RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FRUGIVOROUS- BIRDS AND THEIR HABITATS IN FRAGMENTED FOREST AREAS NEAR TO VILLAVICENCIO CITY, VILLAVICENCIO, META, COLOMBIA.

Resumo

The degradation of the Llanos foothill ecosystems is one of the biggest ecological problems in the areas surrounding the city of Villavicencio, Meta. The generation of fragments produces new conditions for the establishment of bird guilds. This study was carried out during 2017 - 2018 in areas of the campus Loma Linda at the Santo Tomas University. It was evaluated whether the forest interior, forest border and grassland areas constitute habitats that support the establishment of frugivorous birds. The key factors that affect the richness, diversity and abundance of bird species were identified, from which recommendations were made for the establishment of conservation measures. The richness of birds and their abundance was positively correlated with intermediate values of plant richness and diversity and with the presence and coverage of species of palms and lianas. The abundance and diversity of frugivorous birds were higher in border areas and lower in grasslands and forest interiors. Apparently the diversity of the habitat in border areas of fragmented lands increases the diversity of frugivorous birds through an increase in the abundance values. Artificial enrichment is recommended with different tree, shrubs and palms species planted in the edge and interior areas of the forest, and the maintenance of remaining trees and shrubs in the areas of shrub grasslands.

Keywords: fragmentation, frugivorous-birds, diversity, natural regeneration.