Abstract

NAOKI, Kazuya; GOMEZ, M. Isabel  and  SCHNEIDER, Monika. Selection of different cacao (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) production systems by birds in Alto Beni, Bolivia - a cafeteria experiment in the field. Ecología en Bolivia [online]. 2017, vol.52, n.2, pp.100-115. ISSN 1605-2528.

The cacao (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) is a native species to South America, and its plantation is considered to play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity. We studied the birds' selection among five cacao production systems and fallow, using a cafeteria experiment in Alto Beni, Bolivia. The birds were quantified by a modified point count during the dry season. During the study we recorded 239 visits of 43 bird species belonging to 18 families. The number of species and the frequency of birds' visits were positively related to the complexity of vegetation structure and tree diversity, decreasing from fallow, successional agroforestry system (SAFS), agroforestry systems to monoculture plantations (β₁ = - 0.149 ± 0.046 for the number of species, (β₁ = - 0.167 ± 0.078 for the frequency of visits). In the monocultures the number of species was reduced to the half of that found in the fallow plots. In conventional plots, the frequency of birds' visits decreased to 37-46% of that observed in the fallow plots. The bird composition was similar between the SAFS and the fallow, suggesting that the SAFS, having a diverse vegetation structure, provides resources similar to the fallow. It is important to encourage complex cacao agroforestry systems for the bird conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Keywords : Alto Beni; Birds' habitat selection; Cacao; Comparison of agricultural production systems; Successional agroforestry system.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )