Abstract
The Cerrado is the second largest biome in Brazil and considered a global biodiversity hotspot due to its high species richness, elevated amount of endemisms, and several anthropogenic threats. The Cerrado has more than 250 species of mammals, and about 15% are endemic. However, fragmentation and the consequent loss of native habitat threaten the maintenance of mammalian populations. In this context we carried out an inventory of medium- and large-sized mammals in Cerrado remnants in Matutina, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Sampling was performed in four remnants of Cerrado and adjacent agricultural matrices for 18 days and 16 nights in March and July 2015 with camera traps, diurnal and nocturnal censuses, and by searching for tracks and other indirect evidence. We recorded 19 species of mammals, including top predators and species vulnerable to extinction. The original vegetation cover in the study area has become severely reduced and fragmented due to agricultural expansion. However, the remnants still retain considerable diversity of medium- and large-sized mammals, making them important for the maintenance of biological diversity.
Highlights
The Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) is the second largest morphoclimatic domain in South America and comprises a mosaic of savanna phytophysiognomies that cover an area of more than two million square kilometers, which is equivalent to 23% of the extension of the Brazilian territory (Silva et al 2006)
We present here the results of a survey of medium-sized and large mammals in Cerrado remnants immersed in an agricultural landscape in the Triângulo Mineiro
Myrmecophaga tridactyla and Dasyprocta azarae were recorded only by camera trap, Callithrix penicillata and Conepatus semistriatus were directly observed during the day and night censuses, and the other eight species were recorded from indirect traces (Table 1)
Summary
The Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) is the second largest morphoclimatic domain in South America and comprises a mosaic of savanna phytophysiognomies that cover an area of more than two million square kilometers, which is equivalent to 23% of the extension of the Brazilian territory (Silva et al 2006). Due to the expansion of agriculture and severe reduction and fragmentation of native habitats, the Cerrado is considered one of the most endangered tropical savannas in the world (Silva and Bates 2002). The Cerrado has high species richness and high rates of endemism, which makes it a global biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al 2000; Klink and Machado 2005). More than 250 species of mammals have been recorded in this domain and about 15% of them are endemic (Paglia et al 2012, Gutiérrez and Marinho-Filho 2017). The fragmentation and consequent loss of native habitat threatens the maintenance of mammal populations, especially the larger species (Silva and Diniz-Filho 2008). Species surveys are at the forefront of the biological sciences, since they reduce the Wallacean shortfall and allow the construction of conservation plans (Whittaker et al 2005; Oliveira et al 2009a)
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