Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-08-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:26:43Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gabriel_va_dr_rcla.pdf: 1465049 bytes, checksum: adbeba8c57d4586a7bcc4aae32986e9c (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A expansão de plantações florestais tem sido intensificada nos últimos anos, ultrapassando 70.000.000 ha nos trópicos. Eucalyptus é o principal gênero plantado, ocupando 50% das áreas silviculturais. Monoculturas arbóreas e fragmentos de vegetação secundária figurarão entre os principais elementos das paisagens tropicais futuras. Logo, compreender como diversas espécies se comportam diante dessa situação é fundamental quando se objetiva a conservação da biodiversidade. Este trabalho estudou a avifauna em um mosaico composto por talhões de Eucalyptus spp. e alguns de vegetação nativa na Floresta Estadual Edmundo Navarro de Andrade (Rio Claro, SP). Esses talhões possuíam diferentes idades (plantados de 1934 a 1990), extensões (~1-51 ha) e graus de regeneração de vegetação nativa. Os principais objetivos foram caracterizar a avifauna encontrada nesses talhões quanto à riqueza, abundância e composição e compará-las, verificando possíveis associações com a estrutura da vegetação (riqueza, altura, área basal, densidade de plantas, densidade de plantas mortas, cobertura do dossel e densidade vertical nos estratos de 0,0 a 1,0, de 1,1 a 2,0 e de 2,1 a 5,0 m). Para a amostragem de aves foi empregado o método de pontos. No primeiro capítulo, foram amostrados 14 talhões de E. citriodora. Foram registradas 103 espécies de aves, variando de 23 a 55 por talhão. Myiodynastes maculatus, Cyclarhis gujanensis, Amazilia lactea e Megarynchus pitangua mostraram maior plasticidade ambiental, não revelando fortes associações com as variáveis da vegetação. A abundância total foi maior em talhões que apresentavam vegetação mais desenvolvida. Talhões com maior complexidade da vegetação apresentaram maior riqueza e abundância de espécies insetívoras e de dependentes de florestas. A distância entre os talhões de E. citriodora e de vegetação nativa... / The expansion of planted forests is surprisingly fast in the last years, exceeding 70.000.000 ha in the tropics, 50% of which are composed of Eucalyptus spp.. Planted and secondary forests are likely to be dominant features of tropical forest landscapes in the future. Therefore, to understand the use of different species in this situation in basic to the biological conservation. This work investigated the avifauna at a mosaic of Eucalyptus spp. patches in the State Forest Edmundo Navarro de Andrade (Rio Claro, Sâo Paulo, Brazil). These patches (~1-51 ha) were created in different years (1994-1990), presenting different levels of regeneration of the native vegetation. The principal aims were to evaluate the richness, abundance and composition of the bird community associating these parameters to the structure of the vegetation (richness, height, basal area, plant density, dead plant density, canopy cover and vertical density from 0,0 to 1,0, from 1,1 to 2,0 and form 2,1 to 5,0 m). The avifauna was sampled with point counts. In the first chapter, 14 patches of E. citrioddora were studied. It was recorded 103 species, from 23 to 55 per patch. Myiodynastes maculatus, Cyclarhis gujanensis, Amazilia lactea and Megarynchus pitangua were the most habitat generalist species. These species were not associated to any vegetation parameter. The abundance was greater in patches with more developed vegetation. Patches with high vegetation complexity had greater richness and abundance of insectivorous and forest dependent species. The distance between E. citriodora and native vegetation patches influenced negatively the richness and abundance of forest dependent species. In chapter 2, in addition to the 14 E. citriodora patches, four E. microcorys and three native vegetation patches were included in the analyses. It was recorded 115 species. On average, there were 47, 35 and 24 species in the patches... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Concern over recent declines in many wetland-dependent bird species has led to a need to monitor marsh bird populations in response to anthropogenic activities. I conducted point counts and vegetation surveys at 26 coastal wetlands in the Laurentian Great Lakes Region of Canada from 2006-2008 to determine 1) effective methods to monitor marsh birds, and 2) the impacts of land use surrounding coastal wetlands on marsh bird communities. The first part of this dissertation showed that call-broadcasts are effective tools for monitoring marsh birds and that point counts for marsh birds should be conducted from both the shoreline and from the interior of large marshes. Because of the