Estudo da biodiversidade da avifauna e análise da interação fauna e floresta no Aeroporto Militar Ponta Pelada – SBMN

Abstract

Aviation security faces daily challenges, including the encounter of aircraft and birds. The increase in this encounter of birds and aircraft in the air is associated with the fact that airports are naturally attractive places for fauna. This includes birds because of the availability of open spaces, protection from predators and humans, water and food sources, and an excellent place for nesting. Military aircraft are more prone to encounters with avifauna than civilian aircraft. Reports of accidents involving bird aircraft have increased in recent years. The increased awareness of pilots can explain this situation in reporting collisions and sightings. Because of this, the present study surveyed bird species at the Ponta Pelada Military Airport and verified the existence of a relationship between birds and forest species at the airport site. The faunal survey identified 47 species of avifauna in the operational area of the airfield totaling 2,577 birds sighted by the fixed point sampling method. The biodiversity found is high with low dominance. Coragyps atratus, Brotogeris versicolutus, Brotogeris chrysoptera, and Crotophaga ani were outliers. The habitats investigated were vegetation, field, high places, floodplain, soil, pasture, and forest. The diets observed were omnivorous, frugivorous, carnivorous, and scavenger. The genus Brotogeris suggests an intervention in the airport forest fragment to reduce the frequent species by culling fruit tree species from the airport site. It was the most abundant, indicating a high food supply and bird shelter. It is concluded that the environment the airport provides for avifauna individuals is similar to that of a protected area for shelter, feeding, and nesting of ornithofauna.