What drives the alien parrot richness and occurrence in urban green spaces along the annual cycle in the Buenos Aires city, Argentina?

SEBASTIÁN SANTIAGO; NÍNIVE CAVALCANTE; LUCAS LEVEAU

Animals

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

Año: 2023

2076-2615

Parrots are among the most globally traded taxa and have successfully invaded urban areas. Studies analyzing alien parrot-habitat relationships are scarce in cities of the Southern Hemisphere. This study aims to determine habitat characteristics influencing alien parrot species diversity and occurrence during the annual cycle in parks in Buenos Aires City. We found that alien parrot species richness was positively associated with tree species richness and a shorter distance to the La Plata River throughout the year. Moreover, parrot richness increased in parks with tree genera like Eugenia, Podocarpus, Olea, and Washingtonia during the non-breeding season. During the breeding season, parrot species richness decreased with increasing environmental noise. The relationship between species occurrence and environmental variables changed between seasons. Our findings suggest that exotic parrot diversity and presence may be influenced not only by tree diversity and park proximity to green corridors but also by specific exotic tree species providing resources for the parrots. Future urban green space designs should prioritize native tree planting to support local biodiversity.