The paradoxical situation of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Populations of white-lipped peccaries, Tayassu pecari, have already been extirpated or drastically reduced in much of the Neotropics, but are still relatively abundant in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, the country's largest maize and soy producer. This article synthesises over a decade of experience both visiting farms which experienced crop damage and working with hunters, farmers and technicians who live in areas of conflict with T. pecari. These social ungulates feed within maize plantations bordering forest fragments during the entire cultivation cycle and farmers in Mato Grosso vociferously protest the severe economic losses they cause. To protect their crops from damage, farmers slaughter white-lipped peccaries using firearms, traps and mass poisoning. We also draw attention to the need to mitigate the damage caused in agricultural frontiers by this ecologically important species, such that it is not decimated as it has been in the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes

Liquid Lunch – Vampire Bats Feed On Invasive Feral Pigs And Other Ungulates

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"L'insertion résidentielle et économique des Arméniens de Montréal : comportements d'une communauté culturelle ou d'une communauté diasporique?"

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Ecologia de populações de porco monteiro no Pantanal do Brasil

O porco monteiro chegou ao Pantanal há cerca de dois séculos e, desde então, tem sido considerado como a principal espécie cinegética (de interesse para a caça) na região. Suas populações vivem livres na planície e independentes da atividade humana, exceto pelo manejo tradicional que age como fator de controle populacional dos rebanhos. Considerando que a espécie apresenta potencial para utilização econômica e que pode vir a compor a pauta de produtos com certificação de origem no Pantanal, informações sobre a ecologia das populações presentes na planície são estratégicas. Este artigo apresenta um apanhado sobre as informações disponíveis a respeito da espécie e discute aspectos da dinâmica de suas populações, com base em projeções obtidas utilizando-se o software VORTEX 9.6.bitstream/CPAP-2010/57340/1/DOC106.pd

Comportamento de forrageio por presas, sazonalidade e orçamento temporário das atividades do mico-leão-preto, Leontopithecus chrysopygus (Mikan 1823) (Mammalia, Callitrichidae)

Foraging behavior, seasonality and time-budgets in the Black Lion Tamarin (L. chrysopygus) was observed in the Caetetus Ecological Station, South-eastern Brazil, during 83 days between November 1988 to October 1990. For the full dry season we found that animal prey represented 11.2% of the black lion tamarin diet, while during the wet season they represented 1.9%. Foraging behavior made up 19.8% of their total activity in the dry season and only 12.8% in the wet season. These results point out that animal prey are relatively more important during the dry season, due to reduced availability of other resources, e.g. fruits, and that a greater foraging effort is required when a larger proportion of the diet is animal prey.O comportamento de forrageio por presas, a sazonalidade e o orçamento temporal das atividades no mico-leão-preto (L. chrysopygus) foram observados na Estação Ecológica dos Caetetus, sudeste do Brasil, durante 83 dias, entre novembro de 1988 e outubro de 1990. Para toda a estação seca, observou-se que as presas animais representaram 11,2% da dieta do mico-leão-preto, enquanto na estação chuvosa elas foram responsáveis apenas por 1,9%. O comportamento de forrageio por presas compreendeu 19,8% de sua atividade total na estação seca e 12,8% na estação chuvosa. Esses resultados indicam que as presas animais são relativamente mais importantes durante a estação seca, devido à redução na disponibilidade de outros recursos, como frutos, e que o maior esforço de forrageio é exigido quando a maior proporção da dieta é composta por presa animal.455459Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Primate populations in continuous forest and forest fragments in Central Amazonia

Population densities of six primate species (Saguinus midas, Pithecia pithecia, Cebus apella, Chiropotes satanas, Alouatta seniculus and Ateles paniscus) were estimated in continuous forest and in isolated reserves (one of 100 ha and four of 10 ha). Saguinusdensities in the continuous forest were found to be low, probably due to the lack of edge habitat and second growth favoured by them; Pithecia, Cebus and Ateles populations are also low, possibly because of more widely distributed and/or less abundant food sources than is true for other Amazonian regions, although hunting in the past, particularly of Ateles may also be a contributing factor; and Chiropotes and Alouatta densities were found to be similar to those observed in other areas of Amazonas forests. Ateles and Chiropotes, which occupy ranges on the order of three km2 were excluded from the 100-ka reserve at the time of its isolation. Unfortunately populations were not known prior to isolation of this reserve but during isolation there remained four groups of Saguinus, two Pitheciagroups, one Cebus groups and five Alouatta groups. One Saguinus group disappeared two months later, and one year post-isolation the Cebus group also left the reserve. Single Alouatta groups survive in the isolated 10-ha reserves. Saguinus, present in the four 10-ha reserves following isolation, have disappeared from two of them. One 10-ha reserve retains a group of Pithecia.Atividades agropecuárias na floresta de terra-firme na Amazônia Central resultam invariavelmente em fragmentos de florestas isoladas. Em 1979, o Fundo de Vida Selvagem (WWF-US) em convênio com o lnstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA- CNPq) deu início ao Projeto "Dinâmica Biológica de Fragmentos Florestais", envolvendo estudos dos efeitos dessa fragmentação em áreas (reservas) de tamanhos diferentes no Distrito Agropecuário da SUFRAMA, Manaus. Seis espécies de primatas ocorrem na área Saguinus midas, Pithecia pithecia, Cebus apella, Chiropotes satanas, Alouatta seniculus e Ateles poniscus. Este estudo descreve densidades populacionais dessas espécies na floresta contínua (três reservas de 100 ha não isoladas), numa reserva isolada de 100 ha e em quatro reservas isoladas de 10 ha. A densidade, de Saguinus e baixa, provavelmente por causa da falta de mata de borda e de mata secundária preferidas pelo gênero; populações de Cebus e Ateles também são baixas, talvez pela distribuição escassa e/ou baixa abundância de alimento em comparação com outras regiões amazônicas, embora a caça no passado, especialmente de Ateles, talvez seja um fator contribuinte; e Chiropotes e Alouattaocorrem em densidades semelhantes às outras regiões de floresta amazônica. Grupos de Ateles e Chiropotes, que ocupam áreas de aproximadamente 3 km2, foram excluídos da reserva de 100 ha no momento de seu isolamento. Infelizmente, populações nessa reserva, antes de seu isolamento, não foram investigadas, mas durante a isolação permaneceram quatro grupos de Saguinus, dois grupos de Pithecia, um grupo de Cebus e cinco grupos de Alouatta. Um grupo de Saguinus desapareceu depois de um mê e o grupo de Cebus abandonou a reserva após um ano. Grupos únicos de Alouatta sobrevliem nas reservas isoladas de 10 ha. Indivíduos de Saguinus, embora presentes nessas reservas logo após isolação, desapareceram de duas delas. Uma reserva de 10 ha mantém ainda um grupo de Pithecia

