Mammal inventories in Seasonal Neotropical Forests: traditional approaches still compensate drawbacks of modern technologies

ABSTRACT Variation in body size, behavior, feeding habits and habitat use patterns in medium- and large-sized mammals influence the adequacy of sampling methods to register presence and abundance. Moreover, even if methods are similarly adequate, different methodologies result in distinct cost-efficiency relationships (i.e. some may have reduced costs, be less time-consuming and/or require less-skilled technicians). Focusing on three different sampling methods commonly used to monitor medium and large mammals in seasonal tropical forests, we compared the species richness detected by each method and quantified their cost-efficiencies: (1) camera traps; (2) line transects for direct observations of animals; and (3) line transects seeking tracks/footprints. We simultaneously monitored medium and large mammals along five trails between July and August 2009 and January and February 2010, in the Serra do Japi Biological Reserve, São Paulo, Brazil. Data from two distinct seasons demonstrated that significantly higher species richness was achieved by using signs of presence and direct observations detected in transects. Camera traps recorded the fewest species, but represented the lowest cost per species. Direct observations and searches for tracks/footprints required a greater number of field technicians (with more skill and experience) to record the focal species and therefore have a higher cost, but allowed twice as many species to be recorded compared to camera traps. The choice of sampling methodology depends on the study objective, mammal species targeted and/or amount of resources available. We advocate use of camera traps for long-term studies and in conjunction with the other two methods to improve identification accuracy, allow individual identification and permit more accurate abundance estimates.

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Mammal richness and diversity in Serra do Facão region, Southeastern Goiás state, central Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2015-0033 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Leonardo de Paula Gomes ◽

Clarisse Rezende Rocha ◽

Reuber Albuquerque Brandão ◽

Jader Marinho-Filho

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Mammalian Fauna ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Mammal Fauna ◽

Before And After ◽

Short Time ◽

Reservoir Filling

At least 251 mammal species are recorded for the Brazilan cerrado, which, therefore, is the third richest Brazilian biome. Most mammal surveys in Brazilian cerrado result from studies performed opportunistically and in short time periods. The aims of the present study were (1) provide a checklist for the mammalian fauna based on a five-year sampling in Serra do Facão region, Southeastern Goiás state; (2) compare small non-flying mammals diversity in open and forest areas and (3) compare species diversity before and after the flood caused by a hydroelectric reservoir filling. The data was gathered in 19 sampling periods, from May 2008 to September 2013. We sampled open and forest habitats and captured non-flying small mammals with Sherman and Tomahawk live traps and pitfalls; bats were sampled with mist-nets; large mammals were recorded with camera traps, and by direct observations and track surveys in field. We found 20 species of small non-flying mammals, 10 species of bats and 33 species of larger mammals. Species diversity was greater for forest than open habitats, and was also greater before than after the complete reservoir filling. About 10% of the recorded species are included in the Brazilian official list of threatened species. The total richness represents 25% of all cerrado mammal fauna, highlighting the importance of this area for regional mammal fauna conservation.

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MAMÍFEROS DE MÉDIO E GRANDE PORTE NA ÁREA DE PROTEÇÃO AMBIENTAL MUNICIPAL DO RIO VERMELHO EM SANTA CATARINA, SUL DO BRASIL

Oecologia Australis ◽

10.4257/oeco.2021.2503.08 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (03) ◽

pp. 722-737

Author(s):

Marcelo Hübel ◽

◽

Izar Aximoff ◽

Antonio Carlos de Freitas ◽

Clarissa Rosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Lepus Europaeus ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Santa Catarina ◽

