Tinamous and agriculture: Lessons learned from the Galliformes

Species inhabiting grassland and steppes represent 32% of the 47 species of the order Tinamiformes. These species are both tropical and temperate in their distribution but the majority is confined to austral South America. Populations of these species are susceptible to land conversion for agriculture, as well as intensification of land use after conversion. Although little information exists on the effects of land conversion and use on tinamou populations, there is an extensive amount of research on these effects on gallinaceous birds. By viewing the grassland and steppe dwelling tinamous as ecological equivalents to the Galliformes, general inferences can be made about the projected impacts of land conversion and the intensity of use on these species. It is most efficient to view the potential impacts of land use as a function of the interaction of several gradients: area of natural vegetation, vegetation structure, intensity of cropping and grazing, and herbicide and pesticide use. This model allows for a quantification of site suitability by species, potential resilience of species, comparison among sites, and serves as a tool to rapidly assess the conservation value of sites within the landscape.