species-area relationship for wetland birds in southern Ontario, sampling effort should increase proportionally with wetland area to attempt the detection of all species present. In the second part of this thesis, I showed that marsh obligate-nesters preferred wetlands in rural areas as opposed to urban areas, while generalist marsh-nesting species showed no apparent difference in use. The Index of Marsh Bird Community Integrity (IMBCI), a biological index used to indicate wetland health, was significantly higher in rural than in urban marshes. Marsh isolation was also an important factor in predicting the marsh bird community, with more isolated wetlands containing fewer obligate species and associated with a lower IMBCI value. Wetlands of Georgian Bay were found to have quite different bird and plant communities than wetlands of Lake Ontario. Even though wetlands of Lake Ontario were considerably more degraded than those in Georgian Bay (according to land use alteration and degree of water quality impairment), these two regions produced similar IMBCI scores, and this draws into question the applicability of some indicators on a basin-wide scale. The results of this thesis indicate how survey protocols in existing wetland bird monitoring programs should be modified and support current literature that urbanization negatively affects the marsh bird community. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The diploma thesis deals with the influence of the stated environmental factors on the composition of bird communities and density of particular bird species in selected wetlands of northeastern Bohemia. Then it studies influence of these factors on birds' diversity and proportion of specially protected species according to the Czech law (the Act No. 114/1992 Coll.). Lastly, it points out the use of these results in practical nature conservation. In the introductory comment of the thesis there is described the character of the study area and subsequently opportunities for implementation of the study results in conservation of study localities that will lead to increase of habitats quality for wetland bird communities. Detailed optimization of habitat conditions is suggested for the locality Sedmihorské slatiny that's establishment as a natural monument is prepared.

A Mata Atlântica foi devastada desde o início da colonização, permanecendo hoje com cerca de 7% de sua cobertura original. Região biogeográfica de extrema importância para aves e outros táxons, abrigando elevado número de espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas de extinção, foi considerada bioma prioritário para conservação e constitui a segunda floresta mais ameaçada do planeta. Classe especialmente popular no estudo de comunidades, as aves constituem-se em um excelente indicador ecológico. O presente trabalho foi realizado no Núcleo Cubatão do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, uma das áreas mais importantes de Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi caracterizar a comunidade de aves e avaliar o estágio de conservação da área. Seus objetivos específicos foram descrever a composição e as estruturas espacial, social e alimentar da comunidade de aves; verificar a importância ecológica da área com base na presença de espécies endêmicas e/ou ameaçadas de extinção; avaliar as condições de conservação deste ambiente com base na composição específica de espécies e comparar a avifauna desta área de Mata Atlântica com a de outros remanescentes presentes na região. O levantamento da avifauna foi realizado em área de encosta localizada às margens de uma estrada de serviço pertencente ao Sistema Anchieta-Imigrantes, atualmente sob administração da Ecovias, através de quatro trajetos de 1000m, dois no interior da mata e dois em sua borda. A identificação foi feita visualmente, com auxílio de binóculo e através de vocalizações. Foram registradas em fichas de campo todas as espécies identificadas com segurança, anotando-se a quantidade de indivíduos, posição no estrato, padrão social da espécie e hábitat, parâmetros que foram utilizados para caracterizar a estrutura da comunidade observada na área. A abundância de cada espécie foi expressa em indivíduos por 100 horas de observação; índices de diversidade de Shannon-Weaver e de similaridade de Sorensen foram calculados. Foram registradas 168 espécies de aves em 294 horas de observação. Houve predominância de espécies habitantes de interior florestal e que ocupam sub-bosque e dossel da mata. Insetívoros e frugívoros possuem a maior representatividade entre as guildas alimentares. O padrão social solitário foi registrado com maior freqüência entre os insetívoros e bandos mistos são constituídos principalmente por espécies frugívoras. A presença de espécies habitantes do epigeu, espécies