Santa Catarina State

MEDIUM AND LARGE MAMMALS IN RIO VERMELHO MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREA, SANTA CATARINA, SOUTHERN BRAZIL: Most studies on medium and large mammals in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are carried out in areas under full protection (as parks and biological reserves). Considering the continuing threats that the forest remnants are suffering, it is essential to carry out mammal surveys in protected areas for sustainable use. In order to evaluate the species richness and the relative frequency of medium and large mammals in the área de proteção ambiental municipal do Rio Vermelho – APARV (northern Santa Catarina state), methodologies of direct visualization and camera traps were used. The study was conducted from the beginning of 2015 to the end of 2019. In Santa Catarina state, there is only one study which sampling effort is comparable to the present one (7300 night-trap). Thirty-three native mammal species and two alien species (Canis familiaris and Lepus europaeus) were found. The species accumulation curve tended to stabilize at the beginning of the third year. Three species were responsible for more than half of the photographic records (Cerdocyon thous, Eira barbara and Procyon cancrivorus). In total, 33.3% of the species are classified in some category of threat, and three of these species are among the less recorded in Santa Catarina state (Tayassu pecari, Tapirus terrestris and Mazama nana). Our survey added 18 new occurrences to the APARV management plan. Only two of the 18 mammal surveys carried out previously in the Santa Catarina state recorded more species than our study. This is the second survey which was carried out in protected areas for sustainable use in Santa Catarina state. Our study contributes to the important knowledge that can be used in conservation measures. In this way, the APARV plays a fundamental role for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest mammals, constituting an important area favoring the population movements of mammals.

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Survey of medium-sized and large mammals of Piedras Blancas National Park, Costa Rica

Check List ◽

10.15560/16.4.939 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 939-950

Author(s):

Maxwell R. W. Beal ◽

Parker J. Matzinger ◽

Guido Saborío-R. ◽

Jonathan Noguera Bristan ◽

Erik R. Olson

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

National Park ◽

Alouatta Palliata ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Osa Peninsula ◽

Biological Corridor ◽

Saimiri Oerstedii ◽

Corcovado National Park

Piedras Blancas National Park, in southern Costa Rica, is an important component of two biological corridors connecting the Osa Peninsula (Corcovado National Park) and La Amistad International Park. Understanding the mammal community composition of Piedras Blancas will provide baseline data to evaluate the success of conservation efforts. We used camera traps and opportunistic observations to describe the medium-sized and large mammals of the park. We deployed camera traps for 1,440 trap nights (2016-2018). We detected 19 mammal species from seven orders and 13 families. Five species are globally threatened: Leopardus wiedii (Schinz, 1821), Saimiri oerstedii (Linnaeus, 1758), Ateles geoffroyi (Kuhl, 1820), Alouatta palliata (Gray, 1849), and Tapirus bairdii (Gill, 1865). We did not detect two locally threatened species, Panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758) and Tayassu pecari (Link, 1795). Our research highlights a need for critical conservation work within the proposed biological corridor to support Costa Rica’s most threatened wildlife.

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NONVOLANT MAMMALS IN A FRAGMENT OF ARBOREAL CAATINGA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Oecologia Australis ◽

10.4257/oeco.2021.2504.11 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (04) ◽

pp. 894-903

Author(s):

Izar Aximoff ◽

◽

John Philip Medcraft ◽

Anthony Caravaggi ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

The State ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Sheep Breeding ◽

Active Search ◽

Number Of Species ◽

Mammal Fauna ◽

Cattle And Sheep

The state of Paraiba is one of those with the most degraded Caatinga that presents the large gap of knowledge concerning the mammal fauna. Mammals are among the taxa most affected by this. In this sense, we evaluated non-volant mammals’ richness and composition between March 2013 and February 2020 in a Caatinga fragment (121 ha). We used active search (336 hours) and camera traps (1,200 night traps). We recorded 20 species, including four threatened ones. Carnivora was the most representative order (7 species), followed by Rodentia (4 species). The richness of non-volant mammals found represents 35.6 % of the total number of such species in the Caatinga. This species richness is greater than that found in other studies in the state. The presence of these mammal species was mainly due to the recovering vegetation that resulted from the great planting effort and also due to cessation of hunt, cattle and sheep breeding that had existed on the farm for over thirty years. Our findings highlight the importance of this particular reserve due to the large number of species registered.

