INVESTIGADORES
BRUSCHETTI Carlos Martin
artículos
Título:
An invasive intertidal reef-forming polychaete affect habitat use and feeding behavior of migratory and locals birds in a SW Atlantic coastal lagoon.
Autor/es:
MARTIN BRUSCHETTI; CIELO BAZTERRICA; TOMAS LUPPI; OSCAR IRIBARNE
Revista:
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
Editorial:
Elsevier
Referencias:
Año: 2009 vol. 375 p. 76 - 83
ISSN:
0022-0981
Resumen:
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The objective of our research was to
evaluate by sampling and field experiments the effects of the invasive intertidal
reef-building polychaete Ficopomatus
enigmaticus on the habitat use and foraging behavior of birds in Mar
Chiquita coastal lagoon (37°40′S, 57°23′ W, Argentina). Nearby areas with and
without reefs were selected to asses their use by birds. Focal observations
during low tide showed that bird densities (migratory shorebirds = Tringa melanoluca, T. flavipes, Calidris
fuscicollis; non-migratory birds = Phalacrocorax
olivaceus, Larus dominicanus, L. maculipennis, Anas spp., Vanellus chilensis, Milvago
chimango) were higher on reef surface compared with similar areas without
reefs. Migratory shorebirds used reefs surface mainly for feeding, while local
birds used it for resting. Foraging rates of T. melanoleuca and T. flavipes
were higher on the reefs than in the bare sediment. Comparative sampling (10
core per site) showed that epifaunal organisms (amphipod Melita palmata, crab Cyrtograpsus
angulatus and gastropod Heleobia spp.)
were more abundant on reef surfaces, but the density of infaunal preys (the
polychaetes Laeonereis acuta, Nepthys fluviatilis, and Neanthes succinea) were not different
between areas. Bird exclosure experiment and control (n=10) showed no
differences in density and size distribution between treatments for any benthic
species analyzed. In conclusion, there was a positive effect of F. enigmaticus reefs on the habitat use
of birds, because this area was preferred for feeding and resting, and there
were more epifaunal preys which positively affected the foraging rates of
shorebirds.