Database of bird species composition in natural habitats and forest plantations

Abstract

In southeastern South America, the afforestation over grasslands imposes a severe threat to the grassy landscapes and associated biodiversity. To analyze the effect of forest plantations on grassland birds, we present a new database that considers the composition of bird communities in natural habitats, as well as in eucalyptus plantations from the southeastern South American grasslands. Data were previously used to investigate the effectiveness of legally protected grasslands in private lands to protect birds in “Bird-grassland associations in protected and non-protected areas in the southern Brazil” [1] and also the effects of afforestation of grasslands on different dimensions of bird diversity in “The effects of grassland ecosystem afforestation on avian phylogenetic diversity, taxonomic diversity and evolutionary distinctiveness” [2]. Data were collected during the breeding period of bird species (spring/austral summer), covering three breeding seasons during the years 2014–2016. Species presence and number of individuals were recorded, totaling 107 species and 1175 individuals. The dataset will be useful for researchers interested in conservation studies as it includes data from globally threatened bird species. Keywords: Eucalyptus forest plantations, Birds, Habitat conversion, Grasslands ecosystem