ANALYSIS OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE CIRCULAR AND JACUI PARKS – ENG. ANTÔNIO ARNALDO DE QUEIROZ E SILVA AND THEIR CHARACTERIZATION AS A SECTION OF AN ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR, SÃO PAULO, SP

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest is considered one of the world's greatest biodiversity hotspots, with a high degree of endemism, but it has suffered intense deforestation, exploitation, and fragmentation, aggravated by invasions, pollution, and the destruction of its biomes. the remaining areas, although small, serve as refuges for various animals, and the study of these regions allows us to learn about their inhabitants, promote actions against anthropogenic impacts, and raise awareness among nearby communities, favoring the conservation of fragments of the biome. The objective of this study was to survey fauna species in a floodplain area of the Tietê River, in the São Miguel neighborhood, in the far east of São Paulo, seeking to identify species that are sensitive or resistant to local conditions resulting from human action and to assess the possibility of the space functioning as a section of an urban ecological corridor. Fifteen non-avian species were recorded, including one frog, two species of lizards, and twelve mammals, of which three were domestic and one was exotic, while among the birds, 128 species were identified, distributed across 21 orders and 42 families, of which eighteen are migratory, representing about 14% of the total and subdivided into migratory and partially migratory. Research focused on fauna and flora reinforces the resilience and adaptability of ecosystems, even in adverse conditions, and justifies the protection of small urban green spaces, which play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological connectivity in fragmented areas.