Distinct bird communities in forests and fruit farms of Caatinga landscapes

Abstract

Agricultural expansion and intensification drive changes in bird assemblages and contribute to the homogenisation of communities. By working across the semi-arid biome of Caatinga in north-eastern Brazil, this study is the first to compare the bird communities found in intensively managed fruit farms to those in remnant Caatinga forest patches. We show that fruit farm patches host 56% lower bird abundance and 61% lower species richness compared to the remnant Caatinga forest fragments. Bird communities within the fruit farms were distinct from those within the forest patches, and they were characterised by species with broader niches, including two non-native species.