Small mammal distribution, abundance and habitat selection in managed riparian habitats of Bear Valley, eastern Oregon

Riparian zones are critical habitats for management because of their importance for both cattle production and wildlife, and a high potential for resource conflicts. Riparian management should address habitat and microhabitat features that sustain both livestock production and wildlife diversity. I conducted a study to determine how small mammal distributions and abundance differ among 3 structurally different riparian habitats in eastern Oregon. The 3 habitat types, herbaceous, discontinuous willow, and continuous willow, represent a range of habitats typical of riparian zones in central and eastern Oregon. I estimated small mammal population sizes in 9 trap grids placed in riparian zones using capture-recapture techniques. Four species of small mammals were captured during 7 trapping periods from August 1994 to September 1995. Small mammal distributions and population sizes of each species varied both within and among riparian pastures. Montane voles (Microtus montanus) were the most abundant species in all grids. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) had high population sizes in grids with low montane vole populations and moderate to high willow cover. Competition with voles appeared to occur in riparian habitats of Bear Valley, and influenced the distribution and numbers of deer mice. Western jumping mice (Zapus princeps) were captured at relatively low numbers and almost exclusively in continuous willow habitats. Vagrant shrews (Sorex vagrans) were captured on all grids, and population sizes were small. Haying negatively affected survival rates of voles. Biomass, vegetation height, and percent ground cover were the habitat variables most frequently associated with occurrence of montane voles in Bear Valley. The probability of occurrence of this species was positively correlated with these habitat variables. Deer mice probability of occurrence was positively correlated with percent ground cover, plant biomass, and soil moisture. Most deer mice captures occurred in continuous willow habitats, and the number of captures increased with willow basal cover (R²=0.7579, P<0.001). Western jumping mice occurrence was positively correlated with plant biomass and soil moisture, and negatively correlated with distance from willow and percent ground cover. Western jumping mice also were more frequently captured in willow than nonwillow vegetation associations (P=0.054) within continuous willow habitats. Vagrant shrews were positively associated with plant biomass, vegetation height, and soil moisture. Small mammal habitat associations from my study sites in Bear Valley are in agreement with the literature, suggesting relatively consistent patterns in species-habitat associations. Distribution of small mammal species differed among pastures probably as a result of historical management practices. Alterations of riparian zone structure from historical management practices were evident in the study area, including elimination or decreased willow density, channel entrenchment, and invasion of riparian areas by xeric vegetation. Western jumping mice are apparently the most sensitive species in this area, requiring dense willow stands, suggesting that jumping mice could serve as an indicator species for riparian habitat condition

Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides Linnaeus, 1766: range extension and first records in the upper Paraguay River basin and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

The Scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides) is the chelonian species with the largest distribution range in the Neotropics. The species is reportedly distributed as two disjunct populations in South America: the Amazonian and the Chacoan populations. We present new records of K. s. scorpioides which represent an expansion of the species distribution, with the first records for the Upper Paraguay River basin, the first records for the Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, as well as an evidence that the two previously documented populations area not disjunct

The Carandilla Palm (Trithrinax schizophylla Drude, Arecaceae) is not extinct in Brazil: first primary records from the Chaco region of Mato Grosso do Sul

We report the occurrence of several remnant stands of Trithrinax schizophylla Drude in Porto Murtinho municipality, southwestern Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. Until recently, the species was considered as probably extinct in the country. Trithrinax schizophylla is found only in the Chaco provinces of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia, with a narrow strip in the southwestern region of Mato Grosso do Sul. The region is one of the most modified inside the Pantanal wetland in Brazil, and conservation actions are in need to protect this and other species in the region

Effect of the isolation of Sterculia apetala trees on the emergence of seedlings in Pantanal

