Bird assemblages from Carilauquen marshes (Llancanelo Lagoon, Mendoza, Argentina): considerations for their conservation

Abstract

We analyzed seasonal changes in species richness, composition, abundance and habitat use of birds in wetlands and terrestrial environments from the Carilauquen marsh system. We identified five important habitats for birds: marsh, coast of the lagoon, coastal salt-land, pichanal and shrubland. During the study we recorded 100 bird species that showed a heterogeneous distribution on the environmental mosaic; each habitat contributed with exclusive species to the overall species pool. The Carilauquen marsh system showed low between-habitat similarity; most of the bird species used only one or two habitats. Bird abundance and species richness were higher during spring and summer, likely due to the nest season of most of the species. Several endemic species of arid lands from Argentina nested in the terrestrial environments of Carilauquen. We analyzed the conservation value of the five habitats considering habitat preferences, distribution and taxonomic exclusivity of each birdspecies assemblage. The conservation of the marsh guarantees the maintenance of high bird diversity, because this habitat harbours many species with restricted ranges and with narrow habitat preferences. The shrubland, in despite of its lower species richness in comparison to wetlands, is a habitat of special interest for bird conservation due to the species composition of the assemblage. An effective conservation strategy has to consider the complementarity of both habitats for the conservation of the regional avifauna.