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Non-protected areas demanding equitable conservation strategies as of protected areas in the Central Himalayan region

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0255082 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (8) ◽

pp. e0255082

Author(s):

Avantika Thapa ◽

Pujan Kumar Pradhan ◽

Bheem Dutt Joshi ◽

Tanoy Mukherjee ◽

Mukesh Thakur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Protected Area ◽

Mammalian Species ◽

Capture Rate ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Manis Pentadactyla

The present study aims to explore the mammalian diversity of Darjeeling district using camera traps along with questionnaire survey in protected area (PA) and non- protected area (Non-PA). We also attempted to understand the influence of habitat variables on mammalian species richness using the generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). A total of 30 mammal species were recorded of which 21 species were detected through camera trapping with the most abundant records of barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and least of the elusive Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens). Additionally, melanistic forms of four mammals were also recorded. The mammalian species richness, their capture rate and naïve occupancy did not differ significantly among the PA and Non-PA. The GLMM revealed that the proportions of oak and bamboo in the forest, percentage canopy cover and camera trap operational days (wAICc = 0.145, wBIC = 0.603) were significant predictors of species richness in the study. We suggest Non-PA forest of Darjeeling should be given equal conservation importance as to the PA. Landscape based conservation planning will be imperative for achieving long term conservation goals in the study area.

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How many fish? Comparison of two underwater visual sampling methods for monitoring fish communities

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5066 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5066 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Zoi Thanopoulou ◽

Maria Sini ◽

Konstantinos Vatikiotis ◽

Christos Katsoupis ◽

Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Large Scale ◽

Sampling Methods ◽

Survey Design ◽

Distance Sampling ◽

Fish Communities ◽

High Mobility ◽

Line Transect ◽

Rocky Reef ◽

Line Transects

Background Underwater visual surveys (UVSs) for monitoring fish communities are preferred over fishing surveys in certain habitats, such as rocky or coral reefs and seagrass beds and are the standard monitoring tool in many cases, especially in protected areas. However, despite their wide application there are potential biases, mainly due to imperfect detectability and the behavioral responses of fish to the observers. Methods The performance of two methods of UVSs were compared to test whether they give similar results in terms of fish population density, occupancy, species richness, and community composition. Distance sampling (line transects) and plot sampling (strip transects) were conducted at 31 rocky reef sites in the Aegean Sea (Greece) using SCUBA diving. Results Line transects generated significantly higher values of occupancy, species richness, and total fish density compared to strip transects. For most species, density estimates differed significantly between the two sampling methods. For secretive species and species avoiding the observers, the line transect method yielded higher estimates, as it accounted for imperfect detectability and utilized a larger survey area compared to the strip transect method. On the other hand, large-scale spatial patterns of species composition were similar for both methods. Discussion Overall, both methods presented a number of advantages and limitations, which should be considered in survey design. Line transects appear to be more suitable for surveying secretive species, while strip transects should be preferred at high fish densities and for species of high mobility.

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Checklist of medium-sized to large mammals of Campos Gerais National Park, Paraná, Brazil

Check List ◽

10.15560/14.5.785 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 785-799

Author(s):

Alan Deivid Pereira ◽

Sergio Bazilio ◽

Mário Luís Orsi

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Research Work ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Current Analysis ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Domestic Species ◽

Active Research ◽

Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Campos Gerais National Park lies within the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, a biodiversity hotspot and a priority for conservation. Current analysis, featuring a list of large and medium-sized mammal species in the park, was conducted between July 2013 and July 2014 and between May 2016 and April 2017. With a 780-hour sampling effort in active research and 157,516 hours in camera traps, 31 species of 17 families and 8 orders were recorded. Furthermore, 42% of recorded mammals in the park proved to be endangered species at state, national, or international levels. Two exotic and 1 domestic species were reported in the park. Results contribute towards an in-depth knowledge of the fauna in south Brazil and may help in further research work and management, complying with conservation proposals in the biodiversity of the Campos Gerais region in the state of Paraná, Brazil.

