Atlantic Forest Of South America Research Articles

ATLANTIC MAMMALS: a data set of assemblages of medium- and large-sized mammals of the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Biodiversity inventories contain important information about species richness, community structure, and composition, and are the first step in developing any conservation and mitigation strategies. The Atlantic Forest of South America is home to around 334 species of small-, medium-, and large-sized mammals, and is currently restricted to less than 12% of its original cover. Here, we present the ATLANTIC MAMMALS, an open data set on information on medium- and large-sized mammal assemblages in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. A total of 129 studies were compiled, including published and in press peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, theses and unpublished data. We mapped 244 assemblages, eight orders, 63 genera, and 94 species (24 of which are classified as threatened by the IUCN Red List) distributed in 128 protected and 116 unprotected areas. Species richness of the mammalian assemblages varied from 1 to 39 species (mean 15). The most recorded species in the entire biome was Dasypus novemcinctus, followed by Cerdocyon thous and Procyon cancrivorous. These data can be useful in support of macroecological studies and conservation planning strategies. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.

Co‐declining mammal–dung beetle faunas throughout the Atlantic Forest biome of South America

The millennial–scale evolutionary relationships between mammals and dung beetles have been eroded due to several drivers of contemporary biodiversity loss. Although some evidence of co‐decline has been shown for mammals and dung beetles at some Neotropical sites, a biome‐scale analysis for the entire Atlantic Forest of South America would strengthen our understanding of how relictual sets of mammal species can affect dung beetle co‐occurrences and co‐declines. We therefore collated hundreds of assemblages of both dung beetles and medium‐ to large‐bodied mammals throughout the world's longest tropical forest latitudinal gradient to examine to what extent mammal assemblages may exert a positive influence on dung beetle species composition and functional assembly, and whether this relationship is scale dependent. We also collated several climatic and other environmental variables to examine the degree to which they shape mammal–dung beetle relationships. The relationships between local mammal and dung beetle faunas were examined using regression models, variation partitioning, dissimilarity indices and ecological networks. We found a clear positive relationship between mammal and dung beetle species richness across this forest biome, indicating an ongoing process of mammal–dung beetle niche‐mediated co‐decline. We found a strong relationship between the species composition of both taxa, in which dung beetle species dissimilarity apparently track changes in mammalian dissimilarity, typically in 80% of all cases. Co‐variables such as phytomass and climatic variables also influenced mammal–dung beetle patterns of co‐decline along the Atlantic Forest. We conclude that dung beetle diversity and community assembly are shaped by the remaining co‐occurring mammal assemblages and their functional traits, and both groups were governed by environmental features. We emphasize that ecosystem‐wide effects of mammal population declines remain poorly understood both quantitatively and qualitatively, and curbing large vertebrate defaunation will ensure the persistence of co‐dependent species.

Species distribution modeling reveals strongholds and potential reintroduction areas for the world's largest eagle.

The highly interactive nature of predator-prey relationship is essential for ecosystem conservation; predators have been extirpated, however, from entire ecosystems all over the Earth. Reintroductions comprise a management technique to reverse this trend. Species Distribution Models (SDM) are preemptive tools for release-site selection, and can define levels of habitat quality over the species distribution. The Atlantic Forest of South America has lost most of its apex predators, and Harpy Eagles Harpia harpyja—Earth’s largest eagle—are now limited to few forest pockets in this domain. Harpy Eagles are supposedly widespread in the Amazon Forest, however, where habitat loss and degradation is advancing at a rapid pace. We aim to describe the suitability of threatened Amazonian landscapes for this eagle. We also aim to assess the suitability of remaining Atlantic Forest sites for Harpy Eagle reintroductions. Here we show that that considerable eagle habitat has already been lost in Amazonia due to the expansion of the “Arc of Deforestation”, and that Amazonian forests currently represent 93% of the current distribution of the species. We also show that the Serra do Mar protected areas in southeastern Brazil is the most promising region for Harpy Eagle reintroductions in the Atlantic Forest. Reintroduction and captive breeding programs have been undertaken for Harpy Eagles, building the technical and biological basis for a successful restoration framework. Our distribution range for this species represents a 41% reduction of what is currently proposed by IUCN. Furthermore, habitat loss in Amazonia, combined with industrial logging and hunting suggest that the conservation status of this species should be reassessed. We suggest researchers and conservation practitioners can use this work to help expand efforts to conserve Harpy Eagles and their natural habitats.

ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS: a data set of bird morphological traits from the Atlantic forests of South America

Scientists have long been trying to understand why the Neotropical region holds the highest diversity of birds on Earth. Recently, there has been increased interest in morphological variation between and within species, and in how climate, topography, and anthropogenic pressures may explain and affect phenotypic variation. Because morphological data are not always available for many species at the local or regional scale, we are limited in our understanding of intra- and interspecies spatial morphological variation. Here, we present the ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS, a data set that includes measurements of up to 44 morphological traits in 67,197 bird records from 2,790 populations distributed throughout the Atlantic forests of South America. This data set comprises information, compiled over two centuries (1820-2018), for 711 bird species, which represent 80% of all known bird diversity in the Atlantic Forest. Among the most commonly reported traits are sex (n=65,717), age (n=63,852), body mass (n=58,768), flight molt presence (n=44,941), molt presence (n=44,847), body molt presence (n=44,606), tail length (n=43,005), reproductive stage (n=42,588), bill length (n=37,409), body length (n=28,394), right wing length (n=21,950), tarsus length (n=20,342), and wing length (n=18,071). The most frequently recorded species are Chiroxiphia caudata (n=1,837), Turdus albicollis (n=1,658), Trichothraupis melanops (n=1,468), Turdus leucomelas (n=1,436), and Basileuterus culicivorus (n=1,384). The species recorded in the greatest number of sampling localities are Basileuterus culicivorus (n=243), Trichothraupis melanops (n=242), Chiroxiphia caudata (n=210), Platyrinchus mystaceus (n=208), and Turdus rufiventris (n=191). ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS (ABT) is the most comprehensive data set on measurements of bird morphological traits found in a biodiversity hotspot; it provides data for basic and applied research at multiple scales, from individual to community, and from the local to the macroecological perspectives. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications or teaching and educational activities.

Sharing of termites (Blattodea: Isoptera) between sugarcane matrices and Atlantic Forest fragments in Northeast Brazil

The Atlantic Forest of South America is one of the most degraded tropical forests and the cultivation of sugarcane is considered one of the main causes. In humid forests termites stand out with regard to their abundance and functional importance. The present study aimed to compare termite assemblages of fragments of the Atlantic Forest with that of the sugarcane matrices that surround them. Collections were performed in two sugarcane plantations in Northeast Brazil. In each plantation a fragment of Atlantic Forest and an adjacent sugarcane field were sampled using a standardized termite sampling protocol. A total of 39 species and 302 encounters were recorded. Species richness, relative abundance and composition differed significantly between forests and the matrices, with the presence of exclusive species in each environment—25 in the forests and seven in the matrices. Soil feeding species of the subfamily Apicotermitinae and species of open areas were found in the matrices. There was a marked difference between the assemblages of the matrices, possibly due to soil characteristics. The majority of the species found in the matrices do not cause damage to the crop, but instead act in the processes of soil decomposition and formation, thereby contributing to increased productivity.

Helmeted Woodpeckers roost in decay-formed cavities in large living trees: A clue to an old-growth forest association

AbstractWoodpeckers (Picidae) are broadly associated with forests but vary in sensitivity to habitat alteration, with some species restricted to mature and old-growth forests, usually because of their foraging or nesting requirements. Roosting sites have rarely been considered a critical resource for woodpecker conservation because nearly all woodpecker species roost year-round in excavated cavities similar to their nest sites. A possible exception is the globally vulnerable Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus) of the Atlantic Forest of South America. To determine whether roosting ecology may explain their association with mature forest, we radio-tracked 12 Helmeted Woodpeckers in old-growth and selectively logged forests in Argentina, monitored roost cavities, and provided 9 roost boxes. Unlike other woodpeckers, Helmeted Woodpeckers roosted year-round in decay-formed cavities (n = 21), with perching space above the entrance, in the living trunks of large trees. Adults usually roosted alone, but after nesting (in excavated cavities), each adult roosted with one juvenile in a shared, decay-formed cavity for up to 67 days, implying that cavities need enough space for 2 birds. We did not observe use of roost boxes. Helmeted Woodpeckers travelled up to 1,482 m between nests and roosts, reused roost cavities over multiple years (sometimes changing ownership), and interacted aggressively with other cavity-nesting birds at roost cavities, indicating that suitable cavities are a scarce resource. Because logging is likely to have a strong negative impact on the availability of this resource, we urge managers in the Atlantic Forest region to retain large living trees with decay-formed cavities and to allow more selectively logged areas to become old growth.

ATLANTIC-PRIMATES: a dataset of communities and occurrences of primates in the Atlantic Forests of South America.

Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2±1 species (range=1-6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N=2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N=1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N=35), Leontopithecus caissara (N=38), and Sapajus libidinosus (N=41) were the species with the least records. Recorded primate densities varied from 0.004individuals/km2 (Alouatta guariba at Fragmento do Bugre, Paraná, Brazil) to 400individuals/km2 (Alouatta caraya in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Our dataset reflects disparity between the numerous primate census conducted in the Atlantic Forest, in contrast to the scarcity of estimates of population sizes and densities. With these data, researchers can develop different macroecological and regional level studies, focusing on communities, populations, species co-occurrence and distribution patterns. Moreover, the data can also be used to assess the consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and disease outbreaks on different ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, species invasion or extinction, and community dynamics. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this Data Paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.

How do bat, rodent, and marsupial communities respond to spatial and environmental gradients? Insights from a deconstruction of mammal beta diversity from the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Space and environment are fundamental in influencing the community structure. However, their relative influences vary according to species' biological characteristics. Here we test whether differences in life-history traits mainly linked to dispersal abilities influence bat, rodent and marsupial beta diversity along spatial and environmental gradients. We expect bat beta diversity to be weakly related with space in comparison to dispersal-limited rodents and marsupials. Using data from communities distributed along the Atlantic Forest of South America, we calculated the total beta diversity and its turnover and nestedness components for each group. We estimated the strength of correlation of beta diversity and its components along spatial and environmental gradients, comparing their importance within and between groups. Space had the higher influence on rodent and marsupial beta diversity. For bats, both gradients influenced similarly their community composition. Between taxa, the influence of these gradients did not differ for rodents and marsupials, while bats presented a stronger relationship with environment compared to non-volant small mammals. Also, all groups presented a similar influence of the spatial gradients on their community structure, despite their differences in dispersal abilities. Our results suggest that differences in biological characteristics partially influence the community structure of these mammals, with their responses along space likely reflecting similar biogeographical dynamics affecting their distribution. Overall, our results improve the understanding of the processes structuring these communities, highlighting the benefits of comparative analyses within a beta diversity perspective to better understand the influence of multiple processes on the community assembly along geographical gradients.

Atlantic butterflies: a data set of fruit-feeding butterfly communities from the Atlantic forests.

Butterflies are one of the best-known insect groups, and they have been the subject of numerous studies in ecology and evolution, especially in the tropics. Much attention has been given to the fruit-feeding butterfly guild in biodiversity conservation studies, due to the relative ease with which taxa may be identified and specimens sampled using bait traps. However, there remain many uncertainties about the macroecological and biogeographical patterns of butterflies in tropical ecosystems. In the present study, we gathered information about fruit-feeding butterfly species in local communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America. The ATLANTIC BUTTERFLIES data set, which is part of ATLANTIC SERIES data papers, results from a compilation of 145 unpublished inventories and 64 other references, including articles, theses, and book chapters published from 1949 to 2018. In total, the data set contains 7,062 records (presence) of 279 species of fruit-feeding butterflies identified with taxonomic certainty, from 122 study locations. The Satyrini is the tribe with highest number of species (45%) and records (30%), followed by Brassolini, with 13% of species and 12.5% of records. The 10 most common species correspond to 14.2% of all records. This data set represents a major effort to compile inventories of fruit-feeding butterfly communities, filling a knowledge gap about the diversity and distribution of these butterflies in the Atlantic Forest. We hope that the present data set can provide guidelines for future studies and planning of new inventories of fruit-feeding butterflies in this biome. The information presented here also has potential use in studies across a great variety of spatial scales, from local and landscape levels to macroecological research and biogeographical research. We expect that such studies be very important for the better implementation of conservation initiatives, and for understanding the multiple ecological processes that involve fruit-feeding butterflies as biological indicators. No copyright restrictions apply to the use of this data set. Please cite this Data paper when using the current data in publications or teaching events.

Barriers, corridors or suitable habitat? Effect of monoculture tree plantations on the habitat use and prey availability for jaguars and pumas in the Atlantic Forest

Large carnivores are key elements of natural ecosystems and most of them are declining due to the impacts of human activities. Jaguars and pumas are the largest felids of the American continent, and particularly jaguars are critically endangered in the Atlantic Forest of South America. As with other tropical forests, the Atlantic Forest has been converted to human land uses including forest tree plantations with exotic species. We assessed jaguars and pumas habitat use in a productive landscape of exotic pine plantations and forest areas in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina. We estimated the availability of their main preys in this landscape and evaluated the variables that affect their occupancy pattern. We developed large scale camera traps surveys between 2013 and 2014 in an area that includes pine plantations, protected areas, and unprotected areas covered by native forest and small rural properties. In total, we sampled 274 sampling stations with an effort of 13,347 camera-trap days. We used single-species single-season occupancy models to evaluate the effect of the proportion of pine plantation around the sampling station, the cost of human access, and the distance to the edge of the continuous forest block on the occupancy of the felids and its main prey species. For felids, we also evaluated the effect of the availability of their prey species. With a few exceptions, the occupancy probabilities of most prey were affected by one or two of the landscape variables tested. Habitat use by jaguars and pumas was affected by this anthropogenic landscape change. Even though the relative proportion of plantation to forest around camera stations did not affect the habitat use of either of the two feline species, other factors associated with this anthropic land-use, as human accessibility and distance to the continuous forest, did show an effect on these big cat species. According to our results, relatively small and well-managed areas of exotic tree plantations interspersed with forest areas do not constitute barriers for jaguars and pumas in the Atlantic Forest and can function as potential corridors. Forest plantations as such, do not appear to constitute optimal habitats for these felids. The role of tree plantations as potential corridors or supplementary habitat for pumas, jaguars and their prey relies, to different degrees, on the maintenance of a high proportion of native forest among the plantations, on a good connectivity with the large patches of protected forest, and on the control of poaching.

Middle Holocene plant cultivation on the Atlantic Forest coast of Brazil?

This work provides robust oral pathology and stable isotope evidence on Bayesian mixing model for an unexpectedly high consumption of carbohydrates by a Middle Holocene coastal population of the Atlantic Forest of South America, an area traditionally viewed as peripheral to early centres of food production on the continent. A diversified economy with substantial consumption of plant resources was in place at the shellmound (or sambaqui) of Morro do Ouro, in Babitonga Bay, and supported a dense population at ca 4500 cal BP. This dietary composition is unique when compared with that of other contemporary and later groups in the region, including peoples who used ceramics and domesticated crops. The results corroborate independent dietary evidence, such as stone tool artefacts for plant processing and plant microremains in dental calculus of the same individuals, and suggest plant cultivation possibly took place in this region at the same time as the development of early agriculture in Amazonia and the La Plata Basin. Our study situates the Atlantic Forest coast of Brazil on the map of early plant management in the Neotropics.

Effect of nitrogen addition and litter removal on understory vegetation, soil mesofauna, and litter decomposition in loblolly pine plantations in subtropical Argentina

Loblolly pine monocultures have been increasingly expanding in the Atlantic Forest of South America especially in northern Argentina. Pine plantations can modify understory vegetation and soil characteristics due to the management practices and to the dense mulch of pine needles that develop in the forest floor that could affect soil biota and ecosystem processes. Nitrogen (N) addition as expected as atmospheric deposition can also contribute to these changes. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of litter removal and low levels of N addition on understory regeneration, soil mesofauna abundance, and leaf litter decomposition. For this purpose, a completely randomized block design was used. Nitrogen addition had significant effects on understory regeneration promoting creeping herbs, graminoids and shrubs life forms affecting tree establishment and growth. Litter removal treatment showed the same pattern but only promoting the creeping herbs that could also have affected tree species. Decomposition decreased due to litter removal and was slightly increased by N addition. The addition of N decreased the abundance of mesofauna in the mulch, especially Symphypleone (a suborder of Collembola), but the abundance of the soil communities was not affected. Litter removal had a strong impact on these communities because most individuals and species of the mesofauna are present in the litter and not in the soil. This is one of the first studies analyzing the effect of low amounts of N addition and litter removal in subtropical pine plantations and contribute to understand potential impacts of increasing N deposition on biodiversity and soil processes, and to select organisms that may help as bioindicators in assessing impacts on ecological functions in productive ecosystems.

ATLANTIC AMPHIBIANS: a data set of amphibian communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America.

Amphibians are among the most threatened vertebrates in the world and this is also true for those inhabiting the Atlantic Forest hotspot, living in ecosystems that are highly degraded and threatened by anthropogenic activities. We present a data set containing information about amphibian communities sampled throughout the Atlantic Forest Biome in South America. The data were extracted from 389 bibliographic references (articles, books, theses, and dissertations) representing inventories of amphibian communities from 1940 to 2017. The data set includes 17,619 records of 528 species with taxonomic certainty, from 1,163 study sites. Of all the records, 14,450 (82%) were classified using the criterion of endemism; of those, 7,787 (44%) were considered endemic and 6,663 (38%) were not. Historically, multiple sampling methods were used to survey amphibians, the most representative methods being active surveys (82.1%), surveys at breeding sites (20%), pitfall traps (15.3%), and occasional encounters (14.5%). Species richness averaged 15.2±11.3 (mean ± SD), ranging from 1 to 80 species per site. We found a low dominance in the communities, with 10 species occurring in about 26% of communities: Physalaemus cuvieri (4.1%), Dendropsophus minutus (3.8%), Boana faber (3.1%), Scinax fuscovarius (2.8%), Leptodactylus latrans (2.7%), Leptodactylus fuscus (2.6%), Boana albopunctata (2.3%), Dendropsophus nanus (1.6%), Rhinella ornata (1.6%), and Leptodactylus mystacinus (1.6%). This data set represents a major effort to compile inventories of amphibian communities for the Neotropical region, filling a large gap in the data on the Atlantic Forest hotspot. We hope this data set can be used as a credible tool in the proposal of new studies on amphibian sampling and even in the development of conservation planning for these taxa. This information also has great relevance for macroecological studies, being foundational for both conservation and restoration strategies in this biodiversity hotspot. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications or teaching events.

Reproductive behavior and development in Spilotes sulphureus (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Ecuador

Reproductive behavior and development in Spilotes sulphureus (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Ecuador. The Birdsnake Spilotes sulphureus is a large-sized species that occurs from the Amazon region to the Atlantic forest of South America. Despite the wide distribution little is known about its natural history. Here we report, for the frst time, reproductive behavior displayed by this species observed in a pair of Ecuadorian specimens in captivity. A ritualized pre-copulatory behavior followed a colubrine pattern similar to the congeneric species Spilotes pullatus. The repertoire included chin-rubbing, continuous tongue ficking, head raising, body jerking, cloacal gaping, and partial mounting. Oviposition occurred 86–98 days after of the frst copulation. Females lay clutches of 7–14 eggs. Juvenile coloration is remarkably different from adults. Newborns have a dorsum with transverse brown or gray bands, and white or pale gray interspaces; young of 1–2 years have green bands and yellow-green interspaces; adults have dark green bands. Ontogenetic color changes are presumably associated with antipredator strategies, change in size, vulnerability or habitat and microhabitat selection.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Phyllomys (Rodentia: Echimyidae) reveal a new species from the Cerrado and suggest Miocene connections of the Amazon and Atlantic Forest

