Abstract
Anthropic effects on natural environments caused by urban expansion or agriculture have been identified as one of the causes for the decline in species richness. In southern Brazil, the urbanization process affects the local fauna and reduces the diversity of mammalian species. This study was conducted from 2012 to 2015 with the objective of gathering information on mammalian species in a peri-urban area. Data was collected four consecutive days each month for 42 months using sand plots and visual searches. Occasional encounters and camera traps complemented were used to complement the data. We recorded 15 mammal species belonging to 10 families. The species with the highest abundance, taking into account all the applied methods, were Didelphis albiventris, Mazama gouazoubira and Cerdocyon thous. Four species were listed as endangered (Puma yagouaroundi, Leopardus guttulus, Nasua nasua, and Dasyprocta azarae).
Highlights
The Atlantic forest is one of the most threatened biomes, with only 12% of its original natural cover (Ribeiro, Metzger, Martensen, Ponzoni, & Hirota, 2009); it has high species-richness with strong levels of endemism in animal and plant groups (Myers, Mittermeier, Mittermeier, Fonseca, & Kent, 2000)
Anthropized environments, due to agriculture or urbanization, invariably result in a mosaic of different land use patterns; this leads to fragmentation of the original vegetation, which is the main cause of habitat loss for native fauna (Santos, Pellanda, Tomazzoni, Hasenack, & Hartz, 2004; Ribeiro et al, 2009; Brocardo & CândidoJúnior, 2012)
We recorded 15 mammal species, belonging to 10 families (Table 1, Figure 2), with Carnivora accounting for 46.6%, Rodentia for 20%, and Didelphimorphia for 13.3%
Summary
The Atlantic forest is one of the most threatened biomes, with only 12% of its original natural cover (Ribeiro, Metzger, Martensen, Ponzoni, & Hirota, 2009); it has high species-richness with strong levels of endemism in animal and plant groups (Myers, Mittermeier, Mittermeier, Fonseca, & Kent, 2000). Previous studies revealed that mammals in altered landscapes include species that can tolerate anthropic impact (Dotta & Verdade, 2011; Ribeiro & Melo, 2013; Dias & Bocchiglieri, 2016). Another element is the quality of the matrix surrounding habitat fragments, as verified in several studies as stated by Cassano, Barlow, and Pardin (2012); the anthropized matrices of higher quality (agroforests) modify the structure of mammalian communities, but maintain diversity. The manner in which species live in fragmented habitats and perceive the matrix defines the impact of these fragmented mosaics on a species’ populations (Caryl, Quine, & Park, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
