Bird diversity and selection of protected areas in a large neotropical forest tract
The unbroken primary rain forest currently covering the interior ofFrench Guiana still offers a unique opportunity to establish a network of largeprotected areas. Bird species richness was surveyed within 20 study areasspreadover the country to assess the relative abundance and frequency of occurrenceofforest interior and natural gap taxa (391 species, excluding raptors andnon-resident birds). Richness, rarity, restricted range, hot spot andconservation value algorithms were used to rank sites in decreasing orders ofimportance and draw sets of survey sites likely to maximize bird diversity. Inmost sets from different methodological approaches, the southern regionconsistently emerged as a priority area for conservation, with the centralmountain range contributing some specialized taxa and the northern regionincorporating additional species, mostly from marginal habitats and moretypicalof the nearby coastal zone. Estimates of areas likely to preserve an almostcomplete sample of the regional biodiversity amounted to about 1–2millionhectares, either in one large area (national park) or divided into 2–3reserves overlapping regional hot spots. However, representation of all speciesand habitats in a protected area system is not an assurance of long-termviability when minimum viable population sizes and demographic patterns arelittle known, and when the risks and impacts of persistent human disturbancessuch as mining, logging and hunting are growing.