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Myhrvold NP, Baumgart SL, Vidal D, Fish FE, Henderson DM, Saitta ET, Sereno PC. Diving dinosaurs? Caveats on the use of bone compactness and pFDA for inferring lifestyle. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298957. [PMID: 38446841 PMCID: PMC10917332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The lifestyle of spinosaurid dinosaurs has been a topic of lively debate ever since the unveiling of important new skeletal parts for Spinosaurus aegyptiacus in 2014 and 2020. Disparate lifestyles for this taxon have been proposed in the literature; some have argued that it was semiaquatic to varying degrees, hunting fish from the margins of water bodies, or perhaps while wading or swimming on the surface; others suggest that it was a fully aquatic underwater pursuit predator. The various proposals are based on equally disparate lines of evidence. A recent study by Fabbri and coworkers sought to resolve this matter by applying the statistical method of phylogenetic flexible discriminant analysis to femur and rib bone diameters and a bone microanatomy metric called global bone compactness. From their statistical analyses of datasets based on a wide range of extant and extinct taxa, they concluded that two spinosaurid dinosaurs (S. aegyptiacus, Baryonyx walkeri) were fully submerged "subaqueous foragers," whereas a third spinosaurid (Suchomimus tenerensis) remained a terrestrial predator. We performed a thorough reexamination of the datasets, analyses, and methodological assumptions on which those conclusions were based, which reveals substantial problems in each of these areas. In the datasets of exemplar taxa, we found unsupported categorization of taxon lifestyle, inconsistent inclusion and exclusion of taxa, and inappropriate choice of taxa and independent variables. We also explored the effects of uncontrolled sources of variation in estimates of bone compactness that arise from biological factors and measurement error. We found that the ability to draw quantitative conclusions is limited when taxa are represented by single data points with potentially large intrinsic variability. The results of our analysis of the statistical method show that it has low accuracy when applied to these datasets and that the data distributions do not meet fundamental assumptions of the method. These findings not only invalidate the conclusions of the particular analysis of Fabbri et al. but also have important implications for future quantitative uses of bone compactness and discriminant analysis in paleontology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie L. Baumgart
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Daniel Vidal
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Física Matemática y de Fluidos, Grupo de Biología Evolutiva, UNED, Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Frank E. Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | | | - Evan T. Saitta
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Paul C. Sereno
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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Collaborative behaviour and coalitions in male jaguars (Panthera onca)—evidence and comparison with other felids. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03232-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Most large felids are classified as solitary species, with only lions (Panthera leo) and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) exhibiting social, collaborative behaviours. Herein, we present evidence of the formation of male coalitions by jaguars (Panthera onca), based on data from five studies conducted with camera trapping, GPS telemetry, and direct observations in the Venezuelan Llanos and Brazilian Pantanal. Out of 7062 male records obtained with camera traps or visual observations, we detected 105 cases of male-male interactions, of which we classified 18 as aggression, nine as tolerance, 70 as cooperation/coalition, and eight as unidentified. In two studies, two male jaguars formed stable coalitions lasting over 7 years each. In the Llanos, each coalition male paired and mated with several females. For male jaguar coalitions, we documented similar behaviours as recorded earlier in lions or cheetahs, which included patrolling and marking territory together, invading territories of other males, collaborative chasing and killing other jaguars, and sharing prey. However, different from lions or cheetahs, associated male jaguars spent less time together, did not cooperate with females, and did not hunt cooperatively together. Our analysis of literature suggested that male jaguar coalitions were more likely to form when females had small home range size, a proxy of females’ concentration, while in lions, the male group size was directly correlated with the female group size. Similarly, locally concentrated access to females may drive formation of male coalitions in cheetahs. We conclude that high biomass and aggregation of prey are likely drivers of sociality in felids.
Significance statement
The division into social and solitary species in large felids has so far seemed unambiguous, with only lions and cheetahs classified as social species, in which male coalitions also occurred. Our data show that, under certain conditions, male coalitions may also form in jaguar populations. Factors that drive formation of male coalitions in lions and cheetahs, but not in other species of large cats, have not been clear until now. Our analyses indicate that in jaguars, lions, and cheetahs, the concentration of females likely plays the most important role. In jaguars, the probability of male coalition occurrence is highest in populations with the smallest mean female home range size (and thus likely high local density of females), while in lions, male group size is most strongly correlated with female group size.