Árvores de Sterculia apetala não são derrubadas durante a conversão de florestas em pastagens devido à consciência dos proprietários rurais de que essas árvores abrigam 95% dos ninhos de arara-azul no Pantanal. Nosso objetivo foi comparar a porcentagem de emergência de plântulas em casa de vegetação de sementes de árvores em floresta conservada daquelas mantidas isoladas em pastagens cultivadas. As sementes foram coletadas diretamente sobre o solo, sob 10 árvores de S. apetala em cada área, no Pantanal, em Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. A emergência de plântulas de árvores isoladas foi 14% inferior ao obtido para árvores do interior da floresta. É necessário que estudos futuros sobre a ecologia dessa espécie no Pantanal enfoquem o sistema reprodutivo, a identificação do agente polinizador e a avaliação do efeito do isolamento sobre a viabilidade populacional da espécie, a qual pode impactar o sucesso reprodutivo da arara-azul. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTEffect of the isolation of Sterculia apetala trees on the emergence of seedlings in Pantanal. Sterculia apetala trees aren’t removed during the conversion of forests into pastures due to rural landowners’ awareness that these trees are home to 95% of the nests of Hyacinth Macaw in Pantanal. Our aim was to compare the greenhouse emergence rate of seedlings from seeds of trees at conserved forest and those left isolated in a cultivated pastures. The seeds were collected directly from the ground, under 10 S. apetala trees in each area, at the Pantanal Wetland, Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The emergence of seedlings from isolated trees was 14% lower than that obtained from trees located in the inner part of the forest. There’s a need for further studies on the ecology of this species in Pantanal focused on the mating system, the identification of the pollination agent and the evaluation of the effects of isolation on the viability of species population, which may impact the Hyacinth Macaw reproduction success

Analysis of the influence of drainage channels in environmental degradation in the flooded plain of Paraná river, Brazil

Artigo extraído de dissertação de Mestrado em Ciências Florestais do Departamento de Engenharia Florestal – UnB.Agradecimentos ao CNPq, CAPES, EMBRAPA Pantanal, CESP, Fundação Giacometti e EMBRAPA-CENARGEN.A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a influência dos canais de drenagem artificiais construídos para ampliar a área agrícola e de pastagem nas áreas úmidas na planície de inundação do rioParaná, utilizando um Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG). Foram selecionadas imagens de satélite nas épocas da seca e da chuva. A partir de transectos obtidos nos sobrevôos na área, foram coletados 50 pontos com canal e sem canal, com o auxílio de um GPS. Esses pontos foram plotados nas imagens classificadas. Em seguida foram gerados “buffers” de 1 km de raio.A partir destes “buffers” foi analisada a disponibilidade das áreas de várzea (campo alagado e úmido) nas épocas seca e chuvosa. O campo alagado na época da cheia não foi influenciadopela presença de canais de drenagem, enquanto que na seca os canais de drenagem influenciaram a disponibilidade destas áreas. O mesmo não aconteceu com o campo úmido que sofreu influência dos canais de drenagem tanto na época seca quanto na época da chuva. A redução de campo alagado na seca, em áreas com canal, foi de 56,2% e em áreas sem canal foi de 9%. ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe main aim of this study was to analyse the influence of the artificial drainage channelsconstructed to enlarge pasture at the plain humid areas of the Paraná river, using the GIS system.To achieve it were collected satellite images during the dry and wet seasons. Through over flytransects of the area were collected 50 spots with and without channels, with the aid of a GPS system. These spots were plotted at the satellite images that were processed generating buffers of 1 km range. From these buffers were analysed the availability of varzea area (flooded andhumid fields) during both periods. The flooded fields during the high waters season were notaffected by the presence of drainage channels, while during the dry season the drainage channelsaffected these areas. The same did not happen with the humid fields, that during both seasons suffered the influence of the drainage channels. The flooded area during the dry season reduced56.2% in the areas with drainage channels, and 9% in the areas without channel

