The increase in the area of coffee plantations in Central America is causing a decrease in the proportion of invertebrates in the diet of forest birds. Reported by the University of Utah.
The study was carried out in Costa Rican soil at the Las Cruces biostation. The area that was once forest is now 50% coffee plantation, 20% grassland and 10% other outbuildings. Forests now cover about 20% of the area. Farmlands are swarming with pesticides, fertilizers and fungicides that affect the invertebrates that local birds feed on.
To analyze their diet, the scientists performed radioisotope analysis of 170 feathers from four bird species. Each food group has a unique isotope ratio, so you can find out what the animal ate (in the case of a person, hair is taken for analysis). Additionally, the authors tracked the movement of 49 birds using radio beacons.
As a result, the biologists concluded that habitat greatly affects the diet of birds. It turned out that three of the four bird species studied consumed significantly fewer invertebrates if they lived in coffee plantations. Silver-throated tanagers and white-throated thrushes, in particular, ate twice as much invertebrate biomass when living in the forest. At the same time, resident species such as the yellow-nosed thrush that can live their entire lives on an acre of land will either have to adapt to feeding on fewer caterpillars, worms and insects, or become extinct.
In this context, the authors of the study draw attention to the need to equip forest reserves to protect biodiversity in the face of further expansion of agricultural lands.
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Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.