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de Azevedo FCC, Pasa JB, Arrais RC, Massara RL, Widmer CE. Density and habitat use of one of the last jaguar populations of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Is there still hope? Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8487. [PMID: 35136550 PMCID: PMC8809435 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The jaguar (Panthera onca) plays an important role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological processes. We evaluated the status of a jaguar population in one of the last stronghold habitats for its conservation in the Atlantic Forest, the Rio Doce State Park (RDSP). We used a random survey design from 2016/17 to estimate jaguar abundance and density as well as its occupancy and detection probabilities in the entire Park's area. To monitor for temporal fluctuations in density and abundance, we used a systematic survey design in the southern portion of the Park where jaguars were more recorded when using the random approach. We then conducted two surveys in 2017/18 and 2020. Our 2016/17 random survey revealed that jaguar density (0.11 ± SE 0.28 individuals/100 km2) was the lowest obtained for the species across the Atlantic Forest. We noticed that jaguar density increased three times from 2017/18 (0.55 ± SE 0.45 individuals/100 km2) to 2020 (1.61 ± SE 0.6 individuals/100 km2). Jaguar occupancy and detection probability were 0.40 and 0.08, respectively. The low jaguar occupancy probability was positively associated with smaller distances from lakes and records of potential prey. The detection probability was positively associated with prey detection, the rainy season, and smaller distances from lakes. Our work contributes to a growing awareness of the potential conservation value of a protected area in a human-dominated landscape as one of the last strongholds for jaguars across the Atlantic Forest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juliana Benck Pasa
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em EcologiaUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrasil
| | - Ricardo Corassa Arrais
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida SilvestreDepartamento de Genética, Ecologia e EvoluçãoInstituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrasil
| | - Rodrigo Lima Massara
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida SilvestreDepartamento de Genética, Ecologia e EvoluçãoInstituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrasil
| | - Cynthia Elisa Widmer
- Departamento de Ciências NaturaisUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrasil
- Projeto Carnívoros do Rio Doce – PCRDParque Estadual do Rio DoceMarliériaBrasil
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Duarte HOB, Boron V, Carvalho WD, de Toledo JJ. Amazon islands as predator refugia: jaguar density and temporal activity in Maracá-Jipioca. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Limited space on islands usually cannot sustain stable populations of large predators. However, jaguars, the largest cat species in the Americas, unexpectedly occur in the Estação Ecológica Maracá-Jipioca reserve, a system of continental Amazonian islands in the Atlantic Ocean. We investigated jaguar population structure, density, and activity patterns. We placed 25 camera-trap stations across 149.19 km2 and used spatially explicit capture–recapture to estimate density, and Rayleigh’s test to assess activity patterns. We identified 21 individuals (12 females, six males, and three cubs) and estimated an adult density of 6.7 individuals per 100 km2, which equals a population of approximately 43 jaguars. The population is composed mostly of females (66%) in relation to males (33%). Male and female activity patterns overlapped and showed more activity during daytime. The high jaguar density and the presence of females with cubs indicate that these islands are likely natural refugia for jaguars, reinforcing the importance of this protected area for jaguar conservation and possibly challenging the paradigm that large-mammal populations are not feasible in restricted islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert O B Duarte
- Programa de pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | | | - William D Carvalho
- Programa de pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - José Júlio de Toledo
- Programa de pós-graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil
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Reber SA, Oh J, Janisch J, Stevenson C, Foggett S, Wilkinson A. Early life differences in behavioral predispositions in two Alligatoridae species. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:753-764. [PMID: 33454828 PMCID: PMC8238711 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01461-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral predispositions are innate tendencies of animals to behave in a given way without the input of learning. They increase survival chances and, due to environmental and ecological challenges, may vary substantially even between closely related taxa. These differences are likely to be especially pronounced in long-lived species like crocodilians. This order is particularly relevant for comparative cognition due to its phylogenetic proximity to birds. Here we compared early life behavioral predispositions in two Alligatoridae species. We exposed American alligator and spectacled caiman hatchlings to three different novel situations: a novel object, a novel environment that was open and a novel environment with a shelter. This was then repeated a week later. During exposure to the novel environments, alligators moved around more and explored a larger range of the arena than the caimans. When exposed to the novel object, the alligators reduced the mean distance to the novel object in the second phase, while the caimans further increased it, indicating diametrically opposite ontogenetic development in behavioral predispositions. Although all crocodilian hatchlings face comparable challenges, e.g., high predation pressure, the effectiveness of parental protection might explain the observed pattern. American alligators are apex predators capable of protecting their offspring against most dangers, whereas adult spectacled caimans are frequently predated themselves. Their distancing behavior might be related to increased predator avoidance and also explain the success of invasive spectacled caimans in the natural habitats of other crocodilians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan A Reber