Uso de pastejo rotacionado em uma área de pastagem nativa no Pantanal.

Para evitar desmatamento e proteger a biodiversidade, áreas consideradas produtivas podem ser manejadas de forma mais eficiente e rentável, para não haver necessidade de novos desmatamentos. Com essa finalidade, a WCS Brasil trabalha com a comunidade rural promovendo melhores práticas para otimizar a utilização e a rentabilidade das áreas produtivas, minimizando as pressões sobre os recursos naturais

Factors Associated with Gender-Affirming Surgery and Age of Hormone Therapy Initiation Among Transgender Adults

Abstract Purpose: Gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapy are medically necessary treatments to alleviate gender dysphoria; however, significant gaps exist in the research and clinical literature on surgery utilization and age of hormone therapy initiation among transgender adults. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of electronic health record data from a random sample of 201 transgender patients of ages 18–64 years who presented for primary care between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2015 (inclusive) at an urban community health center in Boston, MA. Fifty percent in our analyses were trans masculine (TM), 50% trans feminine, and 24% reported a genderqueer/nonbinary gender identity. Regression models were fit to assess demographic, gender identity-related, sexual history, and mental health correlates of gender-affirming surgery and of age of hormone therapy initiation. Results: Overall, 95% of patients were prescribed hormones by their primary care provider, and the mean age of initiation of masculinizing or feminizing hormone prescriptions was 31.8 years (SD=11.1). Younger age of initiation of hormone prescriptions was associated with being TM, being a student, identifying as straight/heterosexual, having casual sexual partners, and not having past alcohol use disorder. Approximately one-third (32%) had a documented history of gender-affirming surgery. Factors associated with increased odds of surgery were older age, higher income levels, not identifying as bisexual, and not having a current psychotherapist. Conclusion: This study extends our understanding of prevalence and factors associated with gender-affirming treatments among transgender adults seeking primary care. Findings can inform future interventions to expand delivery of clinical care for transgender patients

Setting priority conservation management regions to reverse rapid range decline of a key neotropical forest ungulate

Mammals are important components of biodiversity that have been drastically and rapidly impacted by climate change, habitat loss, and anthropogenic pressure. Understanding key species distribution to optimize conservation targets is both urgent and necessary to reverse the current biodiversity crisis. Herein, we applied habitat suitability models for a key Neotropical forest ungulate, the white-lipped peccary (WLP Tayassu pecari), to investigate the effects of climate and landscape modifications on its distribution, which has been drastically reduced in Brazil. We used 318 primary records of WLP to derive habitat suitability maps across Brazil. Our models included bioclimatic, topographic, landscape, and human influence predictors in two modelling approaches. Models including all categories of predictors obtained the highest predictive ability and showed prevalence of suitable areas in forested regions of the country, covering 49% of the Brazilian territory. Filtering out small forest fragments (<2050 ha) reduced the suitable area by 5%, with a further reduction of 4% that was caused by deforestation until 2020, therefore until 2020, the species has suffered a reduction of ~60% from its historical range in Brazil. Of the 40% of the Brazilian territory suitable to WLP, only 12% are protected. In the Atlantic Forest, only half of all protected areas have suitable habitat for WLP and even less in Pantanal (44%), Cerrado (14%) and Caatinga (7%). In a second modelling approach, mapping the areas with suitable climate and those with suitable landscapes separately, allowed us to identify four categories of conservation values, and showed that only 17% of the Brazilian territory has both high landscape and climatic suitability for WLP. Our models can help with complementary conservation management strategies and actions that could be essential in slowing down and possibly reversing current trends of population and geographic range reductions for te species, thereby averting a possible future collapse of forest ecosystem functioning in the Neotropical region

Planar localisation analyses: a novel application of a centre of mass approach

Sound localisation is one of the key roles for listening, and measuring localisation performance is a mainstay of the hearing research laboratory. Such measurements consider both accuracy and, for incorrect trials, the size of the error. In terms of error analysis, localisation studies have frequently used general univariate techniques in conjunction with either mean signed or unsigned error measurements. This approach can make inappropriate distributional assumptions and so more suitable alternatives based on directional statistics (e.g. based on von Mises distributed data) have also been used. However these are not readily computed using most commercially available, commonly used statistical software, and are generally only defined for simple experimental designs. We describe a novel use of a 'centre of mass' approach for describing localisation data jointly in terms of accuracy and size of error. This spatial method offers powerful, yet flexible, statistical analysis using standard multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)