Densidade de teiús (Tupinambis merianae) e seu papel como predador de ninhos na ilha Anchieta, Brasil

Mammals has been pointed out to be the main nest predators in islands, but recent studies has shown that tree snakes are also important nest predator in tropical forests. Here we present information on the density tegu lizards Tupinambis merianae and its role as nest predator at Anchieta Island, Ubatuba, in southeastern Brazil. The mean density of tegu lizards was estimated to be 83 individuals/km2, which is 1.83 times lower than other well-known population (Fernando de Noronha Archipelago). In the dense rainforest, the density was estimated in 20 individuas/ km2, and in the open rainforest, 109 ind/km2. The high density of this lizard may have serious implications for nest predation. We found that 36% of artificial plasticine eggs were “preyed upon” by tegu lizards. Therefore, it is paramount to manage the tegu population on Anchieta Island to assure the survival of ground nesting birds in islands and possibly in forest fragments. Key words: Teiidae, islands, insular ecosystems, nest predation.Mamíferos têm sido apontados como os principais predadores de ninhos em ilhas. Estudos recentes demonstram que serpentes arborícolas também são importantes predadores de ninhos em florestas tropicais. Este estudo apresenta dados sobre a densidade de Tupinambis merianae (teiús) na ilha de Anchieta (Ubatuba, SP) e seu papel como predador de ninhos. A densidade média de teiús na ilha foi estimada em 83 indivíduos/km2, 1,83 vezes menor que outra população bem conhecida (e.g., arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha). Em florestas chuvosas densas, a densidade estimada de teiús é de 20 indivíduos/ km2, e de 109 indivíduos/km2 nas abertas. A alta densidade de teiús pode ter sérias implicações na predação de ninhos. Na área estudada, 36% dos ovos artificiais utilizados no experimento foram “predados” por teiús. Assim, é fundamental monitorar a população de teiús na ilha Anchieta para garantir a sobrevivência de filhotes de pássaros que constroem seus ninhos no chão, em ilhas e, possivelmente, em fragmentos de florestas. Palavras-chave: Teiidae, ilhas, ecossistemas insulares, predação de ninhos

Age and habitat quality matters: isotopic variation of two sympatric species of rodents in Neotropical Forest

Dietary studies allow us to understand important ecological patterns such as intra- and interpopulation variation and interspecific differences regarding the use of food sources. Stable isotopes have been successfully employed to detect dietary differences between species and feeding shifts within a species, as a response to age, habitat use, and resource availability. Here we investigated the stable isotope compositions of carbon and nitrogen of young and adult specimens of Euryoryzomys russatus and Sooretamys angouya and their stomach contents, in a complex mosaic of vegetation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Isotopes indicated a pronounced inter- and intraspecific plasticity in resource use for E. russatus and S. angouya. Plant sources were the prevalent feeding items for E. russatus, with low to intermediate consumption of arthropods. For S. angouya, plants were dominant in the stomach content, but arthropod arose as an important source. E. russatus showed more variation in isotopic signature between grids than S. angouya, suggesting that the former was more affected by habitat changes. These results allow us to better understand the ontogeny, diet and the behavioral responses to environmental variations of both species. Finally, our study contributes to reduce the lack of knowledge about sympatric species ecology and aggregates information for their conservation.Fil: Bovendorp, Ricardo Siqueira. Universidade Do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; Brasil. Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”; BrasilFil: Simoes Libardi, Gustavo. Universidade Do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; ArgentinaFil: Sarmento, Mariana Montagner de Moraes. Universidade Do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; BrasilFil: Camargo, Plínio Barbosa. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Reis Percequillo, Alexandre. Universidade Do Sao Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz; Brasi

Densidade de teiús (Tupinambis merianae) e seu papel como predador de ninhos na ilha Anchieta, Brasil