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Rapid assessment of nonvolant mammals in seven sites in the northern State of Pará, Brazil: a forgotten part of the Guiana Region

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2016-0037 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 81 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rogério Vieira Rossi ◽

Cleuton Lima Miranda ◽

Thiago Borges Fernandes Semedo

Keyword(s):

Rapid Assessment ◽

Indirect Evidence ◽

Field Trips ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Mammalian Fauna ◽

Conservation Units ◽

Negro River ◽

The North ◽

Direct Observations

AbstractThe Guiana Center of Endemism (GCE) extends across Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, north of the Amazon River and east of the Negro River in Brazil, and Venezuela to the south of the Orinoco River. Regarding diversity of nonvolant mammals, the Brazilian part of this center is less studied, especially the area corresponding to the north of the State of Pará. Seven field trips lasting 12–15 days each were conducted in five conservation units in northern Pará, in order to assess the nonvolant mammalian fauna. Small mammals were captured using conventional and pitfall traps. Medium-sized and large mammals were recorded through direct observations on diurnal transect censuses, collections, camera traps, indirect evidence, and in some cases, interviews. We recorded 60 species distributed in nine orders. Among other contributions, a recently described species of

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Forest cover mediates large and medium-sized mammal occurrence in a critical link of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0249072 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0249072

Author(s):

Roberto Salom-Pérez ◽

Daniel Corrales-Gutiérrez ◽

Daniela Araya-Gamboa ◽

Deiver Espinoza-Muñoz ◽

Bryan Finegan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Prey Species ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Biological Corridor ◽

Mesoamerican Biological Corridor ◽

Image Position ◽

Critical Link

Connectivity of natural areas through biological corridors is essential for ecosystem resilience and biodiversity conservation. However, robust assessments of biodiversity in corridor areas are often hindered by logistical constraints and the statistical challenges of modeling data from multiple species. Herein, we used a hierarchical community occupancy model in a Bayesian framework to evaluate the status of medium and large-sized mammals in a critical link of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) in Costa Rica. We used camera traps deployed from 2013–2017 to detect 18 medium (1–15 kg) and 6 large (>15 kg) mammal species in a portion of two Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and the Corridor linking them. Camera traps operated for 16,904 trap nights across 209 stations, covering an area of 880 km2. Forest cover was the most important driver of medium and large-sized mammal habitat use, with forest specialists such as jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) strongly associated with high forest cover, while habitat generalists such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) were associated with low forest cover. Medium and large-sized mammal species richness was lower in the Corridor area (x¯ = 9.78±1.84) than in the portions evaluated of the two JCUs (x¯ = 11.50±1.52). Puma and jaguar habitat use probabilities were strongly correlated with large prey species richness (jaguar, r = 0.59, p<0.001; puma, r = 0.72, p<0.001), and correlated to a lesser extent with medium prey species richness (jaguar, r = 0.36, p = 0.003; puma, r = 0.23, p = 0.064). Low estimated jaguar habitat use probability in one JCU (Central Volcanic Cordillera: x¯ = 0.15±0.11) suggests that this is not the jaguar stronghold previously assumed. In addition, the western half of the Corridor has low richness of large mammals, making it necessary to take urgent actions to secure habitat connectivity for mammal populations.

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Mammal Species Richness at a Catena and Nearby Waterholes during a Drought, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13080387 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 387

Author(s):

Beanélri B. Janecke

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Body Size ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Feeding Guilds ◽

Feeding Guild ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Seasonal Movement ◽

Herbivore Species ◽

Small Mammal Species

Catenas are undulating hillslopes on a granite geology characterised by different soil types that create an environmental gradient from crest to bottom. The main aim was to determine mammal species (>mongoose) present on one catenal slope and its waterholes and group them by feeding guild and body size. Species richness was highest at waterholes (21 species), followed by midslope (19) and sodic patch (16) on the catena. Small differences observed in species presence between zones and waterholes and between survey periods were not significant (p = 0.5267 and p = 0.9139). In total, 33 species were observed with camera traps: 18 herbivore species, 10 carnivores, two insectivores and three omnivores. Eight small mammal species, two dwarf antelopes, 11 medium, six large and six mega-sized mammals were observed. Some species might not have been recorded because of drought, seasonal movement or because they travelled outside the view of cameras. Mammal presence is determined by food availability and accessibility, space, competition, distance to water, habitat preferences, predators, body size, social behaviour, bound to territories, etc. The variety in body size and feeding guilds possibly indicates a functioning catenal ecosystem. This knowledge can be beneficial in monitoring and conservation of species in the park.

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