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Sousa LM, Correia LL, Alexandre RJR, Pena SA, Vieira TB. Conservation units alone are insufficient to protect Brazilian Amazonian chelonians. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10827. [PMID: 38734762 PMCID: PMC11088686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61722-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The creation of protected areas (PAs) is not always based on science; consequently, some aquatic species may not receive the same level of protection as terrestrial ones. The objective of this study was to identify priority areas for the conservation of chelonians in the Brazilian Amazon basin and assess the contribution of PAs, distinguishing between Full Protection Areas, Sustainable Use Areas, and Indigenous Lands for group protection. The entire species modeling procedure was carried out using Species Distribution Models. Location records were obtained from platforms such as SpeciesLink, GBIF, the Hydroatlas database, and WorldClim for bioclimatic variables adjusted with algorithms like Maximum Entropy, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Gaussian-Bayesian. Indigenous lands cover more than 50% of the distribution areas of chelonian species in the Brazilian Amazon. Protected areas with higher conservation importance (Full Protection Areas and Sustainable Use Areas) hold less than 15% of the combined species distribution. Researchers face significant challenges when making decisions with models, especially in conservation efforts involving diverse taxa that differ significantly from one another within a group of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loyriane Moura Sousa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Letícia Lima Correia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Faculdade Federal do Pará, Campus de Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfirio, No 030, Altamira, PA, Brazil.
| | - Rafaela Jemely Rodrigues Alexandre
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Simone Almeida Pena
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Thiago Bernardi Vieira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus de Belém, Rua Augusto Corrêa, No 01, Guamá, 66075-110, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Faculdade Federal do Pará, Campus de Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfirio, No 030, Altamira, PA, Brazil
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Raffo DCD, Norris D, Hartz SM, Michalski F. Anthropogenic influences on the distribution of a threatened apex-predator around sustainable-use reserves following hydropower dam installation. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14287. [PMID: 36285331 PMCID: PMC9588301 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Although previous studies demonstrate declines in many large bodied species following hydropower dam installation, others suggest that some species, including the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) may return to newly created reservoir habitats. Yet, there is a lack of evidence to support such theories. Here, we analyzed the effects of a hydropower dam on giant otters using a before-after control-impact study design in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We collected data 3 years before (2011-2012 and 2015) and after (2017-2019) dam construction, totaling 6,459 km of surveys along rivers with 43 direct sightings of giant otters. Contrary to expectations, our results revealed that giant otters did not remain nor did they return to the dam reservoir. Beyond the zone directly impacted by the dam giant otter occurrence and relative abundance declined next to sustainable-use reserves where the river was more intensely used by people. Our study showed that in the absence of active management sustainable-use reserves and low human density were not sufficient to maintain this apex-predator. Our findings suggest a need to proactively create and maintain areas with low levels of anthropogenic disturbance to enable sustainable coexistence between energy demands and biodiversity across Amazonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah C. Dávila Raffo
- Postgraduate Programme in Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Darren Norris
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Sandra Maria Hartz
- Postgraduate Programme in Ecology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Andrade PCM, de Oliveira PHG, de Lima AC, da Mota Duarte JA, da Silva Azevedo SH, de Oliveira AB, de Almeida CD, da Silva EB, Garcez JR, da Silva Pinto JR, da Silva LCN, Monteiro MS, da Silva Rodrigues W, Anízio TLF, Pontes ALB, Teixeira RL, da Silva JM, Duncan WLP, Vogt RC. Community-Based Conservation and Management of Chelonians in the Amazon. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.769328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chelonians represent an important resource in the Amazon, either as a source of protein at the base of the food chain of aquatic and transition ecosystems, or in the dispersion of seeds of plants from floodplains and flooded forests. The consumption and predatory exploitation of their meat and eggs by local populations has been, and still is, one of the main threats to these animals. Community-based conservation projects allied to official protection programs have been restoring populations of chelonians of the genus Podocnemis throughout the Amazon since 1974. In this study, we analyzed the historical time series of protection data of Podocnemis expansa, P. unifilis, P. sextuberculata and P. erythrocephala in areas protected by the government and communities in the Amazonas state and northwest of Pará state. Between 1974 and 2019, 230,444 nests and 21,350,201 hatchlings of P. expansa, 170,076 nests and 3,229,821 hatchlings of P. unifilis, 647,715 nests and 6,410,092 hatchlings of P. sextuberculata and 24,617 nests and 168,856 hatchlings of P. erythrocephala were protected. Community protection schemes emerged in 1990, and covered 80.7% of the areas and produced 64.2% of P. unifilis hatchlings and 44.6% of P. sextuberculata hatchlings. The areas with the highest production of P. expansa remain under government protection (57.4%). Using the time series of production of nests and hatchlings per beach, logistic growth curves were estimated, and the values of r and K were compared between the two protection systems (government and community). Beaches controlled by the government showed higher support capacity in the production of nests (1,910.7 ± 1,035) and hatchlings (211,513 ± 93,031) of P. expansa and P. sextuberculata (81,160 ± 34,924 hatchlings). However, the communities were more efficient in protecting nests (r = 0.102 ± 0.2315) and hatchlings (r = 0.282 ± 0.166) of P. unifilis. Community-based protection and monitoring programs are an important component that should be incorporated by the government’s environmental agencies for the management and conservation of turtles in the Amazon.
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Martins CB, Norris D, Michalski F. Diversity and activity of bird fauna in ephemeral river-created habitats in Amazonia. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2021.2005410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cassiano Bueno Martins
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | - Darren Norris
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, Brazil
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García-Martín JM, Sarmiento-Ramírez JM, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. Beyond Sea Turtles: Fusarium keratoplasticum in Eggshells of Podocnemis unifilis, a Threatened Amazonian Freshwater Turtle. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:742. [PMID: 34575781 PMCID: PMC8470610 DOI: 10.3390/jof7090742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The endangered yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) has experienced a dramatic population decline in the Ecuadorian Amazonia, mainly due to overexploitation of its eggs. To reverse this trend, the Wildlife Conservation Society has developed a head-start program in Yasuní National Park since 2008, but the potential risk that microbes associated with its eggs might represent for hatching success has not been evaluated yet. Members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are involved in egg failure in sea turtles under natural and hatchery conditions, but their role in infecting the eggs of P. unifilis is unknown. In this study, we collected eggshells of P. unifilis and obtained 50 fungal and bacterial isolates. Some potentially pathogenic fungi of the genera Fusarium, Penicillium and Rhizopus were identified based on molecular data. Most importantly, the sea turtle pathogenic species F. keratoplasticum not only was present, but it was the most frequently found. Conversely, we have also isolated other microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas or Phoma-like species, producing a wide spectrum of antifungal compounds that may have a protective role against fungal diseases. Our survey provides useful information on potential pathogens found in P. unifilis eggshells, upon which the success of conservation programs may depend.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Javier Diéguez-Uribeondo
- Departamento de Micología, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, 28014 Madrid, Spain; (J.M.G.-M.); (J.M.S.-R.)
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Caron TMF, Chuma VJUR, Sandi AA, Norris D. Big trees drive forest structure patterns across a lowland Amazon regrowth gradient. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3380. [PMID: 33564057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83030-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Degraded Amazonian forests can take decades to recover and the ecological results of natural regeneration are still uncertain. Here we use field data collected across 15 lowland Amazon smallholder properties to examine the relationships between forest structure, mammal diversity, regrowth type, regrowth age, topography and hydrology. Forest structure was quantified together with mammal diversity in 30 paired regrowth-control plots. Forest regrowth stage was classified into three groups: late second-regrowth, early second-regrowth and abandoned pasture. Basal area in regrowth plots remained less than half that recorded in control plots even after 20–25 years. Although basal area did increase in sequence from pasture, early to late-regrowth plots, there was a significant decline in basal area of late-regrowth control plots associated with a decline in the proportion of large trees. Variation in different forest structure responses was explained by contrasting variables, with the proportion of small trees (DBH < 20 cm) most strongly explained by topography (altitude and slope) whereas the proportion of large trees (DBH > 60 cm) was explained by plot type (control vs. regrowth) and regrowth class. These findings support calls for increased efforts to actively conserve large trees to avoid retrogressive succession around edges of degraded Amazon forests.