Phyllomys is the most species-rich genus among spiny tree rats of the family Echimyidae and includes members widely distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest of South America. Among recognized species recovered in previous studies, 4 lineages are unnamed and their taxonomic distinctness needs further investigation. Biogeographic analyses recovered an Amazonian ancestor of the basal lineage leading to living Phyllomys, suggesting ancient connections between the 2 largest South American rainforests, and presence of rainforest corridors within the central Brazilian dry biomes. Based on exhaustive taxonomic sampling of Phyllomys, applying multigene phylogenetic methods, and morphological and karyological data, we described a new species of Phyllomys from central Brazil. Geographical records from the center of the Cerrado biome of central Brazil indicate an unexpected location for the distribution of the genus, given the contrast between the physical and biological characteristics of the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest habitats. Contrary to previous studies, the analysis of the ancestral geographic range performed here suggests a Cerrado ancestral distribution for Phyllomys during the late Miocene. This result favors the hypothesis of a past link between the Amazon and Atlantic Forest in central Brazil, through the region occupied today by the dry Cerrado, and that forest expansions and contractions may have occurred in Brazilian dry biomes over the course of the Tertiary.

ATLANTIC MAMMAL TRAITS: a data set of morphological traits of mammals in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Measures of traits are the basis of functional biological diversity. Numerous works consider mean species-level measures of traits while ignoring individual variance within species. However, there is a large amount of variation within species and it is increasingly apparent that it is important to consider trait variation not only between species, but also within species. Mammals are an interesting group for investigating trait-based approaches because they play diverse and important ecological functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, predation, grazing) that are correlated with functional traits. Here we compile a data set comprising morphological and life history information of 279 mammal species from 39,850 individuals of 388 populations ranging from -5.83 to -29.75 decimal degrees of latitude and -34.82 to -56.73 decimal degrees of longitude in the Atlantic forest of South America. We present trait information from 16,840 individuals of 181 species of non-volant mammals (Rodentia, Didelphimorphia, Carnivora, Primates, Cingulata, Artiodactyla, Pilosa, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla) and from 23,010 individuals of 98 species of volant mammals (Chiroptera). The traits reported include body mass, age, sex, reproductive stage, as well as the geographic coordinates of sampling for all taxa. Moreover, we gathered information on forearm length for bats and body length and tail length for rodents and marsupials. No copyright restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.

ATLANTIC BATS: a data set of bat communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America.

Bats are the second most diverse mammal order and they provide vital ecosystem functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient flux in caves) and services (e.g., crop pest suppression). Bats are also important vectors of infectious diseases, harboring more than 100 different virus types. In the present study, we compiled information on bat communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America, a species-rich biome that is highly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. The ATLANTIC BATS data set comprises 135 quantitative studies carried out in 205 sites, which cover most vegetation types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest: dense ombrophilous forest, mixed ombrophilous forest, semideciduous forest, deciduous forest, savanna, steppe, and open ombrophilous forest. The data set includes information on more than 90,000 captures of 98 bat species of eight families. Species richness averaged 12.1 per site, with a median value of 10 species (ranging from 1 to 53 species). Six species occurred in more than 50% of the communities: Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, Artibeus fimbriatus, Glossophaga soricina, and Platyrrhinus lineatus. The number of captures divided by sampling effort, a proxy for abundance, varied from 0.000001 to 0.77 individuals·h-1 ·m-2 (0.04 ± 0.007 individuals·h-1 ·m-2 ). Our data set reveals a hyper-dominance of eight species that together that comprise 80% of all captures: Platyrrhinus lineatus (2.3%), Molossus molossus (2.8%), Artibeus obscurus (3.4%), Artibeus planirostris (5.2%), Artibeus fimbriatus (7%), Sturnira lilium (14.5%), Carollia perspicillata (15.6%), and Artibeus lituratus (29.2%).

ATLANTIC-CAMTRAPS: a dataset of medium and large terrestrial mammal communities in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Our understanding of mammal ecology has always been hindered by the difficulties of observing species in closed tropical forests. Camera trapping has become a major advance for monitoring terrestrial mammals in biodiversity rich ecosystems. Here we compiled one of the largest datasets of inventories of terrestrial mammal communities for the Neotropical region based on camera trapping studies. The dataset comprises 170 surveys of medium to large terrestrial mammals using camera traps conducted in 144 areas by 74 studies, covering six vegetation types of tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of South America (Brazil and Argentina), and present data on species composition and richness. The complete dataset comprises 53,438 independent records of 83 species of mammals, includes 10 species of marsupials, 15 rodents, 20 carnivores, eight ungulates and six armadillos. Species richness averaged 13 species (±6.07 SD) per site. Only six species occurred in more than 50% of the sites: the domestic dog Canis familiaris, crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous, tayra Eira barbara, south American coati Nasua nasua, crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus and the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus. The information contained in this dataset can be used to understand macroecological patterns of biodiversity, community, and population structure, but also to evaluate the ecological consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and trophic interactions.

Atlantic small-mammal: a dataset of communities of rodents and marsupials of the Atlantic forests of South America.

The contribution of small mammal ecology to the understanding of macroecological patterns of biodiversity, population dynamics, and community assembly has been hindered by the absence of large datasets of small mammal communities from tropical regions. Here we compile the largest dataset of inventories of small mammal communities for the Neotropical region. The dataset reviews small mammal communities from the Atlantic forest of South America, one of the regions with the highest diversity of small mammals and a global biodiversity hotspot, though currently covering less than 12% of its original area due to anthropogenic pressures. The dataset comprises 136 references from 300 locations covering seven vegetation types of tropical and subtropical Atlantic forests of South America, and presents data on species composition, richness, and relative abundance (captures/trap-nights). One paper was published more than 70yr ago, but 80% of them were published after 2000. The dataset comprises 53,518 individuals of 124 species of small mammals, including 30 species of marsupials and 94 species of rodents. Species richness averaged 8.2 species (1-21) per site. Only two species occurred in more than 50% of the sites (the common opossum, Didelphis aurita and black-footed pigmy rice rat Oligoryzomys nigripes). Mean species abundance varied 430-fold, from 4.3 to 0.01 individuals/trap-night. The datasetalso revealed a hyper-dominance of 22 species that comprised 78.29% of all individuals captured, with only seven species representing 44% of all captures. The information contained on this dataset can be applied in the study of macroecological patterns of biodiversity, communities, and populations, but also to evaluate the ecological consequences of fragmentation and defaunation, and predict disease outbreaks, trophic interactions and community dynamics in this biodiversity hotspot.

Early genetic consequences of defaunation in a large-seeded vertebrate-dispersed palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana).

Plant populations are seriously threatened by anthropogenic habitat disturbance. In particular, defaunation may disrupt plant-disperser mutualisms, thus reducing levels of seed-mediated gene flow and genetic variation in animal-dispersed plants. This may ultimately limit their adaptive potential and ability to cope with environmental change. Tropical forest remnants are typically deprived of medium to large vertebrates upon which many large-seeded plants rely for accomplishing effective seed dispersal. Our main goal was to examine the potential early genetic consequences of the loss of large vertebrates for large-seeded vertebrate-dispersed plants. We compared the genetic variation in early-stage individuals of the large-seeded palm Syagrus romanzoffiana between continuous protected forest and nearby partially defaunated fragments in the Atlantic Forest of South America. Using nine microsatellites, we found lower allelic richness and stronger fine-scale spatial genetic structure in the disturbed area. In addition, the percentage of dispersed recruits around conspecific adults was lower, although not significantly, in the disturbed area (median values: 0.0 vs 14.4%). On the other hand, no evidence of increased inbreeding or reduced pollen-mediated gene flow (selfing rate and diversity of pollen donors) was found in the disturbed area. Our findings are strongly suggestive of some early genetic consequences resulting from the limitation in contemporary gene flow via seeds, but not pollen, in defaunated areas. Plant-disperser mutualisms involving medium-large frugivores, which are seriously threatened in tropical systems, should therefore be protected to warrant the maintenance of seed-mediated gene flow and genetic diversity in large-seeded plants.