Bird responses to environmental threats of coastal marshes: ongoing and predicted changes.

ISACCH JP; CARDONI DA

Congreso; 25th International Ornithological Congress; 2010

Tidal marshes associated with well-protected shorelines of low relief at mid to high latitudes are found at the margins of all major continents except Antarctica. Saltmarshes embody environmental characteristics of both terrestrial and marine communities and provide besides both a highly productive and harsh environment for the few breeding species. Coastal marshes structure, function and persistence are severely threatened by a number of environmental threats including: sea-level rise and associated changes in salinity, increase in storm frequency, alterations of hydrology, the advent of invasive plant and animals, and economically driven activity such as burning, grazing, pollution and harvesting of marsh plants. Around the world saltmarshes are mainly inhabited by a relative low number of specialized bird species. Environmental threats on saltmarshes can be largely detrimental for the bird populations considering their specialized habits. Adaptability of saltmarsh birds to predicted changes would depend on that changes keep marsh vegetation structure or that they can inhabit alternative habitats. Challenges to conserve saltmarsh birds will involve mitigating effects of sea level increase by generating alternative habitats and promoting land use practices not so detrimental for saltmarsh birds. We will explore for land uses of coastal marshes looking for the responses and the adaptability of specialized marsh birds to ongoing and predicted changes. We will show the case of SW Atlantic saltmarshes where main threats for birds are cattle grazing, fire and eutrophication.