Aquatic Birds at the Taiamã Ecological Station: Seasonal Variation of Community Structure and the Importance of Protected Areas in the Pantanal

Aquatic bird communities in the Pantanal, the world's largest floodplain, exhibit significant seasonal variation, with abundance and species richness peaking during the 'dequada' phenomenon—a natural process of submerged plant biomass decomposition at the onset of flooding. A study conducted at the Taiamã Ecological Station (TES) identified 45 aquatic bird species, with higher abundance observed within protected areas compared to surrounding regions. The research highlights the critical role of protected areas like TES in maintaining biodiversity, noting that only 5.37% of the Pantanal is currently conserved. The findings underscore the need for expanded protection to preserve these ecologically vital habitats.

Zanella Kantek, D. L., Carvalho de Melo, R., Samiko Miyazaki, S., Fernandes Castilheiro, W. F., & Dos Santos Filho, M. (2020). Aves aquáticas da estação ecológica de Taiamã. Biodiversidade Brasileira, 10(3), 24–40. https://doi.org/10.37002/biobrasil.v10i3.1513