COMPOSITION, DIVERSITY AND SIZE OF DIATOMS CONSUMED BY THE ANDEAN FLAMINGO (<i>PHOENICOPARRUS ANDINUS</i>) IN SALAR DE PUNTA NEGRA, ANTOFAGASTA REGION, NORTHERN CHILE
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In April 2009, at the Salar de Punta Negra (24 degrees 35'S, 68 degrees 58'W) in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile, we quantified the composition, diversity, and size of diatoms, the only consumed prey by both adults and nestlings of Andean Flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus). We identified a total of 39 species, 34 in the faeces of nestlings and 25 in adult faeces. The most abundant species in both was Surirella se//a and Denticula thermal/s. The most frequent diatoms observed in the nestlings' faeces were S. se/la, D. thermalis, Pinnularia sp. and Haloroundia speciosa, whereas in the adult faeces they were Denticula thermalis, Surirella se//a, Pinnularia sp. and Haloroundia speciosa. There was no statistically significant difference in diatoms consumed by adults and nestlings. The dietary similarity between adults and nestlings was 0.644. The nestlings consumed a greater diversity of diatoms than adults. The most consumed diatom by adults (S. sea) was sized between 58 and 140 mu m, with a greater frequency for organisms between 70 and 100 mu m. The size of the diatoms consumed by nestlings was between 40 and 120 mu m with a greater frequency of organisms between 60 and 90 pm. Comparing the sizes of the consumed diatoms, we found that adults preferred individuals of greater size than nestlings. Accepted 18 June 2012.
Description
Keywords
Andean Flamingo, Phoenicoparrus andinus, Denticula thermalis, Surirella sella, diatoms, diet, high Andean wetland, northern Chile