Great felids and the abundance of mesopredators in fragments of atlantic forest in São Paulo State / As onças e as abundancias de predadores intermediarios em fragmentos de mata atlantica do Estado de São Paulo

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

Top predators may be particularly vulnerable to local extinction in fragmented landscapes, where their disappearance can lead to higher densities of small mammalian predators, or mesopredators, and the impoverishment of lower trophic levels. This is the basis of the hypothesis of "mesopredator release?". Northern Hemisphere studies support this hypothesis. Up to now, there have been no studies evaluating if in the Neotropics jaguars (Panthera onca) or cougars (Puma concolor) influence mesopredator abundances. We estimated mammal abundances using trackdetection stations baited with a scent lure along trails at nine sites in southeast São Paulo State, Brazil: Serra do Japi (n=40), Grota Funda (n=14), Reserva Ecológica do Vuna (n=30), Parques Estaduais da Cantareira (n=30) e do Jaraguá (n=20), Mata do Topo (n=7), Mata do Bico (n=5), Mata do Pasto (n=7), and Mata do Riacho (n=5). Mammal abundance was expressed as the logarithm of visitation rate per station per night in each sampling session. We conducted sample sessions in each of the four seasons of the year (n = 2208 stationnights). We recorded thirteen carnivore species. Jaguar (Pantheraonca) was recorded only in Serra do Japi. Both ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarundi) relative abundances were positively correlated with puma (Pumaconcolor) relative abundances (Pearson r >0.95; p <0.003). Crab eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) relative abundance were positively correlated with puma abundances (Pearson r = 0,98, p<0,05). In the absence of puma in the Parque Estadual do Jaraguá, ocelot relative abundance was also negatively correlated to that of little spotted cat (Leopardustigrinus? Pearson r = 0.98, p<0.05). A mixture of positive and negative mesopredator correlations was also observed for the reintroduced gray wolf (Canislupus) in Yellowstone, USA, and for the iberian lynx (Lynxpardinus) in Spain

ASSUNTO(S)

puma carnivoro puma mesopredador release liberação de mesopredadores carnivores

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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