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Lund University Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Jinook Oh
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Judith Janisch
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Anna Wilkinson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
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Pasa JB, Arrais RC, Massara RL, Pereira G, de Azevedo FCC. Factors influencing the habitat use by ocelots in one of the last large Atlantic Forest remnants in southeastern Brazil. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4631-4643. [PMID: 33976836 PMCID: PMC8093706 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are widely distributed throughout the Americas, being dependent on forested areas to survive. Although ocelot ecology is broadly studied throughout the species range distribution, studies concerning factors that may affect ocelot occupancy in the Atlantic Forest are still scarce. We used camera traps to evaluate factors influencing the probabilities of detection and occupancy of ocelots in a protected area of the Atlantic Forest, the Rio Doce State Park (RDSP), southeastern Brazil. To assess ocelot occupancy and detection probabilities, we measured the distances between sampling stations and rivers, lakes, cities, pasture, and Eucalyptus plantations. In addition, we recorded the mean rainfall levels for each sampling occasion, and native grassland areas within a 500 m-buffer around each sampling station. We found a strong and positive association between ocelot detection and the dry season, which might be due to a higher number of individuals moving through the Park during this season. Moreover, we found a strong and positive association of ocelot detection with native grassland areas around lakes, which may be related to the ocelot behavior of searching for prey in these areas. Conversely, the ocelot occupancy probability was intermediate ( Ψ ^ = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36-0.69) and was not strongly associated with the evaluated covariates, which may be explained by the high-quality of forest habitats and water resources that are homogeneously distributed within the Park. Our study indicates that the RDSP still provides a structurally suitable forest habitat for ocelots, but because of the current worrying scenario of over fragmentation, reduction of forest cover, and weakness of the protective legislation of this biome, the long-term persistence of the species in RDSP is uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Benck Pasa
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em EcologiaUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrazil
| | - Ricardo Corassa Arrais
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em EcologiaConservação e Manejo de Vida SilvestreInstituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Rodrigo Lima Massara
- Laboratório de Ecologia e ConservaçãoDepartamento de Biologia GeralUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteBrazil
- Instituto SerraDiCal de Pesquisa e ConservaçãoBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Gabriel Pereira
- Departamento de GeociênciasUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Geografia FísicaUniversidade de São PauloBrazil
| | - Fernando Cesar Cascelli de Azevedo
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em EcologiaUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrazil
- Departamento de Ciências NaturaisUniversidade Federal de São João del ReiSão João del ReiBrazil
- Instituto Pró‐CarnívorosAtibaiaBrazil
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8
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Ramalho EE, Main MB, Alvarenga GC, Oliveira-Santos LGR. Walking on water: the unexpected evolution of arboreal lifestyle in a large top predator in the Amazon flooded forests. Ecology 2021; 102:e03286. [PMID: 33476412 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano E Ramalho
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, AM, CEP 69553-225, Brazil.,Instituto para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais - Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, SP, CEP 12945-010, Brazil.,Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-0430, USA
| | - Martin B Main
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611-0430, USA
| | | | - Luiz Gustavo R Oliveira-Santos
- Laboratory of Movement and Population Ecology, Center of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, CEP 79070-900, Brazil
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Figel JJ, Botero-Cañola S, Forero-Medina G, Sánchez-Londoño JD, Valenzuela L, Noss RF. Wetlands are keystone habitats for jaguars in an intercontinental biodiversity hotspot. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221705. [PMID: 31509559 PMCID: PMC6738587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural development was the major contributor to South America's designation as the continent with the highest rates of forest loss from 2000-2012. As the apex predator in the Neotropics, jaguars (Panthera onca) are dependent on forest cover but the species' response to habitat fragmentation in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes has not been a subject of extensive research. We used occupancy as a measure of jaguar habitat use in Colombia's middle Magdalena River valley which, as part of the intercontinental Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot, is exceedingly fragmented by expanding cattle pastures and oil palm plantations. We used single-season occupancy models to analyze 9 months of data (2015-2016) from 70 camera trap sites. Given the middle Magdalena's status as a "jaguar corridor" and our possible violation of the occupancy models' demographic closure assumption, we interpreted our results as "probability of habitat use (Ψ)" by jaguars. We measured the associations between jaguar presence and coverage of forest, oil palm, and wetlands in radii buffers of 1, 3, and 5 km around each camera trap. Our camera traps recorded 77 jaguar detections at 25 of the camera trap sites (36%) during 15,305 trap nights. The probability of detecting jaguars, given their presence at a site, was 0.28 (0.03 SE). In the top-ranked model, jaguar habitat use was positively influenced by wetland coverage (β = 7.16, 3.20 SE) and negatively influenced by cattle pastures (β = -1.40, 0.63 SE), both in the 3 km buffers. We conclude that wetlands may serve as keystone habitats for jaguars in landscapes fragmented by cattle ranches and oil palm plantations. Greater focus on wetland preservation could facilitate jaguar persistence in one of the most important yet vulnerable areas of their distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe J. Figel