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Norris D, Michalski F, Gibbs JP. Community based actions save Yellow-spotted river turtle ( Podocnemis unifilis) eggs and hatchlings flooded by rapid river level rises. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9921. [PMID: 32995087 PMCID: PMC7501802 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The conservation and recovery of increasingly threatened tropical freshwater turtle populations depends on effective management plans and actions. Here we show that community-based actions saved Yellow-spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) eggs submerged by unseasonal flooding and ensured the release of hatchlings. We recovered 926 eggs and 65 premature hatchlings from 74 submerged nests at 16 flooded nesting areas along 75 km of waterways. The rescued eggs were transferred to a rearing center and incubated. Hatchlings emerged from eggs that had remained underwater for up to two days. Hatchlings were maintained in 250–500 L nursery tanks until yolk sac scars had closed. Healthy hatchlings were then immediately released around the original nesting areas. We released 599 hatchlings (60.4%) from 991 submerged eggs and hatchlings. Egg survival (61.7% (571/926)) was substantially less than hatchling survival (94.2% (599/636)) but within the expected range of values reported for this species. These findings suggest that Yellow-spotted river turtle eggs and embryos are resistant to short-term submersion, which could help explain the widespread distribution of this species across highly seasonal Amazonian rivers. Management plans should take the possible survival of submerged eggs into consideration as part of species conservation and recovery actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Norris
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, USA
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Michalski F, Norris D, Quintana I, Valerio A, Gibbs JP. Substrate influences human removal of freshwater turtle nests in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8082. [PMID: 32415212 PMCID: PMC7228982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65074-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Substrate type determines nesting success and fitness in turtles and is a critical consideration for nesting area protection and restoration. Here, we evaluated the effect of substrate on nest removal by humans in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We analyzed substrate composition and fate of 216 P. unifilis nests along 88 km of rivers. River segment and substrate type were the most important predictors of nest removal by humans. We found up to 36% lower removal of nests in fine sand and experimental results support the hypothesis that wind more often obscures tracks of nesting females in substrates with more (>66%) fine sand. Our findings are useful for informing the restoration of artificial nesting areas across the Amazon, as nesting area substrates should be selected not only to maintain hatchling sex ratios, but also to minimize nest removal by humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Michalski
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil. .,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil. .,Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Darren Norris
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Itxaso Quintana
- Ecology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Andressa Valerio
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Forest and Environmental Biology, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA
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Quintana I, Norris D, Valerio A, Becker FG, Gibbs JP, Michalski F. Nest removal by humans creates an evolutionary trap for Amazonian freshwater turtles. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. Quintana
- Ecology Department Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - D. Norris
- School of Environmental Sciences Federal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical BiodiversityFederal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group Federal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
| | - A. Valerio
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical BiodiversityFederal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group Federal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
| | - F. G. Becker
- Ecology Department Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - J. P. Gibbs
- Department of Forest and Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY USA
| | - F. Michalski
- Postgraduate Programme in Tropical BiodiversityFederal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group Federal University of Amapá Macapá Brazil
- Instituto Pró‐Carnívoros Atibaia, São Paulo Brazil
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Norris D, Michalski F, Gibbs JP. Community involvement works where enforcement fails: conservation success through community-based management of Amazon river turtle nests. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4856. [PMID: 29868271 PMCID: PMC5985759 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Law enforcement is widely regarded as a cornerstone to effective natural resource management. Practical guidelines for the optimal use of enforcement measures are lacking particularly in areas protected under sustainable and/or mixed use management regimes and where legal institution are weak. Focusing on the yellow-spotted river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis) along 33 km of river that runs between two sustainable–use reserves in the Brazilian Amazon as an illustrative example, we show that two years of patrols to enforce lawful protection regulations had no effect on nest harvesting. In contrast, during one year when community-based management approaches were enacted harvest levels dropped nearly threefold to a rate (26%) that is likely sufficient for river turtle population recovery. Our findings support previous studies that show how community participation, if appropriately implemented, can facilitate effective natural resource management where law enforcement is limited or ineffective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Norris
