Bird faunas of the humid montane forests of Mesoamerica: biogeographic patterns and priorities for conservation
Issue Date
1995Author
Hernández-Baños, Blanca E.
Peterson, A. Townsend
Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G.
Escalante-Pliego, B. Patricia
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Rights
Bird Conservation International (1995), 5:251-277 Cambridge University Press
Copyright © Birdlife International 1995
doi:10.1017/S0959270900001039
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The distribution of 335 species of birds in 33 islands of humid montane forest in
Mesoamerica is summarized, and patterns of distribution, diversity and endemism are
analysed. The montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama far exceed other habitat
islands considered for species-richness, richness of species endemic to Mesoamerica,
and richness of species ecologically restricted to humid montane forests. Other regions,
such as the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero and Oaxaca, the Los Tuxtlas region of
southern Veracruz and the mountains of Chiapas and Guatemala, also hold rich and
endemic avifaunas. Based on patterns of similarity of avifaunas, the region can be divided
into seven regions holding distinctive avifaunas (Costa Rica and western Panama;
northern Central America and northern Chiapas; southern Chiapas; eastern Mexico north
of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec; Sierra Madre del Sur; interior Oaxaca; and Transvolcanic
Belt and Sierra Madre Occidental), which serve as useful guides for the setting of
priorities for conservation action.
Se resumen las distribuciones de 335 especies de aves en 33 islas de bosque humedo de
montana en Mesoamerica, y se analizan patrones de distribution, diversidad y
endemismo. Los bosques montanos de Costa Rica y del oeste de Panama tienen la mas
alta riqueza de especies, riqueza de especies endemicas a Mesoamerica, y riqueza de
especies ecologicamente restringidas a bosque humedo de montana. Otras regiones, tales
como la Sierra Madre del Sur de Guerrero y Oaxaca, la region de Los Tuxtlas y las
montanas de Chiapas y Guatemala, tambien tienen avifaunas ricas en especies y en
endemicas. Basado en patrones de similitud de avifaunas, se puede dividir Mesoamerica
en siete regiones que tienen avifaunas distintas (Costa Rica y el oeste de Panama; el
norte de Centroamerica y el norte de Chiapas; el sur de Chiapas; el este de Mexico; la
Sierra Madre del Sur; el interior de Oaxaca; y el Eje Neovolcanico y la Sierra Madre
Occidental), las cuales pueden servir como guias en el establecimiento de prioridades
para la conservation.
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Citation
Hernández-Baños, B. E., A. T. Peterson, A. G. Navarro-Sigüenza, and P. Escalante-Pliego. 1995. Bird faunas of the humid montane forests of Mesoamerica: Biogeographic patterns and conservation priorities. Bird Conservation International 5:251-277.
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