Spatial predictors and species’ traits: evaluating what really matters for medium‐sized and large mammals in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Mammal Review ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Rios ◽  
Maíra Benchimol ◽  
Kristel De Vleeschouwer ◽  
Eliana Cazetta
2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Dias de Carvalho ◽  
Rildo de Oliveira ◽  
Alexandra dos Santos Pires

Medium and large-sized terrestrial mammals develop important functions in ecosystems maintenance. However, this group is the most vulnerable to local extinctions, through habitat loss or hunting. This study inventoried the community of medium and large mammals in the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçú (REGUA), Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ, providing data on species composition, richness and abundance. Species were registered through the use of camera traps, sign survey and visual encounters on pre-existing trails and roads. The study was conducted from January to October 2012, with each month considered as a sample unit. An effort of 1568 cameras-day and 120 km traveled, resulted on 302 records of 22 species of medium and large-sized mammals, belonging to eight orders. This value corresponds to more than three-quarters of the richness described from this group in the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro state. Five species are under some level of regional, national or global threat. Three game species, Pecari tajacu, Cuniculus paca and Dasyprocta leporina were abundant in the area. The observed richness was comparable to that found in other studies conducted in rain forests. Thus, for its high number of species, including those under some degree of threat, we conclude that REGUA is an important area to mammal conservation, especially in the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro state.


2009 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
pp. 1229-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Galetti ◽  
Henrique C. Giacomini ◽  
Rafael S. Bueno ◽  
Christine S.S. Bernardo ◽  
Renato M. Marques ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (03) ◽  
pp. 722-737
Author(s):  
Marcelo Hübel ◽  
◽  
Izar Aximoff ◽  
Antonio Carlos de Freitas ◽  
Clarissa Rosa ◽  
...  

MEDIUM AND LARGE MAMMALS IN RIO VERMELHO MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREA, SANTA CATARINA, SOUTHERN BRAZIL: Most studies on medium and large mammals in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are carried out in areas under full protection (as parks and biological reserves). Considering the continuing threats that the forest remnants are suffering, it is essential to carry out mammal surveys in protected areas for sustainable use. In order to evaluate the species richness and the relative frequency of medium and large mammals in the área de proteção ambiental municipal do Rio Vermelho – APARV (northern Santa Catarina state), methodologies of direct visualization and camera traps were used. The study was conducted from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2019. In Santa Catarina state, there is only one study which sampling effort is comparable to the present one (7300 night-trap). Thirty-three native mammal species and two alien species (Canis familiaris and Lepus europaeus) were found. The species accumulation curve tended to stabilize at the beginning of the third year. Three species were responsible for more than half of the photographic records (Cerdocyon thous, Eira barbara and Procyon cancrivorus). In total, 33.3% of the species are classified in some category of threat, and three of these species are among the less recorded in Santa Catarina state (Tayassu pecari, Tapirus terrestris and Mazama nana). Our survey added 18 new occurrences to the APARV management plan. Only two of the 18 mammal surveys carried out previously in the Santa Catarina state recorded more species than our study. This is the second survey which was carried out in protected areas for sustainable use in Santa Catarina state. Our study contributes to the important knowledge that can be used in conservation measures. In this way, the APARV plays a fundamental role for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest mammals, constituting an important area favoring the population movements of mammals.


Oryx ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 564-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando C. Passos ◽  
Michel C.H. Mello ◽  
Emiliana Isasi-Catalá ◽  
Raphael C. Mello ◽  
Itiberê P. Bernardi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is extinct in several locations as a result of environmental pressures. We present the first records of the giant anteater in the largest continuous expanse of the Atlantic Forest biome, in southern Brazil, highlighting its occurrence in the highlands of the Serra do Mar mountain range. During a camera-trapping survey of medium and large mammals we obtained two records of the species, one in 2013 and the other in 2014. These records from dense rainforest highlands indicate the importance of this environment for the giant anteater and highlight these areas as possible foci for future studies of the species. In addition, we present a review of the species’ occurrence in protected areas in Brazil, to provide a resource for the conservation of this species and for future re-evaluations.


Check List ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassius Klay Santos ◽  
Gabrielle Soares Muniz Pacheco ◽  
Marcelo Passamani

Information about the occurrence of medium-sized and large mammals in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest is essential for monitoring the conservation status of these species in such biodiversity hotspots. This study presents the results of a survey of medium-sized and large mammals from Quedas do Rio Bonito Ecological Park, located in an ecotone between Cerrado and Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. Four sampling methods were used: sand plots, camera traps, line transects and tomahawk traps. We recorded 20 species belonging to 12 families and 7 orders, with a high occurrence of Carnivora (50%). We highlight the occurrence of five endangered species: Chrysocyon brachyurus, Leopardus pardalis, L. guttulus, Puma yagouaroundi and P. concolor. The species with the highest frequencies of occurrence were P. concolor (27%), C. brachyurus (17%), and Sylvilagus brasiliensis (13%). Our results confirm that, despite their small size, forest fragments are essential for “top-of-the-chain” species conservation in the region.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiago Augusto Leão-Pires ◽  
Amom Mendes Luis ◽  
Ricardo Jannini Sawaya

