Potential distribution of the richness of endemic Caatinga birds

The diversity richness and number of endemics of the Caatinga the only strictly Brazilian biome have long been underestimated. However today we know that it is an extremely heterogeneous biome and one of the most altered in Brazil which emphasises the relevance of new studies. In particular little is known about the distribution patterns of bird richness in this environment. With a view to contributing to this knowledge we selected 29 species of birds endemic to the Caatinga in order to estimate their potential geographical distribution. Two large regions of greater richness were identified one associated with the Chapada do Araripe and the Borborema Plateau and the other with the Upper São Francisco region. These regions correspond to the higher altitude areas with an average of 450m to 850m. Evaluating the representativeness of the existing Conservation Units (UC) we identified that the areas of greatest richness are lacking in protected areas which drives the implementation of UCs in these regions. In short this book seeks to point out the regions of greatest richness of the endemic birds of the Caatinga in order to support conservation measures to ensure the permanence of local biodiversity.