Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Studying the Impact of Climate Change on Estuary Birds

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 21 2011 (IPS) - A project carried out by the Mater Natura Environmental Studies Institute of Brazil will assess the potential impacts of climate change on estuary birds and propose ways to conserve their habitat. These birds depend on the influence of the oceans, and build their nests in mangrove forests and swamps. "Because they live in wetland areas near the coast, they are susceptible to the effects of climate change," project leader Marcos Ricardo Bornschein told Tierramérica.

The observation of three species in a stretch of the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest), in the southern state of Paraná, will include the collection of data on tides, water salinity, high water and low water periods, the reproductive cycles of the birds, and vegetation.

"We will assess reactions in certain climate situations. We will use modeling software to simulate the most extreme changes and, with our knowledge of the behavior of the birds, we will be able to design preventive measures for their conservation," added Bornschein.