cinegéticas, espécies altamente sensíveis a distúrbios ambientais, espécies características de florestas conservadas, espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas de extinção e espécies das famílias Dendrocolaptidae, Furnariidae, Formicariidae e Rinocriptidae, assim como a baixa porcentagem de espécies características de ambientes degradados, indicam que o Núcleo Cubatão, apesar de sofrer com atividades antrópicas, ainda está em bom estágio de conservação e mostram que a área de estudo apresenta grande importância para a conservação da Mata Atlântica e sua avifauna. / Atlantic Rainforest, an ecosystem that occupied most of the east coast of Brazil, is a biogeographic region of extreme importance for birds and other groups, which includes great number of endemic and threatened species. It was considered priority for conservation and it is the second most threatened forest of the planet. It has been devastated since the colonization and only 7% of the original forest still remains, almost all concentrated in a mountain range called Serra do Mar. As a class particularity common of communities&#39; studies, birds are an excellent ecological indicator. This research was carried out at Serra do Mar State Park &#150; Cubatao Nucleus, one of the most important areas of Atlantic Rainforest in Sao Paulo State. The general goals of this research were to describe bird community and to value the conservation situation of the area. Its specifics goals were to describe the composition and the spatial, social and feed structure of the bird community; to verify the ecological relevancy based on the presence of endemic and threatened species; to value the conservation situation based on the specific composition of species and to compare the avifauna of this area of Atlantic Rainforest with other regional remains. The bird surveying was realized in a slope section near a road service that belongs to Anchieta-Imigrantes System, under Ecovias administration, thought four transects of 1000m, two inside the forest and two on the edge. The identification was visual with binoculars and thought vocalizations. Field cards were made to register all security identified species and their individual&#39;s numbers, position in the stratum, social patterns and habitat, items used to characterize the avifauna community structure. The species&#39; abundance was demonstrated in individuals by 100 hours of observation and Shannon-Weaver diversity index and Sorensen similarity were calculated. A hundred sixty eight bird species were registered in two hundred ninety four hours of observation. Most of the species were observed inside the forest, occupying the understory and canopy. Insectivorous and frugivorous were the most representative feed habits. The solitary social pattern were the most often observed between insectivorous. Mixed flocks were constituted mainly by frugivorous species. The presence of species that live on the floor, hunted species, high sensitive to environmental disturbances, typical of conserved forests, endemics and threatened species and species of Dendrocolaptidae, Furnariidae, Formicariidae and Rinocriptidae families, as well as low percentage of typical species of degraded areas, indicate that, despite the men activities and vicinity of cities, the degradation situation is not severe and that the slope section studied of the Cubatao Nucleus remains in a good conservation situation and remains essential to Atlantic Rainforest conservation.

in English Mt. Cameroon is a hotspot of diversity and endemism in Africa. Recent research of avian bird communities along the elevational gradient on Mt. Cameroon based on point counts has shown low-elevation plateau of species richness. At the same time, range-restricted montane populations of birds on Mt. Cameroon are unusually abundant if compared to lowland species. I analysed data on community composition, species richness and abundance of birds using an alternative quantitative method - 200 m of understory mist nets erected for three consecutive days across seven elevational plots along the forested gradient of the Mt. Cameroon. First, I looked at the technical limits of this method and confirmed the general opinion that they are better at detecting small birds below 33 g, and that they mostly detected fewer individuals after the first day and always detected fewer new species after the first day of mist-netting. Mist nets detected high proportions of ground-feeding and understory birds and low proportions of birds foraging in higher strata in the lowland forest, which has a scarce understory and a dense canopy. Mist nets recorded similar proportions of birds foraging in all forest strata in the vastly open mid-elevation forest, which has a dense herbaceous understory. They detected higher...

