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. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of Americ

A small protected area facilitates persistence of a large carnivore in a ranching landscape

Assessments of the role that small (<500 km2) protected areas play in conservation of large carnivores in landscapes where the species are persecuted are scarce. Using camera-trap sampling we estimated puma (Puma concolor) population abundance, site use intensity, and relative abundance of prey in Lihué Calel National Park (320 km2) and two neighboring livestock ranches in central Argentina. We concurrently assessed rancher attitudes towards puma in relation to livestock predation by this carnivore and retaliation by ranchers in the ranching landscape surrounding the protected area. At least 3-8 adult pumas were recorded within the park while no individuals were detected on private ranchland. Site abundance within the park was positively related to the distance from the park boundary. The overall prey base inside and outside the park was similar. Sixteen out of 17 ranchers reported livestock losses due to puma predation and 76% of ranchers employed lethal control of carnivores to avoid livestock losses, resulting in 16 pumas killed during 2007-2009 in the surveyed ranches. The avoidance by pumas of the park´s border, the absence of puma detections on ranches, the similar prey availability inside and outside the park, and the positive association between rancher’s negative perceptions and persecution of pumas suggests that puma occurrence is depressed in ranchlands as a result of human-induced mortality. Our results demonstrate how small protected areas can play a role in maintaining large carnivores within productive landscapes despite harsh persecution. We emphasize the positive role of ranches that do not persecute pumas and the need to facilitate the coexistence between puma and people for the long term conservation of this felid in ranching landscapes.EEA Delta del ParanáFil: Pereira, Javier Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Thompson, Jeffrey. Guyra Paraguay – CONACYT; ParaguayFil: Di Bitetti, Mario S. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina. Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico (CeIBA); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Fracassi, Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Delta del Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Paviolo, Agustín. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina. Asociación Civil Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico (CeIBA); Argentina.Fil: Fameli, Alberto F. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Novaro, Andrés J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA).Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA). Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén; Argentina. Wildlife Conservation Society; Argentin

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. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of Americ