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sebastián Botero-Cañola
- Harold W Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska State Museum and School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
- Instituto de Biología, Grupo de Mastozoología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Juan David Sánchez-Londoño
- Facultad de Ciencias y Biotecnología, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
- Fundación BioDiversa, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Reed F. Noss
- Florida Institute for Conservation Science, Chuluota, Florida, United States of America
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11
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Verdade LM, Palomares F, Couto HTZ, Polizel JL. Land-use change and an exotic potential prey for the jaguar: a reply to da Rosa et al
. Anim Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. M. Verdade
- Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica; CENA; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba Brazil
| | - F. Palomares
- Departamento de Biologia de la Conservación; Estación Biológica de Doñana; CSIC; Sevilla Spain
| | - H. T. Z. Couto
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais; ESALQ; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba Brazil
| | - J. L. Polizel
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais; ESALQ; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba Brazil
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Miranda EB, Menezes JFD, Rheingantz ML. Reptiles as principal prey? Adaptations for durophagy and prey selection by jaguar (Panthera onca). J NAT HIST 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2016.1180717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Everton B.P. Miranda
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brasil
| | - Jorge F.S. de Menezes
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Populações, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Marcelo L. Rheingantz
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Populações, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Boron V, Tzanopoulos J, Gallo J, Barragan J, Jaimes-Rodriguez L, Schaller G, Payán E. Jaguar Densities across Human-Dominated Landscapes in Colombia: The Contribution of Unprotected Areas to Long Term Conservation. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153973. [PMID: 27144280 PMCID: PMC4856405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Large carnivores such as jaguars (Panthera onca) are species of conservation concern because they are suffering population declines and are keystone species in their ecosystems. Their large area requirements imply that unprotected and ever-increasing agricultural regions can be important habitats as they allow connectivity and dispersal among core protected areas. Yet information on jaguar densities across unprotected landscapes it is still scarce and crucially needed to assist management and range-wide conservation strategies. Our study provides the first jaguar density estimates of Colombia in agricultural regions which included cattle ranching, the main land use in the country, and oil palm cultivation, an increasing land use across the Neotropics. We used camera trapping across two agricultural landscapes located in the Magdalena River valley and in the Colombian llanos (47-53 stations respectively; >2000 trap nights at both sites) and classic and spatially explicit capture-recapture models with the sex of individuals as a covariate. Density estimates were 2.52±0.46-3.15±1.08 adults/100 km2 in the Magdalena valley, whereas 1.12±0.13-2.19±0.99 adults/100 km2 in the Colombian llanos, depending on analysis used. We suggest that jaguars are able to live across unprotected human-use areas and co-exist with agricultural landscapes including oil-palm plantations if natural areas and riparian habitats persist in the landscape and hunting of both jaguar and prey is limited. In the face of an expanding agriculture across the tropics we recommend land-use planning, adequate incentives, regulations, and good agricultural practices for range-wide jaguar connectivity and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Boron
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Tzanopoulos
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jorge Barragan
- La Aurora Civil Society Nature Reserve, Hato Corozal, Colombia
| | | | - George Schaller
- Panthera, New York, New York, United States of America
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York, United States of America