Mammals has been pointed out to be the main nest predators in islands, but recent studies has shown that tree snakes are also important nest predator in tropical forests. Here we present information on the density tegu lizards Tupinambis merianae and its role as nest predator at Anchieta Island, Ubatuba, in southeastern Brazil. The mean density of tegu lizards was estimated to be 83 individuals/km2, which is 1.83 times lower than other well-known population (Fernando de Noronha Archipelago). In the dense rainforest, the density was estimated in 20 individuas/ km2, and in the open rainforest, 109 ind/km2. The high density of this lizard may have serious implications for nest predation. We found that 36% of artificial plasticine eggs were “preyed upon” by tegu lizards. Therefore, it is paramount to manage the tegu population on Anchieta Island to assure the survival of ground nesting birds in islands and possibly in forest fragments. Key words: Teiidae, islands, insular ecosystems, nest predation.Mamíferos têm sido apontados como os principais predadores de ninhos em ilhas. Estudos recentes demonstram que serpentes arborícolas também são importantes predadores de ninhos em florestas tropicais. Este estudo apresenta dados sobre a densidade de Tupinambis merianae (teiús) na ilha de Anchieta (Ubatuba, SP) e seu papel como predador de ninhos. A densidade média de teiús na ilha foi estimada em 83 indivíduos/km2, 1,83 vezes menor que outra população bem conhecida (e.g., arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha). Em florestas chuvosas densas, a densidade estimada de teiús é de 20 indivíduos/ km2, e de 109 indivíduos/km2 nas abertas. A alta densidade de teiús pode ter sérias implicações na predação de ninhos. Na área estudada, 36% dos ovos artificiais utilizados no experimento foram “predados” por teiús. Assim, é fundamental monitorar a população de teiús na ilha Anchieta para garantir a sobrevivência de filhotes de pássaros que constroem seus ninhos no chão, em ilhas e, possivelmente, em fragmentos de florestas. Palavras-chave: Teiidae, ilhas, ecossistemas insulares, predação de ninhos

CONTRIBUTIONS OF MONITORING AND RESCUE DATA TO THE DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES OF BRAZILIAN HERPETOFAUNA

Our planet's biodiversity remains largely unexplored, highlighting the need for effective biodiversity management and conservation strategies. This study investigates the role of fauna monitoring and rescue data on the discovery of new herpetofauna species in Brazilian biomes. By analyzing a comprehensive database of published literature on reptiles and amphibians in Brazil, the study evaluated the influence of data from fauna studies within the scope of environmental licensing in the description of species, examining temporal variations and espionage in the discovery of species, inspired by activities associated with the description of new species. Descriptive statistics, mechanical analysis and spatial mapping techniques were employed to analyze the collected data. Our findings clearly demonstrate the importance of this information in expanding knowledge of herpetofauna biodiversity, informing conservation strategies, and supporting ecosystem management and policy decisions. The study revealed a significant increase in the number of published studies on amphibians and reptiles over the years. Positive correlations between the number of species described and the years of publication were observed for both groups. Fauna monitoring and rescue activities also contribute to the description of species, although they represent a small percentage of the total known species in Brazil. The year 2018 stood out as the year with the highest number of species of species, and environmental impact studies played a significant role in the discovery of new species. Amphibians had a greater number of described species than reptiles, with emphasis on the Amphisbaenidae family among reptiles. The Amazon Forest and Cerrado were identified as regions with high species diversity. The Hylidae family was the most representative among amphibians, while Amphisbaenidae dominated among reptiles. Hydroelectric dams and road construction were the main types of projects associated with the description of new species. Wildlife rescue activities have also played a significant role in species discovery. This article emphasizes the importance of knowing the biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles in Brazil and highlights the increase in research and publications on these groups. The inclusion of fauna monitoring and rescue data has led to the discovery and description of new species, hopeful for scientific research and conservation planning. Preserving natural areas and implementing habitat-specific conservation measures are crucial to protecting these species. Ongoing monitoring, research and collaboration among stakeholders are essential for species identification, conservation assessment and preservation of Brazil's wildlife diversity

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome Transmission Risk in Brazil

Background: Hantavirus disease in humans is rare but frequently lethal in the Neotropics. Several abundant and widely distributed Sigmodontinae rodents are the primary hosts of Orthohantavirus and, in combination with other factors, these rodents can shape hantavirus disease. Here, we assessed the influence of host diversity, climate, social vulnerability and land use change on the risk of hantavirus disease in Brazil over 24 years. Methods: Landscape variables (native forest, forestry, sugarcane, maize and pasture), climate (temperature and precipitation), and host biodiversity (derived through niche models) were used in spatiotemporal models, using the 5570 Brazilian municipalities as units of analysis. Results: Amounts of native forest and sugarcane, combined with temperature, were the most important factors influencing the increase of disease risk. Population at risk (rural workers) and rodent host diversity also had a positive effect on disease risk. Conclusions: Land use change—especially the conversion of native areas to sugarcane fields—can have a significant impact on hantavirus disease risk, likely by promoting the interaction between the people and the infected rodents. Our results demonstrate the importance of understanding the interactions between landscape change, rodent diversity, and hantavirus disease incidence, and suggest that land use policy should consider disease risk. Meanwhile, our risk map can be used to help allocate preventive measures to avoid disease.publishedVersio

