Birds of the Atlantic Rainforest: species richness, composition, endemism and knowledge gaps

• Grant number: 11/17032-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Luís Fábio Silveira
• Grantee: Luciano Moreira Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest is considered one of the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems of the planet. It's phytogeographic complexity long hindered a more precise definition of the biome limits and, therefore, an accurate measuring of the richness and composition of it's biodiversity. Birds stand out as the most numerous group of vertebrates in the Atlantic Forest. However, is surprising the lack of consensus on the species richness and composition of the biome avifauna given by different authors, which range between 620 and 1023 species. This situation affects the identification of which birds are endemic to the Atlantic Forest and the knowledge of their distribution. In addition, a reasonable part of the biome still represents gaps of ornithological knowledge, it's a priority action to point out this areas since many of them are at imminent risk of disappearing before they can be explored scientifically. Within this context, it is clear the need for an initiative that seeks to gather and analyze in an integrated manner the information about the Atlantic Forest birds dispersed in different sources of information. The objective of this project is to review the current state of knowledge of the avifauna of the Atlantic Rainforest, define it's species richness and composition, review the geographic distribution of endemic taxa and identify areas of ornithological knowledge gaps within its domains.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

LIMA, Luciano Moreira. Birds of the Atlantic Forest: richness, status,composition, endemism, and conservation. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.