Living in a tropical concrete jungle: diversity and abundance variation in a parrot assemblage (Aves, Psittacidae) of a major Amazonian city

Abstract

The effects of urbanization on biodiversity had been studied mainly in northern hemisphere. Therefore, biodiversity analysis in tropical cities is urgently required for a full understanding of the how animal and plant communities react to urbanization. Parrots are iconic tropical birds and considered particularly vulnerable to urbanization impacts. Here we describe patterns of diversity and abundance of a parrot assemblage in Manaus, a major Amazonian city. We made standardized censuses of parrots in 12 Manaus neighborhoods, covering a wide range of environmental and socioeconomic profiles. The Manaus parrot assemblage (urban plus rural areas) is composed of 23 species, of which 14 were recorded in urbanized areas. Most species found in Manaus are associated with seasonally flooded vegetation. In contrast, species that needs large and continuous areas of upland forests appears to avoid urban environment. Parrot species richness and relative abundance were relatively stable across the year with only the two most frequent species increasing their abundances during dry season. Green area cover and monthly variation in rainfall did not affect parrot relative abundance. However, distinctive parrot assemblages with higher species richness were found in neighborhoods with high percentage of green cover. Manaus is a city with remarkable parrot diversity and this diversity is related to the availability of green areas. The adequate managing and protection of these green areas could be benefit for parrot conservation in Manaus.