- School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Forest and Environmental Biology, State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY, United States of America
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Arévalo-Sandi A, Bobrowiec PED, Rodriguez Chuma VJU, Norris D. Diversity of terrestrial mammal seed dispersers along a lowland Amazon forest regrowth gradient. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193752. [PMID: 29547648 PMCID: PMC5856264 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the restoration/regeneration of degraded tropical habitats yet the potential role of natural regenerators remains unclear. We test the hypothesis that the richness and functional diversity of terrestrial mammals differs between forest regrowth stages. We quantified the richness and functional diversity of eight terrestrial mammal seed-disperser species across a forest regrowth gradient in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We installed camera-traps in 15 sites within small-holder properties with forest regrowth stage classified into three groups, with five sites each of: late second-regrowth forest, early second-regrowth forest and abandoned pasture. Species richness and functional dispersion from the regrowth sites were compared with 15 paired forest control sites. Multi model selection showed that regrowth class was more important for explaining patterns in richness and functional diversity than other variables from three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: hunting (distance to house, distance to river, distance to town, small holder residence), land cover (% forest cover within 50 meters, 1 kilometer and 5 kilometers) and land use (regrowth class, time since last use). Differences in functional diversity were most strongly explained by a loss of body mass. We found that diversity in regrowth sites could be similar to control sites even in some early-second regrowth areas. This finding suggests that when surrounded by large intact forest areas the richness and functional diversity close to human small-holdings can return to pre-degradation values. Yet we also found a significant reduction in richness and functional diversity in more intensely degraded pasture sites. This reduction in richness and functional diversity may limit the potential for regeneration and increase costs for ecological regeneration and restoration actions around more intense regrowth areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Arévalo-Sandi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo Estefano D. Bobrowiec
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Victor Juan Ulises Rodriguez Chuma
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rod. Juscelino Kubitscheck, Km 02, Macapá, AP, Brazil
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP), Pevas 5ta cdra, Iquitos, Perú
| | - Darren Norris
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo 2936, Petrópolis, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rod. Juscelino Kubitscheck, Km 02, Macapá, AP, Brazil
- Coordenação de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rod. Juscelino Kubitschek Km 02, Macapá, AP, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Norris D, Michalski F, Gibbs JP. Beyond harm's reach? Submersion of river turtle nesting areas and implications for restoration actions after Amazon hydropower development. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4228. [PMID: 29333347 PMCID: PMC5764030 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The global expansion of energy demands combined with abundant rainfall, large water volumes and high flow in tropical rivers have led to an unprecedented expansion of dam constructions in the Amazon. This expansion generates an urgent need for refined approaches to river management; specifically a move away from decision-making governed by overly generalized guidelines. For the first time we quantify direct impacts of hydropower reservoir establishment on an Amazon fresh water turtle. We conducted surveys along 150 km of rivers upstream of a new dam construction during the low water months that correspond to the nesting season of Podocnemis unifilis in the study area. Comparison of nest-areas before (2011, 2015) and after (2016) reservoir filling show that reservoir impacts extend 13% beyond legally defined limits. The submerged nesting areas accounted for a total of 3.8 ha of nesting habitat that was inundated as a direct result of the reservoir filling in 2016. Our findings highlight limitations in the development and implementation of existing Brazilian environmental impact assessment process. We also propose potential ways to mitigate the negative impacts of dams on freshwater turtles and the Amazonian freshwater ecosystems they inhabit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Norris
- School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil.,Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Forest and Environmental Biology, State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY, United States of America
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Arévalo-sandi AR, Norris D. Short term patterns of germination in response to litter clearing and exclosure of large terrestrial vertebrates along an Amazon forest regrowth gradient. Glob Ecol Conserv 2018; 13:e00371. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2017.e00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Michalski F, Michalski LJ, Barnett AA. Environmental determinants and use of space by six Neotropical primates in the northern Brazilian Amazon. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2017.1335276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Michalski
