Epiphyte plants use by birds in Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Cestari, Cesar [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://www.ppgecologia.biologia.ufrj.br/oecologia/index.php/oecologiabrasiliensis/issue/archive; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/21297

This study firstly reviewed the interspecific interaction records between birds and epiphyte plants in Brazil. Forty two documents, including articles, scientific notes, books and thesis, and 35 personal records and from collaborators were argued, totaling 112 species of birds that interacted with 97 species of epiphyte plants. Two articles treated the theme specifically and another 40 treated related subjects, such as: pollination of epiphytes, ecology and feeding behavior of birds. Studies were concentrated mainly in Atlantic Forest, in the southeastern Brazilian region. The epiphyte species more visited by birds was Aechmea nudicaulis (Bromeliaceae). The main visitor of epiphytes was Ramphodon naevius (Trochilidae). According to the number of authors' citations an index of generality in bird-epiphyte interactions was created. As result the index inferred that the ovenbird Cichlocolaptes leucophrus and the bromeliad Nidularium procerum are less generalist and more specialist species in bird-epiphyte interactions. The totality of the papers showed a considerable number of bird species that use the epiphytes plants and its resources, including nectar, fruits, invertebrates, nest material, nesting place, water and bath. Considering the importance of epiphytes to supply a variety of resources for birds, these results highlighted the necessity of additional and specific studies about the theme in various Brazilian regions and biomes.