Orientador: Reginaldo José Donatelli / Resumo: Pontos de contagem é um método atrativo para utilização em programas de monitoramento de aves por ser simples e permitir que vários locais sejam amostrados. Contudo, nos estudos realizados em regiões tropicais utilizando-se deste método, os autores utilizam a variável "tempo" de forma diferente para registrar a abundância das aves nos fragmentos florestais. Portanto, os dados obtidos por estes diferentes estudos não podem ser comparados entre si, pois o tempo gasto nos pontos e o tempo total das contagens diferem significativamente, assim como as distâncias percorridas. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de comparar quatro durações de tempos distintas (5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos) para identificar qual destas registra maior riqueza e abundância de aves em fragmentos de florestas tropicais. As amostragens foram realizadas durante 12 meses em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual de 2.180 ha no interior de São Paulo. Um total de 120 minutos de amostragem foi realizado a cada mês para cada tempo distinto, o que exigiu um número diferente de pontos amostrais e uma diferente distância total percorrida na floresta. Com relação à riqueza e abundância, os testes estatísticos evidenciaram que o tempo de cinco minutos apresentou resultados que diferem significativamente dos outros tempos (10’, 15’ e 20’). Além disso, houve uma correlação positiva entre as diferentes distâncias percorridas e a abundância registrada, ou seja, quanto maior a distância percorrida, mai... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Point counts are attractive for use in avian monitoring programs because they are straightforward and allow numerous geographic sites to be sampled. However, in studies conducted with the point count method in tropical regions, authors use the variable "time" differently to record the abundance of birds in forest remnants. Therefore, the data obtained by different studies cannot be compared since the time spent at the points and the total counting time differ significantly, as do the distances traveled. The objective of the present study was to compare four distinct point count times (5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes) to identify which registers relatively greater bird richness and abundance in tropical forest fragments. Samplings were carried out for 12 months in a 2,180 ha fragment of semideciduous forest in the interior of the state of São Paulo. A total of 120 minutes of sampling was carried out each month for each counting time, which required a different number of counting points and a different total distance traveled in the forest. With respect to richness and abundance, the statistical tests showed that five minutes of counting yielded results that were significantly different from those of the other point count times. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between the different distances traveled and the recorded abundance, i.e., the greater the distance traveled, the greater the richness and abundance. One aspect of community ecology that must be considered is that... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Submitted by Raphael Whitacker Gerotti null (raphovisky@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-23T13:48:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Raphael W. - FIM 23.08.2017.pdf: 1154964 bytes, checksum: bbbd1d8b08a0c57ea8f840af0890760b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Monique Sasaki (sayumi_sasaki@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-23T17:30:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gerotti_rw_me_bot.pdf: 1154964 bytes, checksum: bbbd1d8b08a0c57ea8f840af0890760b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-23T17:30:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gerotti_rw_me_bot.pdf: 1154964 bytes, checksum: bbbd1d8b08a0c57ea8f840af0890760b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Pontos de contagem é um método atrativo para utilização em programas de monitoramento de aves por ser simples e permitir que vários locais sejam amostrados. Contudo, nos estudos realizados em regiões tropicais utilizando-se deste método, os autores utilizam a variável "tempo" de forma diferente para registrar a abundância das aves nos fragmentos florestais. Portanto, os dados obtidos por estes diferentes estudos não podem ser comparados entre si, pois o tempo gasto nos pontos e o tempo total das contagens diferem significativamente, assim como as distâncias percorridas. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de comparar quatro durações de tempos distintas (5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos) para identificar qual destas registra maior riqueza e abundância de aves em fragmentos de florestas tropicais. As amostragens foram realizadas durante 12 meses em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual de 2.180 ha no interior de São Paulo. Um total de 120 minutos de amostragem foi realizado a cada mês para cada tempo distinto, o que exigiu um número diferente de pontos amostrais e uma diferente distância total percorrida na floresta. Com relação à riqueza e abundância, os testes estatísticos evidenciaram que o tempo de cinco minutos apresentou resultados que diferem significativamente dos outros tempos (10’, 15’ e 20’). Além disso, houve uma correlação positiva entre as diferentes distâncias percorridas e a abundância registrada, ou seja, quanto maior a distância percorrida, maior a riqueza e abundância registradas. Um aspecto da ecologia da comunidade que deve ser levado em consideração é que as espécies são distribuídas de forma heterogênea em uma floresta, pois diferentes espécies de plantas e diferentes padrões na fisionomia da floresta proporcionam diferentes tipos de micro-hábitats para aves. Quando se utiliza um maior número de pontos de amostragem, espera-se encontrar uma maior heterogeneidade da floresta, portanto, a maior riqueza registrada pela contagem de cinco minutos está associada a um maior número de pontos necessários para isolar a variável tempo. Outro fator importante é a variação encontrada nos valores do Índice Pontual de Abundância amostrados. A menor variação e consequente maior poder estatístico ocorreu na contagem mais curta (5’ minutos), indicando que o tempo é o mais eficiente para atingir os objetivos propostos. É importante ressaltar que este período de tempo exigiu quatro meses a menos para registrar o mesmo número de espécies que as outras contagens. No oitavo mês de amostragem, o tempo de cinco minutos já acumulava 119 espécies, valor maior que a riqueza total obtida com os outros tempos. Portanto, ao utilizar o método de pontos de contagem para analisar a estrutura da comunidade de aves em fragmentos florestais, o melhor resultado foi alcançado com a contagem de cinco minutos. Este tempo provou ser mais eficiente por detectar maior riqueza e abundância com menor esforço amostral, além de aumentar a chance de se registrar novas espécies devido ao maior número de pontos realizados em um maior número de micro-hábitats na floresta. / Point counts are attractive for use in avian monitoring programs because they are straightforward and allow numerous geographic sites to be sampled. However, in studies conducted with the point count method in tropical regions, authors use the variable "time" differently to record the abundance of birds in forest remnants. Therefore, the data obtained by different studies cannot be compared since the time spent at the points and the total counting time differ significantly, as do the distances traveled. The objective of the present study was to compare four distinct point count times (5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes) to identify which registers relatively greater bird richness and abundance in tropical forest fragments. Samplings were carried out for 12 months in a 2,180 ha fragment of semideciduous forest in the interior of the state of São Paulo. A total of 120 minutes of sampling was carried out each month for each counting time, which required a different number of counting points and a different total distance traveled in the forest. With respect to richness and abundance, the statistical tests showed that five minutes of counting yielded results that were significantly different from those of the other point count times. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between the different distances traveled and the recorded abundance, i.e., the greater the distance traveled, the greater the richness and abundance. One aspect of community ecology that must be considered is that species are distributed heterogeneously in a continuous forest because different plant species and different patterns in the terrain of the forest provide different microhabitats for birds. When a greater number of sampling points is used, greater forest heterogeneity is expected; therefore, the greater richness recorded by the five-minute counts is associated with a greater number of points needed to isolate the time variable. Another important factor is the variation in the sampling rates; the lowest variation, and consequently greater statistical power, occurred in the shortest count (5′), indicating that this counting time is effective for meeting the proposed objectives. Importantly, this counting time required four fewer months to record the same number of species as the other times. By the eighth month of sampling, the five-minute count had accumulated 119 species, which was higher than the total richness obtained with the other times. Therefore, when using the point method to analyze the community structure of birds in forest fragments, the best result was achieved with the five-minute count. This time proved to be more efficient because it detected greater richness and abundance with a lower sampling effort and increased the chance of registering new species due to the higher number of sampling points over a larger number of microhabitats in the forest.

