Perspectives and challenges on isotopic ecology of terrestrial birds in Brazil

Author(s)

Ana Beatriz Navarro ^[1] ; Marcelo Magioli ; Marcelo Zacharias Moreira ^[3] ; Luís Fábio Silveira ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Museu de Zoologia. Seção de Aves - Brasil

^[3] Universidade de São Paulo. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura. Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica - Brasil

^[4] Universidade de São Paulo. Museu de Zoologia. Seção de Aves - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zoologia; v. 39, 2022-05-16.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although stable isotopes have been increasingly used in ornithology since 1980 in many places, Brazil has been slow in adopting this methodology, especially when it comes to terrestrial birds. The most common elements in bird ecology studies are carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen stable isotopes, which provide information on diet, trophic interactions, habitat use, migration, geographic patterns, and physiology. It is important that Brazilian ornithologists become aware of the potential of stable isotope analysis in ecological studies, and the shortcomings of this tool. The use of stable isotopes to study bird ecology has great potential in Brazil, since many ecological questions about Neotropical birds can be addressed by it (e.g., resource and habitat use, migratory routes, isotopic niches, anthropogenic impacts, individual specialization). Brazilian museums and other Natural History collections can provide samples to study long-term temporal dynamics in bird ecology. Additionally, the integration of avian tissue sample information into a database may increase the collaboration among researchers and promote sample reuse in a variety of studies. All biomes in Brazil have been under pressure from anthropogenic impacts (e.g., land-use change, habitat loss, fragmentation, intensive agriculture), affecting several taxa, including terrestrial birds. Considering the negative effects of human expansion over natural areas and that stable isotopes provide useful ecological information, ornithologists in Brazil should increase their use of this tool in the future. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/07619-0 - Past, present and future of habitat use and diet of birds in the face of anthropogenic impacts in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz Navarro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/23548-2 - Evaluation, recovering and conservation of endangered animal species from the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism
• Grantee: Luís Fábio Silveira
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants