Large-sized Mammals Research Articles

Mammals of medium and large size in a fragmented cerrado landscape in northeastern Minas Gerais state, Brazil

The diversity of Brazilian mammals is among the highest of the world. However this exceptional diversity is still widely unknown and great part of it is seriously threatened by human activities. In the present study we estimated species richness and relative abundance of medium and large size mammals for the region of Brasilândia de Minas, a city situated in a fragmented and poorly studied cerrado area of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. We obtained 63 records of 24 species, including eight species threatened with extinction. Our results support the hypothesis that many of the cerrado mammal species may be able to persist in fragmented agricultural landscapes. This paper shows that despite the anthropogenic disturbances detected, the studied area plays an important role in the conservation of medium and large size mammals in the cerrado biome.

Karst development, breccias history, and mammalian assemblages in Southeast Asia: A brief review

Karst processes typically occur in carbonate rocks, such as limestone or dolomite. They occur all over the world everywhere where carbonate rocks are exposed and submitted to rain and/or water circulation. The karstification of carbonate rocks-bearing landscapes leads to a variety of surface and subsurface features. In tropical and sub-tropical areas as it is the case in Southeast Asia, the mature karst landscapes display a typical morphology called tower karst. Beneath the surface, the complex underground drainage systems contribute to an extensive network of caves and caverns, which may be filled with breccia. The history of sedimentary cave infilling is often complicated due to alternating cycles of infilling/removing phases through time, driven by climate/tectonic/eustatic changes. We present results from our research in Vietnam and Laos. We emphasise that both modern and fossil alluvial terraces and cave entrances/exits, evolve together, and that the caves at progressively higher elevations also have older periods of formation. The oldest breccias and sedimentary deposits are on the upper part of the network, whereas the youngest ones are often close to the modern alluvial plain. These processes of formation are in many respects very similar to those of the fluvial terraces formed during the drop of the alluvial plain, showing a stair-like morphology. Additionally, the alternation of infilling and erosion is strongly linked to the progressive downcutting of the alluvial plain that leads to a major change in both, water circulation and sedimentary deposits. The bone-bearing breccias, formed by typical sedimentary processes, yield vertebrate assemblages, often essentially composed of isolated teeth from middle- to large-sized mammals (Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Proboscidea, Carnivora, Rodentia, Primates). In terms of zoogeography, the continental Southeast Asian mammals belong to the Indochinese Subregion. After a brief review of the evolution of the faunas throughout the Pleistocene, we present a biochronological framework of the transition between the Middle Pleistocene and the Late Pleistocene, on the basis of our research in the karsts of Vietnam (Duoi U’Oi and Ma U’Oi sites) and Laos (Tam Hang site).

The evolution of endothermy in Cenozoic mammals: a plesiomorphic‐apomorphic continuum

The evolution of endothermy in birds and mammals was one of the most important events in the evolution of the vertebrates. Past tests of hypotheses on the evolution of endothermy in mammals have relied largely on analyses of the relationship between basal and maximum metabolic rate, and artificial selection experiments. I argue that components of existing hypotheses, as well as new hypotheses, can be tested using an alternative macrophysiological modeling approach by examining the development of endothermy during the Cenozoic. Recent mammals display a 10°C range in body temperature which is sufficiently large to identify the selective forces that have driven the development of endothermy from a plesiomorphic (ancestral) Cretaceous or Jurassic condition. A model is presented (the Plesiomorphic-Apomorphic Endothermy Model, PAE Model) which proposes that heterothermy, i.e. bouts of normothermy (constant body temperature) interspersed with adaptive heterothermy (e.g. daily torpor and/or hibernation), was the ancestral condition from which apomorphic (derived), rigid homeothermy evolved. All terrestrial mammal lineages are examined for existing data to test the model, as well as for missing data that could be used to test the model. With the exception of Scandentia and Dermoptera, about which little is known, all mammalian orders that include small-sized mammals (<500 g), have species which are heterothermic and display characteristics of endothermy which fall somewhere along a plesiomorphic-apomorphic continuum. Orders which do not have heterothermic representatives (Cetartiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Pholidota, and Lagomorpha) are comprised of medium- to large-sized mammals that have either lost the capacity for heterothermy, or in which heterothermy has yet to be measured. Mammalian heterothermy seems to be plesiomorphic and probably evolved once in the mammalian lineage. Several categories of endothermy are identified (protoendothermy, plesioendothermy, apoendothermy, basoendothermy, mesoendothermy, supraendothermy, and reversed mesoendothermy) to describe the evolution of endothermy during the Cenozoic. The PAE Model should facilitate the testing of hypotheses using a range of macrophysiological methods (e.g. the comparative method and the reconstruction of ancestral states).

Seasonal dynamics and hosts of Amblyomma triste (Acari: Ixodidae) in Argentina

The seasonal dynamics and host usage of Amblyomma triste in Argentina were analyzed. Adults of A. triste were present from early winter to mid-summer, with the peak of abundance from late winter to mid-spring (August to October). Larvae and nymphs were found from December to June, with the peak of abundance in summer. There were no differences among the biological parameters (pre-moult period of larvae and nymphs, pre-oviposition period of females, and minimum incubation period of eggs) of engorged ticks exposed to different photoperiod regimens at the laboratory, but the periods for each biological parameter obtained from ticks exposed in the field were significantly longer than those from the laboratory. Field results fit better with the data of seasonal distribution of each stage. Morphogenetic diapause was not detected, but complementary studies should test the presence of behavioral diapause. Rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae (Akodon azarae, Oligoryzomys flavescens, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus rufus and Scapteromys aquaticus) are the principal hosts for immature stages of A. triste, the caviid Cavia aperea could be another potential host for these stages, and birds are exceptional hosts for larvae and nymphs. Regarding hosts of adults in Argentina, domestic and wild large-sized mammals belonging to different orders (cattle, dog, horse, Blastocerus dichotomus and Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) serve as hosts for adults of this tick species. In conclusion, A. triste has a life cycle of 1 year with adults feeding on large endemic and introduced mammals and immature stages using sigmodontine and caviid rodents as hosts.

Comparing the effectiveness of tracking methods for medium to large-sized mammals of Pantanal

Most Neotropical mammals are not easily observed in their habitats, and few studies have been conducted to compare the performance of methods designed to register their tracks. We compared the effectiveness of track registry between sand plots and two tracking methods that use artificial materials to record tracks: the sooted paper, and the plastic board methods. The latter is described here for the first time. From 2002 to 2005, we conducted two experiments in three study sites in the Pantanal region of Brazil. We compared the artificial methods with the sand plot by registering track presence/absence, the number of identifiable tracks, and the total number of tracks (identifiable and unrecognizable) in each tracking plot. Individuals avoided artificial tracking plots either by not stepping on them or by doing it fewer times than on the sand plots. The use of artificial materials to register mammal tracks resulted in underestimates that are especially relevant to short-term ecological studies. We recommend the use of the traditional sand plot method whenever possible and the development of detailed studies on the efficiency of artificial methods under a variety of environmental conditions and time lengths. Despite their relatively lower efficiency, we believe that artificial methods are useful under specific conditions and may be more efficient if used in more comprehensive sampling efforts.

Evaluating of Determining Species Diversity of Medium and Large-sized Mammals by Camera Trapping in Pastures

Evaluating of Determining Species Diversity of Medium and Large-sized Mammals by Camera Trapping in Pastures

Medium to large-sized mammals in agricultural landscapes of south-eastern Brazil

We determined the patterns of distribution and abundance of medium to large-sized mammals on an agricultural landscape in south-eastern Brazil. Here, we discuss some management recommendations to improve the conservation value of agricultural landscapes. From July 2003 to June 2004 we surveyed 284.4 km transects searching for tracks and visualizations of mammals in the main environments of an agricultural landscape in south-eastern Brazil. We recorded 25 native species, two exotic and six domestic species in the area: 23 species on native forest fragments, 19 on sugarcane plantations, 17 on eucalyptus plantations, and 12 on pasture areas. There were significant differences in species richness and frequency of occurrence among these environments. Pasture areas had the lowest species richness and sugarcane plantations the greatest frequency of occurrence. Some species are associated with open areas, whereas other species are associated with forested habitats. Although a considerable part of the original mammal diversity is still present, the community found is predominantly composed of species able to adapt to environmental alterations. Therefore, to improve the conservation value of agricultural landscapes in south-eastern Brazil, the maintenance of native forest fragments is essential, in addition to mitigation measures of the various agricultural impacts.

The Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Tam Hang karstic deposit, northern Laos: New data and evolutionary hypothesis

New fossil material was recovered at Tam Hang during the second fieldwork season conducted in 2007, by a Lao-French-American team. The Tam Hang site is located in northern Laos, in the Hua Pan province, about 260 km from Vientiane. The breccias of the Tam Hang South locality produced 404 new fossil specimens which complete the previous material recovered in 2003. The fossiliferous deposits are described geologically. In terms of palaeontology, the mammalian fauna is essentially composed of isolated teeth of middle- to large-sized mammals (Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Proboscidea, Carnivora, Rodentia, Primates). The overall fauna is compared to the six well-documented Middle to Late Pleistocene faunas from the Indochinese province (Yenchingkuo, Phnom Loang, Thum Wiman Nakin, Lang Trang, Duoi U’Oi, Ma U’Oi). On the basis of the faunal composition and evolutionary stages of the species, a biochronological framework at the transition between the Middle Pleistocene and the Late Pleistocene is proposed.

Mammalia, Estação Ecológica do Panga, a Cerrado protected area in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

We present a species list of the mammals of the Estação Ecológica do Panga, a 404 ha Cerrado reserve in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Using methods ranging from camera traps to direct observations, we documented 46 species in the reserve. Among medium and large-sized mammals, the order Carnivora was the most commonly observed (N=12 species). The highest relative frequencies of observation were of Mazama guazoubira and Cerdocyon thous. Pecari tajacu was the most frequent species in camera traps. Over the course of 7320 trap nights there were 105 captures of small mammals from seven species, with an overall capture rate of 1.6 %. The highest capture rates were for the marsupial Gracilinanus agilis, with Calomys tener the most commonly caught rodent. Our survey suggests that many of the Cerrado’s mammal species can persist in landscapes that are a mosaic of natural areas and some types of agriculture.

Composição e diversidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no Cerrado do Brasil central

Composição e diversidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no Cerrado do Brasil central. Estudos com mamíferos de médio e grande porte (&gt;1,0 kg) em áreas alteradas no Cerrado revelam que muitas espécies se adaptam aos ambientes antropizados. Foi investigada a estrutura da comunidade de mamíferos em uma área de 92.000 ha localizada no sudoeste baiano e constituída por plantios de Pinus spp., soja e faixas de cerrado sentido restrito. Os mamíferos foram registrados ao longo de nove campanhas de 12 dias, entre janeiro/2008 e maio/2009, no período diurno e noturno através de transectos lineares variando entre 5-15 km de extensão e que totalizaram 3.600 km percorridos/período. Foram registradas 29 espécies, sendo 23 através dos transectos lineares e as demais por observação indireta, captura e registros pretéritos. A comunidade é constituída em sua maioria por representantes da ordem Carnivora (41,4%) e espécies onívoras (36,7%), sendo Lycalopex vetulus a única espécie endêmica do Cerrado registrada na área. Apenas 13,6% das espécies foram frequentes em todas as campanhas (Ozotoceros bezoarticus, Pecari tajacu e Tolypeutes tricinctus) e sete delas correspondem a 91,73% dos registros realizados. O tatu-bola (T. tricinctus) representou o maior número de registros (23,76%) e provavelmente a área de estudo abriga a maior população dessa espécie ameaçada no bioma, destacando a importância em evitar que as áreas de vegetação nativa sejam substituídas por monoculturas e reflorestamento. Muitas das espécies registradas são generalistas no uso do habitat e amplamente distribuídas pelo bioma, ocorrendo inclusive em ambientes alterados. Considera-se que a manutenção da diversidade observada na área é decorrente de sua grande extensão e do mosaico de ambientes que proporcionam uma maior variedade e diversidade de recursos, como abrigo e alimento, possibilitando inclusive a presença de espécies com baixas densidades e especialistas na dieta e habitat.

