Environmental diversity promotes a significant increase in the variety of birds in agricultural landscapes. This is one of the main findings of a study carried out in vineyards located in the city of São Miguel Arcanjo, in the interior of the State of São Paulo.
Regions with continuous forests provide habitat for diverse bird species, each playing unique ecological roles, resulting in a greater variety of ecosystem functions. The loss of a species also implies the loss of the functions it performs in the ecosystem.
Understanding how environmental changes and forest fragmentation affect species and their ecosystem functions has been a central question for researchers in recent decades. "Only with well-planned studies and high-quality data collection will we be able to answer these questions", emphasize the researchers responsible for the study.
The study was carried out at 19 sites in agricultural landscapes with vineyards in São Miguel Arcanjo. The locations were carefully chosen to ensure a variation between natural environments and those modified by humans. The percentage of forest in each study site was analyzed to assess the degree of conservation.
Understanding the number of natural and anthropogenic environments and how this variation influences species and their functions in agroecosystems can lead to more efficient conservation and management strategies. The research team highlights the importance of identifying which birds inhabit vineyards and the functions they perform in these agricultural systems. "Each species has a distinct role in agricultural crops, and landscapes with more forests and environmental diversity tend to maintain more ecological functions", they state.
The study highlights the importance of preserving native forests in agricultural areas to maintain biodiversity in vineyards. Furthermore, it is essential to consider both taxonomic and functional diversity when assessing the impacts of landscape changes on ecological functions performed by birds.
REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) and ALM (Sustainable Agricultural Management) projects can directly benefit from research like this. The conservation and recovery of native forests are pillars of these projects, which aim to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability. Bird diversity and their ecosystem functions are important indicators of environmental health, which can reinforce the effectiveness of REDD and ALM projects, ensuring that these initiatives not only sequester carbon, but also maintain biodiversity and vital ecological functions.
This type of research can also significantly impact carbon credit projects. By providing detailed data on biodiversity and ecological functions in agricultural landscapes, these studies help quantify the additional benefits of carbon sequestration initiatives. This can increase the value of carbon credits, showing that projects not only mitigate climate change but also promote biodiversity conservation and ecological sustainability.
At ACC, we are committed to sustainability and environmental preservation. We invite you to join us in our efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices and carbon credit projects. Contact us to learn more about how we can collaborate to create a greener, more sustainable future. Together we can make the difference!
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