Atlantic mammal traits: a dataset 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.Fil: Gonçalves, Fernando. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Bovendorp, Ricardo S.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Beca, Gabrielle. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Bello, Carolina. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Costa Pereira, Raul. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Muylaert, Renata L.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Rodarte, Raisa R.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Villar, Nacho. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Souza, Rafael. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Graipel, Maurício E.. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; BrasilFil: Cherem, Jorge J.. Caipora Cooperativa, Florianopolis; BrasilFil: Faria, Deborah. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; BrasilFil: Baumgarten, Julio. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; BrasilFil: Alvarez, Martín R.. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; BrasilFil: Vieira, Emerson M.. Universidade do Brasília; BrasilFil: Cáceres, Nilton. Universidade Federal de Santa María. Santa María; BrasilFil: Pardini, Renata. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Leite, Yuri L. R.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Costa, Leonora Pires. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Mello, Marco Aurelio Ribeiro. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Fischer, Erich. Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul; BrasilFil: Passos, Fernando C.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Varzinczak, Luiz H.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Prevedello, Jayme A.. Universidade do Estado de Rio do Janeiro; BrasilFil: Cruz-Neto, Ariovaldo P.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Carvalho, Fernando. Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense; BrasilFil: Reis Percequillo, Alexandre. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Paviolo, Agustin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; ArgentinaFil: Duarte, José M. B.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; Brasil. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Bernard, Enrico. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; BrasilFil: Agostini, Ilaria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Puerto Iguazú; ArgentinaFil: Lamattina, Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Vanderhoeven, Ezequiel Andres. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentin

Natural history and ecology for two sympatric Oryzomyini rodents (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) in the Atlântic Forest