Dietary shifts in two vultures after the demise of supplementary feeding stations: consequences of the EU sanitary legislation

Among vertebrates, specialization in scavenging has appeared only in “true” Gyps vultures, which usually base their diet almost exclusively on carcasses of medium and large-sized mammals, whereas all other scavengers rely on broader ranges of prey. The availability of food for scavengers in Western Europe has not been limited during recent decades permitting the existence and growth of huge vulture populations. From 2000 onwards, however, EU sanitary legislation has progressively limited the abandonment of dead animals in the field resulting in a sudden reduction of food availability with unknown ecological and conservation consequences. Here, we examine the dietary response of a tandem of carrion eaters, the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) and the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), showing different degrees of dietary specialization. Our results showed that after the reduction in numbers of supplementary feeding stations (vulture restaurants) the niche breadth of the griffon vulture has broadened and now includes significant amounts of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and garbage. The diet of the Egyptian vulture, on the contrary, did not vary substantially. The diet overlap showed patterns probably conditioned by interspecific competition and the progressive exploitation of unpredictable carcasses. On a short-term scale, consequences for smaller scavengers could be negative due to the monopolization of resources by the dominant and much more abundant griffon vulture, however in the long-term all guild species would benefit from the exploitation of unpredictable carcasses, which could enhance the possibilities of coexistence.

Mastofauna de médio e grande porte na RPPN da UNISC, RS, Brasil

Buscou-se com este trabalho inventariar a mastofauna da RPPN da UNISC, contribuindo com dados a respeito da ocorrência e distribuição de espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte na Região da Serra Geral do Rio Grande do Sul. As amostragens de campo realizaram-se nos meses de novembro de 2008 a abril de 2009, porém, foram acrescentados registros tomados anteriormente. Utilizou-se os métodos de busca visual e de armadilhas fotográficas. Foram obtidos registros de 16 espécies de mamíferos silvestres, pertencentes a 12 famílias e seis ordens: dois Didelphimorphia, um Xenarthra, dois Primates, seis Carnivora, um Artiodactyla e quatro Rodentia. Duas espécies não foram registradas nas amostragens padronizadas, conseqüentemente não submetidas às análises de constância de ocorrência e ocupação espacial. O índice de constância de ocorrência revelou que seis espécies foram consideradas ocasionais, sete acessórias e apenas uma constante, Cerdocyon thous. A análise da ocupação espacial das espécies demonstrou que nove espécies (64%) são especialistas, quanto ao habitat ocupado, e cinco (36%) generalistas. A análise das categorias de dieta evidenciou que sete espécies são onívoras (43,75%), quatro frugívoras (25%), três carnívoras (18,75%) e duas herbívoras (12,5%). Do total das 16 espécies silvestres, sete aparecem em algum nível de ameaça de extinção no Rio Grande do Sul, uma encontra-se ameaçada nacionalmente e duas estão definidas como "quase ameaçada" em âmbito mundial. O enquadramento de 44% das espécies em alguma categoria de ameaça de extinção enaltece a importância da RPPN para a preservação da mastofauna regional.

Mud Track Plots: An Economical, Noninvasive Mammal Survey Technique

Abstract The active component (e.g., bait or scent lures) common to mammal survey techniques can bias detectability (e.g., aversion or attraction) and reduce their efficacy for spatially explicit, habitat-use research. We overcame this obstacle with 1-m2 mud track plots, which use natural ground substrates to sample mammalian species' occupancy with minimal bias of natural movements. Performance of this method was based on criteria that included implementation effort, cost, species detection, proportion of plots to capture tracks, and species identification by track capture. Mud track plots were quickly established, maintained, and monitored with minimal effort and cost. We recorded tracks in 85% of plots over 8 nights, documented all visually confirmed medium and large-sized mammals (>800 g), and captured identifiable (>98%) tracks on a row-crop farm in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Drawbacks included limited application for small mammals, potential ambiguity of using track imprints for species identi...

Mammals of medium and large size in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

The diversity of Brazilian vertebrates is regarded among the highest in the world. However, the biological diversity is still mostly unknown and a good part of it is seriously threatened by human activities. This study aimed to inventory the medium and large size mammals present in the Reserva Biológica de Santa Rita do Sapucaí, an Atlantic forest reserve located in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, southeastern Brazil. Sand-plots, photographic traps and searches for animal tracks on pre-existent trails in the area, were carried out once every two months between May 2006 and February 2007. The sand-plots and tracks were inspected during five consecutive days per sampling. We obtained 108 records of 15 species, mostly of carnivorans. Two confirmed species are threatened with extinction in Brazil (Callithrix aurita and Leopardus pardalis). The results suggest that the sampled reserve has high species richness and plays an important role in conservation of mammals in this landscape, including species threatened with extinction.

Wildlife habitat selection and sustainable resources management in a Neotropical wetland

The identification of key habitat types for wildlife is an essential step to plan and promote sustainable land management strategies. Private cattle ranches occupy most of the Brazilian Pantanal and the recent intensification in land use practices is thought to threaten wildlife. Using encounter rates from transects, landscape use and habitat selection of the community of medium to large-sized mammals was examined to identify key wildlife habitats. Overall landscapes that had a higher proportion of forested habitats were the most used by wildlife. Within the different landscapes, forested environments can be considered key habitats for most of the native mammals considered in this study. Unfortunately, theses are also the habitats most at risk by the recent changes in land use practices. Results from this study predict that current intensifications of ranching practices will be detrimental to wildlife. In addition to deforestation, other threats such as land degradation, fire, landscape alterations such as fencing and artificial water holes may also impact landscape and habitat quality. The key to conserving biodiversity in the Pantanal is preserving the natural habitat matrix that sustains the diversity of landscapes and to continue integrating cattle ranching into the natural processes that sustain a functioning ecosystem. Key words: Deforestation, floodplain, habitat selection, Neotropical mammals, Brazilian Pantanal.

End-tidal CO 2 in some aquatic mammals of large size

While resting on land or at the water surface, the breathing frequency ( f) of aquatic mammals of medium and large size is lower than in terrestrial mammals of similar body weight ( W), the difference widening with the increase in W. The allometric function for aquatic mammals is f∝ W −0.42 ( f, breaths/min, W, kg) and that of terrestrial species is f∝ W −0.25. We asked whether or not resting breathing at such low f would entail high values of alveolar CO 2. End-tidal alveolar CO 2 pressure, taken as representative of alveolar CO 2 pressure, PaCO 2 , was measured from the expired gas during resting breathing in captive specimens of aquatic species trained to rest in proximity of their keepers, either on land (walrus and sea lion) or at the water surface (dolphin, orca, beluga and hippopotamus). Their f during the recordings ranged from less than 1 (orca) to 6 (walrus) breaths/min. The average PaCO 2 values ranged from 32 to 42 mm Hg, the peaks being a few mm Hg higher. These values were similar or slightly higher than literature data of many terrestrial species, with no relation to the animal f or W. The quasi-normality of PaCO 2 in large aquatic species breathing at rest, despite their exceptionally low f and normal metabolism, can be explained mainly by two factors, their large tidal volume/ W, about three times the average terrestrial value, and their peculiar breathing pattern with sustained high lung volume during the expiratory pause. This latter is key in avoiding a substantial rise in PaCO 2 during the inter-breath pause.

Comparing methods for sampling large- and medium-sized mammals: camera traps and track plots

Activities involving fauna monitoring are usually limited by the lack of resources; therefore, the choice of a proper and efficient methodology is fundamental to maximize the cost-benefit ratio. Both direct and indirect methods can be used to survey mammals, but the latter are preferred due to the difficulty to come in sight of and/or to capture the individuals, besides being cheaper. We com- pared the performance of two methods to survey medium and large-sized mammal: track plot recording and camera trapping, and their costs were assessed. At Jatai Ecological Station (S21°31'15"-W47°34'42"-Brazil) we installed ten camera traps along a dirt road directly in front of ten track plots, and monitored them for 10 days. We cleaned the plots, adjusted the cameras, and noted down the recorded species daily. Records taken by both methods showed they sample the local richness in different ways (Wilcoxon, T= 231; p;;0.01). The track plot method performed better on registering individuals whereas camera trapping provided records which permitted more accurate species identifica- tion. The type of infra-red sensor camera used showed a strong bias towards individual body mass (R 2 =0.70; p= 0.017), and the variable expenses of this method in a 10- day survey were estimated about 2.04 times higher compared to track plot method; however, in a long run camera trapping becomes cheaper than track plot recording. Concluding, track plot recording is good enough for quick surveys under a limited budget, and camera trapping is best

The Late Pleistocene Duoi U’Oi cave in northern Vietnam: palaeontology, sedimentology, taphonomy and palaeoenvironments

