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Seasonal and interannual variation in waterbird abundance and species composition in the Melincué saline lake, Argentina

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Abstract

We conducted 14 bird surveys in the Melincué saline lake from 1992 to 2002 (7 in winter and 7 in summer), and we detected 223,643 individuals belonging to 71 species from 17 families. The more abundant species were Fulica leucoptera, Larus maculipennis, Phoenicopterus chilensis, Plegadis chihi, Anas platalea, Himantopus mexicanus, and Rollandia rolland. Bird abundance was similar in winter and summer, whereas species composition differed between seasons. We recorded 65 species in summer and 59 in winter. P. chilensis and A. sibilatrix were more abundant in winter, whereas Ajaia ajaja, Phalacrocorax olivaceus, Ardea ibis, Sterna nilotica, Egretta thula, Mycteria americana, Charadrius collaris, A. versicolor, Calidris fuscicollis, and Ciconia maguari were more abundant in summer. Bird abundance in each survey was positively associated with the lake level. In summer surveys, the highest variation in species composition through the years was associated with water level fluctuations. Shorebirds predominated in those years with lower level, whereas the species that fed mainly on plants or vertebrates predominated in years with higher levels. Those species that fed on invertebrates (not shorebirds) and those that fed on invertebrates and plants predominated in years with intermediate level. The omnivorous species predominated in years of lower level. There were differences among transects in the proportion of different trophic groups. Short-term studies that do not take into account the particular dynamic of these systems may lead to erroneous generalisations. Thus, the long-term information of this study may be useful for management and conservation of species and system.

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Acknowledgements

We greatly appreciate the collaboration from Marcelo Luppi, Eduardo Pire and Ernesto Micol for their help in the field. We thank Luis Amestoy, Alfredo Jorro and Carlos Ontivero Campo for field facilities during the censuses, the agricultural companies La Tehuelche, El Pedernal and Laguna San Carlos for allowing us to get into their properties, and Sandra Caziani and John Middleton for critically reading the manuscript. We declare that the surveys comply with the current Argentinian laws.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Ambiente (Ecosur), Pasaje Sunchales 329, 2000, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Marcelo Romano, Ignacio Barberis, Fernando Pagano & Juan Maidagan

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Casilla de Correo 14, S2125ZAA, Zavalla, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Ignacio Barberis

  3. CONICET, Argentina

    Ignacio Barberis

  4. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Casilla de Correo 166, Bvd. Ovidio Lagos y Ruta 33, S2170HGJ, Casilda, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Fernando Pagano

Authors
  1. Marcelo Romano
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  2. Ignacio Barberis
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  3. Fernando Pagano
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  4. Juan Maidagan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcelo Romano.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Relative importance index

In order to estimate the relative importance index, we modified an index proposed by Bucher and Herrera (1981) using the following equation:

$$ {\text{RI}} = (N_i /N_t ) \times (C_i /C_t ) \times 100, $$

where Ni is the total number of recorded individuals of species i through the whole study period, Nt is the total number of individuals of all species through the whole study period, Ci is the number of censuses where individuals of species i were observed, and Ct is the total number of censuses

Appendix 2

Table a

Table a Seasonal abundance, frequency and indicator values of waterbird species recorded in Laguna Melincué throughout the 10-year study period
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Romano, M., Barberis, I., Pagano, F. et al. Seasonal and interannual variation in waterbird abundance and species composition in the Melincué saline lake, Argentina. Eur J Wildl Res 51, 1–13 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-005-0078-z

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