Reducción del período reproductivo de una población de loica pampeana (Leistes defilippii) en el contexto de una sequía severa = Shortering of the breeding season for a pampas meadwlark (Leistes defilippii) population amidst a severe drought

Abstract

La loica pampeana (Leistes defilippii) se reproduce en el pastizal pampeano entre los meses de septiembre y enero, y actualmente constituye una de las especies de aves más amenazadas de Argentina. La pérdida de hábitat es su principal amenaza, pero el cambio climático con sus múltiples efectos también se ha mencionado como un factor importante. Existen diversas incógnitas sobre sus requisitos de hábitat, su biología reproductiva y su alimentación, y cómo pueden verse afectados por el cambio ambiental global. En este trabajo reportamos el cese de la actividad reproductiva y la adopción del comportamiento gregario no reproductivo, en el área austral de su distribución, dos meses antes de lo normal para la especie en el área de estudio, en un contexto regional de sequía severa. Respuestas similares no han sido documentadas para la especie, y encienden una nueva alarma para sus últimas poblaciones en un escenario de crisis ambiental. The Pampas Meadowlark (Leistes defilippii) breeds in the Pampas grasslands between September and January, and it is currently one of the most threatened birds in Argentina. Habitat loss constitutes the main threat for its populations, but climate change with its multiple effects has also been mentioned as a major factor. There are many questions about its habitat requirements, reproductive biology and its diet, and how these could be affected by global environmental change. In this paper we report the end of all reproductive activity and a switch to the gregarious non-breeding behavior, in the southern zone of its distribution, two months before what’s normal for the species in the study area, amidst a severe regional drought. These types of responses have not been documented for the species, and set a new alarm for its last populations in an environmental crisis scenario.

The Pampas Meadowlark (Leistes defilippii) breeds in the Pampas grasslands between September and January, and it is currently one of the most threatened birds in Argentina. Habitat loss constitutes the main threat for its populations, but climate change with its multiple effects has also been mentioned as a major factor. There are many questions about its habitat requirements, reproductive biology and its diet, and how these could be affected by global environmental change. In this paper we report the end of all reproductive activity and a switch to the gregarious non-breeding behavior, in the southern zone of its distribution, two months before what’s normal for the species in the study area, amidst a severe regional drought. These types of responses have not been documented for the species, and set a new alarm for its last populations in an environmental crisis scenario.