Glacier influence on bird assemblages in habitat islands of the high Bolivian Andes

Aim Climate projections for the upcoming decades predict a significant loss of ice mass particularly critical glaciers in tropical mountains. In dry landscapes southern Andes (from Southern Peru to Chile), this global trend has strong ecological impacts on high-altitude wetlands that support unique avifauna feeding, roosting and nesting. As glacier runoffs are expected affect area quality wetland habitats, these changes may potentially bird communities. To address issue, we studied structural functional diversity assemblages glacier-fed (>4500 m). Location Five valleys Cordillera Real, Bolivia. Methods We surveyed communities during dry, wet intermediate seasons 40 (total 27,720 observations birds habitats from 540 transects) showing different degrees dependence glacial meltwater. examined potential effect retreat through environmental heterogeneity. Results found relationship between taxonomic diversity, but not phylogenetic diversity. Generalized additive models revealed avian was influenced by wetland's productivity elevation maximized at levels influence. Multivariate analysis further showed habitat humidity, both future trends, main drivers community composition, with wettest being crucial aquatic uncommon species. Main conclusions Glacier significantly composition wetlands, particular concern birds.