Avifauna del Parque Arqueo-Ecológico Xoclán: Aportes de ciencia ciudadana

Abstract

Urban parks play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation within highly transformed landscapes. To assess the richness and composition of the avifauna at Xoclán Archeo-Ecological Park in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, we analyzed 193 verified citizen science checklists from the aVerAves platform covering the 2015–2021 period. Using an incidence matrix, we estimated species richness, relative recording frequency, and inventory representativeness via accumulation curves and non-parametric estimators. We recorded 140 species across 21 orders and 42 families, comprising permanent residents, winter and summer migrants, and transient species. Ten species listed in risk categories under the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2019 standard were identified. Non-parametric estimators suggested a potential richness of 152 to 171 species, with inventory completeness ranging from 81.9% to 92.1%. This urban park harbors a diverse and functionally heterogeneous avifauna, including migratory species and those of conservation importance. The study highlights the value of citizen science in generating useful data for urban biodiversity monitoring and provides evidence of the relevance of urban green spaces as strategic elements for biological conservation in tropical cities.