Diversity of medium and large sized mammals in a Cerrado fragment of central Brazil

Felipe Siqueira Campos,Alexandre Ramos Bastos Lage,Paulo Henrique Pinheiro Ribeiro

doi:10.11609/jott.o3342.4994-5001

Abstract

Studies related to community ecology of medium and large mammals represent a priority in developing strategies for conservation of their habitats. Due to the significant ecological importance of these species, a concern in relation to anthropogenic pressures arises since their populations are vulnerable to hunting and fragmentation. In this study, we aimed to analyze the diversity of medium and large mammals in a representative area of the Cerrado biome, located in the National Forest of SilvÃ¢nia, central Brazil, providing insights for future studies on the biodiversity and conservation of Cerrado mammals. Sampling was carried out by linear transects, search for traces, footprint traps and camera traps. We recorded 23 species, among which three are listed in threat categories (e.g., Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Chrysocyon brachyurus and Leopardus tigrinus). We registered 160 records in the study area, where the most frequently recorded species were Didelphis albiventris (30 records) and Cerdocyon thous (28 records). Our results indicated that a small protected area of Cerrado can include a large and important percentage of the diversity of mammals in this biome, providing information about richness, abundance, spatial distribution and insights for future studies on the biodiversity and conservation of these biological communities.

Highlights

The medium and large sized mammals carry a crucial influence on their ecosystems, performing important tasks as pollinators (Mora et al 1999), seed dispersers (Fragoso & Huffman 2000; Galetti et al 2001; AlvesCosta & Eterovick 2007) and predators (Bodmer 1991; Pedó et al 2006; Weckel et al 2006), maintaining the balance of populations and communities associated with them (Asquith et al 1999; Herrerias-Diego et al 2008).Brazil has the richest mammal fauna in the world, represented by 701 species (Paglia et al 2012)
We found 23 mammals species in National Forest of Silvânia classified in eight orders, among which included three species that are listed in threat categories (e.g., Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Chrysocyon brachyurus and Leopardus tigrinus; Table 1)
The total sampling effort was 144 traps/day for the sand plots, 144 traps/day for the camera traps and 280km transected inside the National Forest

Summary

Introduction

The medium and large sized mammals carry a crucial influence on their ecosystems, performing important tasks as pollinators (Mora et al 1999), seed dispersers (Fragoso & Huffman 2000; Galetti et al 2001; AlvesCosta & Eterovick 2007) and predators (Bodmer 1991; Pedó et al 2006; Weckel et al 2006), maintaining the balance of populations and communities associated with them (Asquith et al 1999; Herrerias-Diego et al 2008).Brazil has the richest mammal fauna in the world, represented by 701 species (Paglia et al 2012). Due to the significant ecological importance that these species have, a concern in relation to anthropogenic pressures arises since they are vulnerable to hunting and population fragmentation (Cullen Jr. et al 2000). These factors directly influence the requirements of these species in terms of living space, food, shelter and specialized modes of reproduction (Henle et al 2004). The study of these animals involves a different set of techniques that can be direct or indirect (Cullen Jr. et al 2000). Indirect techniques (e.g., tracks, vocalizations and other sounds, bones and feces) are widely used because they provide a precise indication of medium and large mammals and their use of habitats (Smallwood & Fitzhugh 1993; Becker & Dalponte 1999; Scoss et al 2004)

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Results

Conclusion