This paper describes new fossil materials recovered at the Duoi U’Oi site, in December 2003, by a Vietnamese-French-Japanese team. The Duoi U’Oi cave is located in Man Duc village, 25 km of Hoà Binh city in northern Vietnam. It belongs to a karstic network developed in a dark grey micritic marine limestone dated from the Lower to the Middle Triassic. The sedimentary fill produced a rich mammalian fauna, essentially composed of isolated teeth of middle- to large-sized mammals (Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Proboscidea, Carnivora, Rodentia, Primates), and characteristic of Late Pleistocene. The results of the Duoi U’Oi fieldwork are of great interest for the following reasons: (1) the biochronological age of the fauna is consistent with 230Th/ 234U/ 238U dating from the calcitic floors (66±3 ka). The Duoi U’Oi fauna is thus the oldest well-dated modern fauna known for the Southeast Asian mainland; (2) in terms of sedimentology, the analysis of the formation of the fossiliferous breccia and that of the processes of deposits shows a close relation between the karstic deposits inside the cave and the deposits in the alluvial terraces. The observation of three levels of alluvial terraces associated with three caves situated at 62, 10 and 3 m above the present alluvial plain suggests that exokarstic and endokarstic sediments evolved together; (3) in terms of palaeobiogeography, Duoi U’Oi is the continental fauna showing the strongest resemblance with the Late Pleistocene faunas from Indonesian islands (Punung, Gunung Dawung, Lida Ajer, Sibrambang and Djambu caves); this implies that, at the time of Duoi U’Oi, ca 70 ka, the Sundaland was mainly characterised by faunas of modern aspect; (4) the analysis of major taphonomic factors that led to the mammal assemblage reveals a combination of selective agents (selective role of predators and porcupines, selective destruction of age classes for some species, selective preservation of fossils due to the deposition processes in the karstic network), which contribute to the poor representation of the diversity of the fauna; no arguments show that humans, present at Duoi U’Oi, might have a possible role in the taphonomic process; (5) the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on the composition of the faunal assemblage suggests a forested area and some open habitats, under warm and humid conditions.

Sexual maturity in growing dinosaurs does not fit reptilian growth models

Recent histological studies suggest relatively rapid growth in dinosaurs. However, the timing of reproductive maturity (RM) in dinosaurs is poorly known because unambiguous indicators of RM are rare. One exception is medullary bone (MB), which is an ephemeral bony tissue that forms before ovulation in the marrow cavities of birds as a calcium source for eggshelling. Recently, MB also was described in a single specimen of the saurischian dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex. Here, we report two other occurrences of MB: in another saurischian dinosaur, Allosaurus, and in the ornithischian dinosaur Tenontosaurus. We show by counting lines of arrested growth and performing growth curve reconstructions that Tenontosaurus, Allosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus were reproductively mature by 8, 10, and 18 years, respectively. RM in these dinosaurs coincided with a transition from growth acceleration to deceleration. It also far precedes predictions based on the growth rates of living reptiles scaled to similar size. Despite relatively rapid growth, dinosaurs were similar to reptiles in that RM developed before reaching asymptotic size. However, this reproductive strategy also occurs in medium- to large-sized mammals and correlates with a strategy of prolonged multiyear growth. RM in actively growing individuals suggests that these dinosaurs were born relatively precocial and experienced high adult mortality. The origin of the modern avian reproductive strategy in ornithuran birds likely coincided with their extreme elevations in growth rate and truncations to growth duration.

Impacts of land-use change on mammal diversity in the upper reaches of Minjiang River, China: Implications for biodiversity conservation planning

The objective of this study was to assess land use change and the related biodiversity variations in the forest landscape of the upper reaches of Minjiang River, China. We examined temporal changes of land use at different periods. Remotely sensed images taken in 1974, 1986 and 2000 were rectified and classified based on the physiognomic characteristics of the vegetation. We applied landscape pattern metrics based on landscape composition, the shape and size of patches and patch isolation. We also calculated the suitable area for mammals in the upper reaches of Minjiang River and biodiversity of medium and large-sized mammals with Genera-Family index (G-F index). As a result of timber harvesting and increase of population, the forest area decreased and other land-use types increased. The suitable area for mammals decreased by 81,339 ha from 1974 to 2000, about 21.55% of the habitat in 1974. The number of medium and large-sized mammal species had decreased from 31 to 26, with G-F index decreased by 0.11, about 20% that of 1974. It can be concluded that landscape change and suitable habitat play an important role in protecting mammal diversity.