Influence of urbanization on the physiology and life history of Turdus rufiventris Rufous -bellied Thrush Influência da urbanização sobre a fisiologia e a história de vida de sabiá-laranjeira Turdus rufiventris

MALMORIA, P. E. ; ROSONI, J. R. R.; LETTRARI, M. E.; JAHN, A.; OLIVEIRA, G. T.; FONTANA, C. S.

Gramado

Congreso; II Ornithological Congress of the Americas; 2023

Sociedade Brasileira de Ornitologia/Sociedad de Ornitología Neotropical/Association of Field Ornithologists

Urbanization requires animals to adjust their life patterns and can affect their health, such as increasing the stress levels. We aimed use blood markers, such as hemoglobin, heterophils (H) and lymphocytes (L) to evaluate stress levels in Rufous-bellied Thrushes Turdus rufiventris residing in areas with different degrees of urbanization in southern Brazil. From 2019 2022 individuals were captured seasonally using mist nets and identified with metal and colored rings. A total of 175 individuals were sampled in three areas with different degrees of urbanization: urbanized (n=48, Porto Alegre), semi-urbanized (n=53, Eldorado do Sul), and non-urbanized (n=74, Pró Mata - São Francisco de Paula). Morphometric measurements and blood samples were taken during the fieldwork. The total hemoglobin concentration was obtained with a portable hemoglobin photometer. Blood smears were analyzed using an optical microscope (magnification 1,000x) for differential counting of 100 white blood cells to obtain the number of H, L, and ratio (H/L). We found differences in the mean values of hemoglobin concentration between semi-urbanized and non-urbanized areas (Dunn´s Q=-3.69, p=0.0007), between sexes (Dunn´s Q=3.83, p=0.0004), and between spring and summer (Dunn´s Q=-2.68, p=0.04). However, no differences were detected in the H/L ratio among the sampled areas (X²(2) =0.885, p=0.642). The data indicated that urbanization does not seem to hinder this species´ maintenance and survival. It should be noted that this species is a generalist, which may indicate greater phenotypic plasticity in response to stressors imposed by urbanization.