BIOTIC ASSESSMENT INDEX BASED ON ANURAN SPECIES TO EVALUATE THE BIOTIC INTEGRITY OF THE FLOODED SAVANNAS ECOSYSTEM FROM PAUTO RIVER BASIN (CASANARE-COLOMBIA)

Biotic Assessment Index Flooded Savannas

Resumen

Currently, huge environmental impacts such as diversity loss, landscape fragmentation and pollution have been modifying the dynamics of the flooded savannas ecosystems from Pauto River basin in Colombia. Hereby, I have developed a practical management tool to support decision makers and stakeholders in assessing the state of biotic integrity within an ecosystem based on anuran species composition that inhabit this ecosystem. The IBIA shown be sensitive to native vegetation transformation which is correlated with anuran composition. Also, the index provided a clear indication regarding the biological integrity as well as environmental quality of the areas in which the IBIA was utilized. However, the IBIA requires medium and long term application and monitoring within different landscape mosaics present in the flooded savannas from the Orinoquia region for its calibration.