Actions for sustainable land use: from bird functional diversity to their ecosystem services

• Grant number: 24/15667-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Augusto João Piratelli
• Grantee: Enzo Coletti Manzoli
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias para a Sustentabilidade (CCTS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10195-0 - Contribution of payment for ecosystem services on multi-dimensions within Atlantic Forest, AP.TEM

Abstract

Bird diversity has been continually affected by changes in land use and the expansion of the agricultural frontier. With this in mind we want to assess how payment for ecosystem services has affected the preservation of functional diversity and ecosystem services. Our hypotheses are that different functional groups of birds will respond negatively to monoculture regions but will be functionally similar in areas of native forest and agroforestry. Furthermore, the risk of predation will be greater and foliar herbivory will be lower in native forest regions, followed by agroforests and monocultures. In this way, the doctoral project aims to fill knowledge gaps at the state level through a collaborative research network. It investigates whether the support of state-level actions impacts the functional diversity of agricultural areas within the Atlantic Forest Connection project and the intensity of ecosystem services provided by insectivorous birds. Additionally, it addresses gaps in the analysis of environmental governance systems, natural resource management, and associated conflicts, also connecting to research gaps in biodiversity and ecosystem services aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).