Abstract Investigate how ecological and/or evolutionary factors could affect the structure of ecological communities is a central demand in ecology. In order to better understand that we assessed phylogenetic and functional structure of 33 tadpole communities in the Atlantic Forest coastal plains of Southeastern Brazil. We tested the assumption that phylogenetic conservatism drive tadpole traits. We identified 32 communities with positive values of phylogenetic structure, with 18 of those being significantly clustered. Twelve of 33 communities showed aggregated functional structure. Trait diversity was skewed towards the root, indicating phylogenetic trait conservatism and evolutionary factors as important drivers of tadpoles community structure. Six out of 11 environmental variables were selected in the best explanatory model of phylogenetic structure. Water conductivity, external and internal diversity of vegetation structure, canopy cover, and dissolved oxygen were negatively related with phylogenetic clustering, whereas presence of potential fish predators was positively related. Four of those environmental variables and area were also included in the best explanatory model of functional structure. All variables represent factors related to performance, survivorship, and distribution of anuran communities. From the 12 functionally structured communities, 10 were also phylogenetically structured. Thus, environmental factors may be acting as filters, interacting with phylogenetically conserved species traits, and driving linage occurrence in tadpole communities. Our study provides evidence that phylogenetic and functional structure in vertebrates are a result of interacting ecological and evolutionary agents, resulting in structured anuran assemblages.


2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Vilas Boas Goulart ◽  
Nilton Carlos Cáceres ◽  
Maurício Eduardo Graipel ◽  
Marcos Adriano Tortato ◽  
Ivo Rohling Ghizoni ◽  
...  

Mammalia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hue ◽  
Marion Caubet ◽  
Antonio Christian de A. Moura

AbstractThe Atlantic forest of Brazil is extremely fragmented. This fragmentation has had a toll on the mammal’s assemblages. Although different species are not equally susceptible to fragmentation, populations of some species have become locally extinct. Primate populations in these fragments are in decline or have gone locally extinct. However, there is a dearth of information on density of primates in the highly fragmented Atlantic forest of NE Brazil. We conducted a series of censuses to record primates and other mammals in the Pacatuba semi deciduous forest (~267 ha). Most of the midsized and large mammals disappeared, even fragment-tolerant species such as sloths and coatis are missing in the area. Currently, marmosets (


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-193
Author(s):  
Ana Y. Y. Meiga ◽  
Alexander V. Christianini

Defaunation, the decline in animal species and populations, is biased towards large-bodied animals that have unique roles as dispersers of large seeds. However, it is speculated that these roles may still be performed by smaller animals, such as small mammals like rodents and marsupials, that thrive in defaunated sites. We investigated if small mammals can disperse the large-seeded palm Attalea dubia. We performed the study in a well-conserved Atlantic Forest remnant in southeast Brazil that still harbours large mammals, such as tapirs. Focal observations showed that capuchin-monkeys consumed the mesocarp of the fruits and dropped the seeds beneath the plant crown thereafter. Mammals preyed on ca. 1% and removed ca. 15% of the fallen fruit/seed and deposited them up to 15 m away. Amongst them, small mammals (< 1 kg), such as the squirrel Guerlinguetus brasiliensis and non-identified nocturnal Sigmodontinae, as well as the marsupial Philander frenatus performed the bulk of interactions. Dispersal enhances recruitment, but the short distances of seed removal did not match the current spatial distribution of palm seedlings and juveniles. Recaching rates of hoarded seeds were small (2%) and unlikely to increase distances of seed dispersal achieved. Short distances of dispersal would increase plant clumpiness and negative density-dependent effects with time. Although small mammals can provide legitimate dispersal, they cannot fully replace larger frugivorous mammals and maintain long-distance seed dispersal that feeds plant metapopulation dynamics and seed gene flow.


Check List ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1421-1436
Author(s):  
Sandro Leonardo Alves ◽  
Jeferson de Paula Miranda ◽  
Paulo Sérgio do Nascimento Furtado ◽  
Fúlvia Cristiny Tereza Nelis ◽  
Hugo Leonardo Domingues de Paula ◽  
...  

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most biodiverse biomes in the world and has been severely degraded and fragmented, with the extirpation of most medium-sized and large vertebrates from the forest remnants. Here we present the results of a survey of medium-sized and large mammals in an area of protected seasonal semideciduous forest, the Floresta da Cicuta Area of Relevant Ecological Interest (ARIE-FC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, part the Atlantic Forest biome. We used camera traps (2,257 camera days) and direct observations over a 23-month period. We recorded 19 species (including two domestic species), seven of which are classified as at-risk, such as Leopardus guttulus (Hensel, 1872), Sylvilagus tapetillus Thomas, 1913, Alouatta clamitans Cabrera, 1940, and Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815). A diverse terrestrial mammal assemblage in the ARIE-FC reinforces the importance of small forest fragments for the conservation of biodiversity in human-modified landscapes of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.


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