Dentre os ecossistemas neotropicais, a Mata Atlântica é considerada um dos mais importantes hotspots mundiais. O presente estudo foi conduzido na Reserva Florestal Morro Grande - RFMG (23°39\'-23°48\'S, 47°01\'-46°55\'W), reconhecida pelo seu alto valor para a conservação e está localizada na faixa da Mata Atlântica Ombrófila Densa Montana, Planalto Atlântico do Estado de São Paulo. Presentes na Mata Atlântica, os pequenos mamíferos não-voadores constituem o grupo de mamíferos mais diverso do bioma, e dados recentes relacionados à representatividade ecológica sugerem que os Orizomíneos mais típicos, comuns e abundantes das florestas costeiras e de planalto no estado de São Paulo são Euryoryzomys russatus e Sooretamys angouya. Estes dados ainda indicam que E. russatus e S. angouya, espécies classificadas respectivamente como \"em risco de extinção\" e \"deficiente de dados\" no Estado de São Paulo, respondem diferentemente ao processo de fragmentação, mas não existem informações suficientes disponíveis de história natural e autoecologia para o melhor entendimento destas respostas ao ambiente. O presente projeto avaliou a estrutura populacional, a área de vida, o uso do espaço, a dieta e seleção alimentar exibida por E. russatus e S. angouya na RFMG. O presente trabalho demonstrou que a espécie E. russatus apresenta uma abundância maior do que S. angouya na RFMG e que a temperatura e a disponibilidade de frutos influenciam a variação populacional de E. russatus, enquanto que, para S. angouya, a variação populacional independe dos fatores bióticos (frutos e artrópodes) ou abióticos (temperatura e precipitação) avaliados. Foi verificado uma estratificação vertical no uso do espaço para S. angouya e E. russatus, já que S. angouya apresentou uma locomoção escansorial enquanto E. russatus se apresentou estritamente terrestre. O estudo sugere que a disponibilidade de recursos, o período reprodutivo e o tamanho do indivíduo são os principais fatores que afetam o tamanho de área de vida, o uso do espaço e a locomoção apresentada pelas espécies. Os resultados obtidos pelo estudo da dieta, demonstram de forma conclusiva que E. russatus seleciona alimentos de origem animal, e que S. angouya utiliza muito pouco, ou não utiliza, fontes de origem animal, mas sim fontes vegetais ricas em proteínas e carboidratos, como os frutos. Este estudo possibilitou a compreensão de estratégias de vida adotadas por E. russatus e S. angouya, o que permitiu uma análise comparada da história natural a partir de um contexto evolutivo de organismos que compartilham a mesma escala geográfica e temporal, o que é algo inédito dentro da tribo e da subfamília.The Atlantic Forest is considered one of the most important global hotspot among the neotropical ecosystems. This study was conducted at the Morro Grande Forest Reserve - MGFR (23°39\'-23°48\'S, 47°01\'-46°55\'W), located in the Dense Montana Atlantic forest, Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo, Brazil, which is known by its high conservation value. The non-flying small mammals are the most diverse group of mammals in the Atlantic forest and recent data suggest Euryoryzomys russatus and Sooretamys angouya as the most common and abundant species in coastal forests and highlands in the state of São Paulo. These data also indicate that E. russatus is classified as endangered and S. angouya as data deficient in the state of São Paulo red list, and these species respond differently to the fragmentation process. This project evaluated the population structure, the living area, the use of space, the diet, and food selection displayed by E. russatus and S. angouya in MGFR. This study demonstrated that the species E. russatus features greater abundance than S. angouya in the study area. Thus, the temperature and the availability of fruits influenced the variation of the population of E. russatus, whereas the population variation of S. angouya showed no dependence of assessed biotic (fruits and arthropods) or abiotic factors (temperature and precipitation). Vertical stratification was observed in the use of space between S. angouya and E. russatus, once S. angouya presented escansorial locomotion and E. russatus was strictly terrestrial. The study suggests that the availability of resources, the reproductive period and the individual overall size are the main factors that affect the home range size, the use of space and mobility presented by the species. The results obtained by the study of diet demonstrate conclusively that E. russatus selects animal origin and S. angouya uses very little or does not use animal food resources, choosing plant sources rich in protein and carbohydrates, such as fruits. This study brought a better understanding of the life strategies adopted by E. russatus and S. angouya, which allowed the comparison of natural history of organisms that share the same spatial and temporal scale under an evolutionary perspective, which is a completely new approach within the tribe and subfamily

Density and population size of mammals introduced on a land-bridge island in southeastern Brazil

The introduction of alien species is one of the main threats to the conservation of native species, especially in island ecosystems. Here, we report on the population growth of 15 species of mammals introduced in 1983 on the island of Anchieta, an 828 ha land-bridge island in southeastern Brazil. We estimated the density of mammals through 296 km of line transect census. Five species introduced became extinct (coypu, brocket deer, six-banded armadillo, nine-banded armadillo, maned three-toed sloth); six became over-abundant (marmoset, coati, agouti, seven-banded armadillo, and capybara); one has a stable population (capuchin monkey). Anchieta Island has the highest density of mammals in the entire Atlantic forest (486.77 ind/km(2)), especially nest predators (232.83 ind/km(2)) and herbivores (253.58 ind/km(2)). Agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.) and marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) were, by far, the species with the highest population growth. The high density of mammals in this island may have strong consequences for plant recruitment and bird diversity

Density and population size of mammals introduced on a land-bridge island in southeastern Brazil

The introduction of alien species is one of the main threats to the conservation of native species, especially in island ecosystems. Here, we report on the population growth of 15 species of mammals introduced in 1983 on the island of Anchieta, an 828 ha land-bridge island in southeastern Brazil. We estimated the density of mammals through 296 km of line transect census. Five species introduced became extinct (coypu, brocket deer, six-banded armadillo, nine-banded armadillo, maned three-toed sloth); six became over-abundant (marmoset, coati, agouti, seven-banded armadillo, and capybara); one has a stable population (capuchin monkey). Anchieta Island has the highest density of mammals in the entire Atlantic forest (486.77 ind/km(2)), especially nest predators (232.83 ind/km(2)) and herbivores (253.58 ind/km(2)). Agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.) and marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) were, by far, the species with the highest population growth. The high density of mammals in this island may have strong consequences for plant recruitment and bird diversity