVESTOCK AND REGENERATION AREAS IN TIZIMIN, YUCATÁN, MÉXICO

Abstract

The impact of deforestation and fragmentation of the vegetation in ecological reserves is associated with the deterioration and loss of habitat of many species of wild fauna, and birds are the main indicators of the ecosystem’s health. A study was carried out to understand the effect of habitat fragmentation from agricultural and livestock activities on the abundance and wealth of wild birds in the locality of Dzonot Carretero, in Tizimín, Yucatán, México, a buffering zone within the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. Two linear transects were traced, of 2 km for acahual (secondary vegetation) with forest remnants and 1 km for maize (Zea mays L.) with continuous cultivation cycles and pasture of 10 years of implementation, and two years of abandonment. Observations of the bird life were performed with the methodology of optical data, and they were analyzed with a T-test, using Statistica v7.1, and the Shanon-Wienner (H) diversity index was calculated with the Past v3.14 software. The number of individuals found was 695, from 71 species; the most abundant were Cyanocorax yucatanicus, Dives dives and Passer domesticus, with 13.7, 12.4 and 8.8%, respectively. The highest diversity was observed in acahual 1 (3.318), followed by pasture (3.048), acahual 2 (3.009) and maize areas (2.672). These results suggest that reconversion sites such as acahual and pasture with two years of abandonment provide conditions for the permanence of birds, and maize areas because they are traditional, do not exert enough pressure to displace the totality of the birds.