A Mata Atlântica foi devastada desde o início da colonização, permanecendo hoje com cerca de 7% de sua cobertura original. Região biogeográfica de extrema importância para aves e outros táxons, abrigando elevado número de espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas de extinção, foi considerada bioma prioritário para conservação e constitui a segunda floresta mais ameaçada do planeta. Classe especialmente popular no estudo de comunidades, as aves constituem-se em um excelente indicador ecológico. O presente trabalho foi realizado no Núcleo Cubatão do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, uma das áreas mais importantes de Mata Atlântica do Estado de São Paulo. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi caracterizar a comunidade de aves e avaliar o estágio de conservação da área. Seus objetivos específicos foram descrever a composição e as estruturas espacial, social e alimentar da comunidade de aves; verificar a importância ecológica da área com base na presença de espécies endêmicas e/ou ameaçadas de extinção; avaliar as condições de conservação deste ambiente com base na composição específica de espécies e comparar a avifauna desta área de Mata Atlântica com a de outros remanescentes presentes na região. O levantamento da avifauna foi realizado em área de encosta localizada às margens de uma estrada de serviço pertencente ao Sistema Anchieta-Imigrantes, atualmente sob administração da Ecovias, através de quatro trajetos de 1000m, dois no interior da mata e dois em sua borda. A identificação foi feita visualmente, com auxílio de binóculo e através de vocalizações. Foram registradas em fichas de campo todas as espécies identificadas com segurança, anotando-se a quantidade de indivíduos, posição no estrato, padrão social da espécie e hábitat, parâmetros que foram utilizados para caracterizar a estrutura da comunidade observada na área. A abundância de cada espécie foi expressa em indivíduos por 100 horas de observação; índices de diversidade de Shannon-Weaver e de similaridade de Sorensen foram calculados. Foram registradas 168 espécies de aves em 294 horas de observação. Houve predominância de espécies habitantes de interior florestal e que ocupam sub-bosque e dossel da mata. Insetívoros e frugívoros possuem a maior representatividade entre as guildas alimentares. O padrão social solitário foi registrado com maior freqüência entre os insetívoros e bandos mistos são constituídos principalmente por espécies frugívoras. A presença de espécies habitantes do epigeu, espécies cinegéticas, espécies altamente sensíveis a distúrbios ambientais, espécies características de florestas conservadas, espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas de extinção e espécies das famílias Dendrocolaptidae, Furnariidae, Formicariidae e Rinocriptidae, assim como a baixa porcentagem de espécies características de ambientes degradados, indicam que o Núcleo Cubatão, apesar de sofrer com atividades antrópicas, ainda está em bom estágio de conservação e mostram que a área de estudo apresenta grande importância para a conservação da Mata Atlântica e sua avifauna. / Atlantic Rainforest, an ecosystem that occupied most of the east coast of Brazil, is a biogeographic region of extreme importance for birds and other groups, which includes great number of endemic and threatened species. It was considered priority for conservation and it is the second most threatened forest of the planet. It has been devastated since the colonization and only 7% of the original forest still remains, almost all concentrated in a mountain range called Serra do Mar. As a class particularity common of communities&#39; studies, birds are an excellent ecological indicator. This research was carried out at Serra do Mar State Park &#150; Cubatao Nucleus, one of the most important areas of Atlantic Rainforest in Sao Paulo State. The general goals of this research were to describe bird community and to value the conservation situation of the area. Its specifics goals were to describe the composition and the spatial, social and feed structure of the bird community; to verify the ecological relevancy based on the presence of endemic and threatened species; to value the conservation situation based on the specific composition of species and to compare the avifauna of this area of Atlantic Rainforest with other regional remains. The bird surveying was realized in a slope section near a road service that belongs to Anchieta-Imigrantes System, under Ecovias administration, thought four transects of 1000m, two inside the forest and two on the edge. The identification was visual with binoculars and thought vocalizations. Field cards were made to register all security identified species and their individual&#39;s numbers, position in the stratum, social patterns and habitat, items used to characterize the avifauna community structure. The species&#39; abundance was demonstrated in individuals by 100 hours of observation and Shannon-Weaver diversity index and Sorensen similarity were calculated. A hundred sixty eight bird species were registered in two hundred ninety four hours of observation. Most of the species were observed inside the forest, occupying the understory and canopy. Insectivorous and frugivorous were the most representative feed habits. The solitary social pattern were the most often observed between insectivorous. Mixed flocks were constituted mainly by frugivorous species. The presence of species that live on the floor, hunted species, high sensitive to environmental disturbances, typical of conserved forests, endemics and threatened species and species of Dendrocolaptidae, Furnariidae, Formicariidae and Rinocriptidae families, as well as low percentage of typical species of degraded areas, indicate that, despite the men activities and vicinity of cities, the degradation situation is not severe and that the slope section studied of the Cubatao Nucleus remains in a good conservation situation and remains essential to Atlantic Rainforest conservation.

