Blue-fronted Amazon Project

Category: Field Work, Partners, Support | Date: May 30 2008 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

During May, Glaucia, Vandir, and Thayane received Dr. Vivian Ribeiro Baptista-Maria, a biologist and PhD in Applied Ecology from ESALQ/Universidade de São Paulo, accompanied by Daniela Masumoto, a BS in Tourism. During the field trip, Dr. Vivian helped us to identify the plant species consumed by the parrots or used as nest cavity. Dr. Vivian is consultant of Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil and is responsible for the environmental consulting Bíon – Consultoria Ambiental (vrbmaria@gmail.com). Two days (and nights!) of hard work, rain, sun, mosquitoes, and ticks. Dr. Vivian’s voluntary collaboration was fundamental for this part of the project, when the data of 11 years of project are being analyzed for results compilation and publishing.Vivian and Daniela identifying plant species.Vandir, Glaucia and Vivian checking the trees.Vivian checking the books.We deeply appreciate her collaboration, as well as Daniela’s help on the field work. We are also thankful to the superintendent of Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil, Eleri Rafael Muniz Paulino, who supported the trip by making funds for gas and a vehicle available.Some more pictures of this field trip for you!Vivian and the ticks! :0)Vivian and Glaucia at riparian forest.Vandir and Daniela in a haze.Glaucia, Daniela, Vivian, and Vandir in the riparian forest.The guides at Estancia Caiman taking a look at out work.Vandir and Vivian appreciating the trees.Vandir, Vivian, Daniela, and Thayane.Vivian and Daniela registering the data.Vivian and Glaucia double checking the data.  Vivian in her way to the sampling spots at riparian forest of Aquidauana river. :0)

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Category: Diet | Date: May 12 2008 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

Since June 2005 we have been studying the dietary ecology of the blue-fronted amazon parrot in Pantanal, Brazil. Every month during the field trips we observe and register the vegetal species consumed by the parrots. When is not possible to recognize the vegetal species in the field, we take pictures and collect samples for further identification at the Ecology and Botanic Laboratory at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), a federal university in the state.                        Vandir and me observing the parrots eating (top) and samples of leaves and fruits to be submitted to the lab (bottom).  The identification of the species used to be done by Dr. Ubirazilda Maria Resende, and now is done by the biology undergraduate students at UFMS: Tatiana Souza do Amaral, Thales Henrique Dias, Thayane Ely Lima and Verónica Ramírez Martinez.                                                                          Tatiana and Veronica checking references for identifying the samples.                                                                   Thales and Thayane identifying samples in the lab.  The specialized bibliographies used are ‘Frutos e Sementes’ [Fruits and Seeds] (Barroso et al., 2004) and ‘Botânica Sistemática’ [Systematic Botanic] (Souza & Lorenzi, 2005).                                                                                                                                 Thanks to the constant efforts and dedication of this team we soon will be able to make available the diet of blue-fronted amazon parrots in Pantanal!Thank you all!                                                                                                                                       A great team of biology students: Veronica, Thales, Thayane, and Tatiana.  Thank you guys!

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