A SAR FINE AND MEDIUM SPATIAL RESOLUTION APPROACH FOR MAPPING THE BRAZILIAN PANTANAL

The objective of this research was to utilize a dual season set of L-band (ALOS/PALSAR) and C-band (RADARSAT-2 and ENVISAT/ASAR) imagery, a comprehensive set of ground reference data, and a hierarchical object-oriented approach to 1) define the diverse habitats of the Lower Nhecolândia subregion of the Pantanal at both a fine spatial resolution (12.5 m), and a relatively medium spatial resolution (50 m), thus evaluating the accuracy of the differing spatial resolutions for land cover classification of the highly spatially heterogeneous subregion, and, 2) to define on a regional scale, using the 50 m spatial resolution imagery, the wetland habitats of each of the hydrological subregions of the Pantanal, thereby producing a final product covering the entire Pantanal ecosystem. The final classification maps of the Lower Nhecolândia subregion were achieved at overall accuracies of 83% and 72% for the 12.5 m and 50 m spatial resolutions, respectively, defining seven land cover classes. In general, the highest degree of confusion for both fine and medium resolution Nhecolândia classifications were related to the following issues: 1) scale of habitats, for instance, capões, cordilheiras, and lakes, in relation to spatial resolution of the imagery, and 2) variable flooding patterns in the subregion. Similar reasons were attributed to the classification errors for the whole Pantanal. A 50 m spatial resolution classification of the entire Pantanal wetland was achieved with an overall accuracy of 80%, defining ten land cover classes. Given the analysis of the comparison of fine and relatively medium spatial resolution classifications of the Lower Nhecolândia subregion, the authors concluded that significant improvements in accuracy can be achieved with the finer spatial resolution dataset, particularly in subregions with high spatial heterogeneity in land cove

Achieving conservation through cattle ranching: The case of the Brazilian Pantanal

Cattle ranching in the ~140,000 km2 Brazilian Pantanal is considered one of the most important cases of sustainable use of natural resources in the global south. The region has had a successful history of balancing environmental protection with the production of >3.8 million cattle. However, global change, infrastructure projects, and deforestation, threaten the sustainable use of the Pantanal. Here, using Ostrom's design principles as a framework, we interviewed 49 local stakeholders and conducted a review of secondary information aiming to evaluate the sustainability of cattle ranching practices across the region and the threats to it. We show that well-defined property boundaries, congruence between appropriation and provision rules through low-intensity cattle ranching, and co-management of resources, are all key components for achieving sustainability in the Pantanal. However, we documented shortcomings in satisfying critical aspects of Orstrom's design principles. Specifically, we argue that the Pantanal needs better biodiversity and behavior monitoring, the creation of platforms or mechanisms to solve local conflicts around resource access and use, recognition by governments and international bodies of the local efforts to promote local sustainability, and the creation of networks effectively connecting existing sustainability initiatives

Understanding Brazil’s catastrophic fires : causes, consequences and policy needed to prevent future tragedies

Brazil has experienced unprecedented wildfires in the last decade. Images ofimmense burnt areas or dead animals that failed to escape the 2020 wildfires have shocked the world. To prevent or minimize further similardisasters wemustunderstandthe factors thathave ledto these catastrophic events. The causes and consequences of wildfires entail complex interactions between the biophysical and sociocultural spheres, and suitable management decisions require a sound scientific base. We present the recent panorama of increasing fire outbreaks in the Brazilian biomes, and discuss the causes that have contributed to such fires, their impacts on the environment and overall consequences for human well-being, based on reviewing the extensive specialist literature, on authors’ expert knowledge and information provided by environmental managers, researchers and politicians during a workshop organized to debate the wildfire issue in Brazil. Our up-to-date review is aimed at the academic public, environmental managers and decision- and policy-makers. First, we present evidence on the contrasting effects of fire on different ecosystems. Second, we outline the historic perceptions and policies related to fire use and management in Brazil since its colonization to the present date. Third, we propose means to advance fire prevention and develop successful management strategies. Finally, we answer frequently asked questions to clarify and/or demystify some fire-related issues not always properly addressed in the media