Appropriate management of mid-rotation pine plantations can improve habitat for early successional and pine-grassland adapted avian species. I tested effects of Imazapyr selective herbicide and prescribed fire on plant and avian communities in thinned, mid-rotation pine stands contracted under the Conservation Reserve Program. Within 12 replicate sites, 2 8.1-ha plots were assigned either herbicide and prescribed fire treatment or control. I described components of vegetation structure and composition in 2006. I tested effects of herbicide and prescribed fire treatment on avian relative abundance, species richness, total avian conservation value, and density of select species during 2003 - 2006. Hardwood midstory decreased and abundances of grasses and forbs increased following treatment. A shift occurred in the bird community from closed-canopy forest species to early successional and pine-grassland species. Treatment stands benefited many avian species exhibiting negative population trends.

Nature-based tourism offers significant socio-economic incentives to successfully replace more intrusive land uses but also causes negative environmental impacts. Currently, knowledge is needed about the effectiveness of specific management actions such as the provision of different access modes and tour experiences at minimizing these impacts while maximizing visitor satisfaction. Nature-based tourism activities were studied in the species-rich gorges of the Flinders Ranges in Outback Australia. This study developed a conceptual framework of visitor-environment relationships, constructed a regional visitor profile, assessed visitor monitoring methods to quantify usage intensity in relation to the access mode (roads vs. hiking trails), examined changes in vegetation and bird communities in relation to usage intensity and access mode, tested effects of approach behaviour among driving vs. hiking tourists on kangaroo behaviour, and designed a framework for a night-time wildlife tour. The usage intensity of gorge sections was best determined from visitor numbers stratified by their behaviour, as the access mode fundamentally changed visitor behaviour in gorges. High compared to low usage recreational tracks altered species community composition, decreased total plant cover, increased non-native species cover, increased or decreased plant diversity depending on the track distance, increased soil compaction, and decreased bird numbers and species richness. Vegetation changes had secondary aversive effects on the bird community. The magnitude and spatial extent of these community impacts were greater along roads than trails. Visitor approach towards kangaroos varied with the access mode and necessitated individual recommendations for low-impact behaviour. The optimal night-time observation tour employed night-vision devices and bat detectors and coupled visitor satisfaction with low impact on wildlife. A range of factors (e.g., weather conditions) moderated the susceptibility of the wildlife to tourism disturbance. To protect wildlife and habitat along recreational tracks in arid-lands gorges, it is recommended to (1) monitor usage intensity and the identified impact indicators within their effect zone, (2) curtail gorge usage by restricting vehicle access to sections and regulating high impact activities (e.g., wild camping), (3) base environmental education upon scientifically tested low-impact visitor behaviour, and (4) engage with tourism operators in the design of low-impact, yet satisfying tours based on scientific principles.