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Hayward MW, Kamler JF, Montgomery RA, Newlove A, Rostro-García S, Sales LP, Van Valkenburgh B. Prey Preferences of the Jaguar Panthera onca Reflect the Post-Pleistocene Demise of Large Prey. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Lázaro WL, de Oliveira RF, dos Santos-Filho M, da Silva CJ, Malm O, Ignácio ÁRA, Díez S. Non-lethal sampling for mercury evaluation in crocodilians. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 138:25-32. [PMID: 26026900 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant that poses potential threats to ecosystems due to its toxicity to humans and wildlife. The development of non-lethal sampling techniques is a critical step for evaluation of Hg in threatened species in tropical floodplain environments, where most of Hg found is the result of land use and gold mining activities, and more methylation sites are available. We evaluated the spatial and seasonal effectiveness of caudal scutes and claws to estimate Hg bioaccumulation in crocodilians (Caiman yacare), in the scarcely documented Pantanal. Hence, we investigated the potential for Hg bioaccumulation in top predators according to its proximity to mining sites, and in water bodies with different hydrological characteristics and connectivity with the main river during two phases of the flood pulse (dry and flood). The highest Hg concentrations were detected in caimans captured close to mining activities, in claws (2176 ng g(-1) ww) and caudal scutes (388 ng g(-1) ww). THg concentration in claws was related to the flood season and its mean concentration was thirteen fold higher than Hg concentration in scutes during whole year. Both tissues were found to be effective as non-lethal sampling techniques for measuring Hg bioaccumulation in reptiles over time. Nevertheless, claw tissue seems to have a more consistent result, since its constitutional chemical characteristics makes it a better indicator of spatial patterns that influence on Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilkinson L Lázaro
- Mato Grosso State University, UNEMAT, Biology Department, Cáceres, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Olaf Malm
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Eduardo Penna Franca Radioisotopes Laboratory, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Áurea R A Ignácio
- Mato Grosso State University, UNEMAT, Biology Department, Cáceres, Brazil
| | - Sergi Díez
- Environmental Chemistry Department, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
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Valdez FP, Haag T, Azevedo FCC, Silveira L, Cavalcanti SMC, Salzano FM, Eizirik E. Population Genetics of Jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Brazilian Pantanal: Molecular Evidence for Demographic Connectivity on a Regional Scale. J Hered 2015; 106 Suppl 1:503-11. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Verdade LM, Palomares F, do Couto HTZ, Polizel JL. Recent land-use changes and the expansion of an exotic potential prey: a possible redemption for Atlantic forest jaguars? Anim Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. M. Verdade
- Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica; CENA; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - F. Palomares
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación; Estación Biológica de Doñana; CSIC; Seville Spain
| | - H. T. Z. do Couto
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais; ESALQ; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - J. L. Polizel
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais; ESALQ; Universidade de São Paulo; Piracicaba SP Brazil
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Guilder J, Barca B, Arroyo-Arce S, Gramajo R, Salom-Pérez R. Jaguars (Panthera onca) increase kill utilization rates and share prey in response to seasonal fluctuations in nesting green turtle (Chelonia mydas mydas) abundance in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. Mamm Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Somaweera R, Brien M, Shine R. The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2013. [DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-11-00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruchira Somaweera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New Sout Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Matthew Brien
- Wildlife Management International Pty. Limited, Karama, Northern Territory 0813, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New Sout Wales 2006, Australia
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Lourenço R, Penteriani V, Rabaça JE, Korpimäki E. Lethal interactions among vertebrate top predators: a review of concepts, assumptions and terminology. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2013; 89:270-83. [PMID: 23980715 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Lethal interactions among large vertebrate predators have long interested researchers because of ecological and conservation issues. Research focusing on lethal interactions among vertebrate top predators has used several terms with a broad sense, and also introduced new terminology. We analysed the published literature with reference to the main underlying concepts and the use of terminology and its ecological context. The most frequently used terms in the literature were 'predation', 'intraguild predation', 'interference competition', and 'interspecific killing'. Most studies presented evidence of the killing of the victim (77%), but information regarding its consumption was not given in 48% of cases. More than half of the analysed studies (56%) had no solid information on the degree of competition between interacting species. By reviewing definitions and their underlying assumptions, we demonstrate that lethal interactions among large vertebrate predators could be designated using four terms-'predation', 'intraguild predation', 'interspecific competitive killing', and 'superpredation'-without the need to employ additional terminology that may increase confusion and misuse. For a correct framework of these lethal interactions it is critical to assess if the kill is consumed, if the victim is indeed a competitor of the killer, and if the prey is a high-order predator. However, these elements of the framework are simultaneously the most common constraints to studies of lethal interactions, since they often require a great effort to obtain. The proper use of terms and concepts is fundamental to understanding the causes behind lethal interactions and, ultimately, what is actually happening in these complex interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Lourenço
- Department of Biology, LabOr - Laboratory of Ornithology, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Évora-Núcleo da Mitra, Ap. 94, Évora, 7002-554, Portugal
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