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, Brazil
| | | | - Adrian A. Barnett
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary and Ecological Anthropology, Life Sciences Department, University of Roehampton, London, UK
- Grupo de Pesquisa de Mamíferos Amazônicos, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
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Salinero MC, Michalski F. Implications of Scientific Collaboration Networks on Studies of Aquatic Vertebrates in the Brazilian Amazon. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158413. [PMID: 27352247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The quantity of wildlife extracted from the Amazon has increased in the past decades as a consequence of an increase in human population density and income growth. To evaluate the spatial distribution of studies on subsistence and/or commercial hunting conducted in the Brazilian Amazon, we selected eight mid-sized and large-bodied aquatic vertebrate species with a history of human exploitation in the region. We used a combination of searches in the gray and scientific literature from the past 24 years to provide an updated distributional map of studies on the target species. We calculated the distances between the study sites and the locations of the research institutes/universities that the first and last authors of the same study were affiliated to. For the period of 1990 to 2014, we found 105 studies on the subsistence and/or commercial hunting of aquatic vertebrates in the Brazilian Amazon in 271 locations that involved 43 institutions (37 Brazilian and 6 international). The spatial distribution of the studies across the Brazilian Amazon varied, but over 80% took place in the northeast and central Amazon, encompassing three States of the Legal Brazilian Amazon (Amazonas, 51.42%; Pará, 19.05%; and Amapá, 16.19%). Over half of the research study sites (52.91%) were within 500 km of the research institute/university of the first or last authors. Some research institutes/universities did not have any inter-institutional collaborations, while others collaborated with eight or more institutes. Some research institutes/universities conducted many studies, had an extensive collaboration network, and contributed greatly to the network of studies on Amazonian aquatic vertebrates. Our research contributes to the knowledge of studies on the subsistence and/or commercial hunting of the most exploited aquatic vertebrates of the Brazilian Amazon, illustrates the impact that collaboration networks have on research, and highlights potential areas for improvement and the generation of new collaborations.
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Michalski LJ, Norris D, de Oliveira TG, Michalski F. Ecological relationships of meso-scale distribution in 25 neotropical vertebrate species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126114. [PMID: 25938582 PMCID: PMC4418742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates are a vital ecological component of Amazon forest biodiversity. Although vertebrates are a functionally important part of various ecosystem services they continue to be threatened by anthropogenic impacts throughout the Amazon. Here we use a standardized, regularly spaced arrangement of camera traps within 25km2 to provide a baseline assessment of vertebrate species diversity in a sustainable use protected area in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We examined seasonal differences in the per species encounter rates (number of photos per camera trap and number of cameras with photos). Generalized linear models (GLMs) were then used to examine the influence of five variables (altitude, canopy cover, basal area, distance to nearest river and distance to nearest large river) on the number of photos per species and on functional groups. GLMs were also used to examine the relationships between large predators [Jaguar (Panthera onca) and Puma (Puma concolor)] and their prey. A total of 649 independent photos of 25 species were obtained from 1,800 camera trap days (900 each during wet and dry seasons). Only ungulates and rodents showed significant seasonal differences in the number of photos per camera. The number of photos differed between seasons for only three species (Mazama americana, Dasyprocta leporina and Myoprocta acouchy) all of which were photographed more (3 to 10 fold increase) during the wet season. Mazama americana was the only species where a significant difference was found in occupancy, with more photos in more cameras during the wet season. For most groups and species variation in the number of photos per camera was only explained weakly by the GLMs (deviance explained ranging from 10.3 to 54.4%). Terrestrial birds (Crax alector, Psophia crepitans and Tinamus major) and rodents (Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta leporina and M. acouchy) were the notable exceptions, with our GLMs significantly explaining variation in the distribution of all species (deviance explained ranging from 21.0 to 54.5%). The group and species GLMs showed some novel ecological information from this relatively pristine area. We found no association between large cats and their potential prey. We also found that rodent and bird species were more often recorded closer to streams. As hunters gain access via rivers this finding suggests that there is currently little anthropogenic impact on the species. Our findings provide a standardized baseline for comparison with other sites and with which planned management and extractive activities can be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln José Michalski
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Darren Norris
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Tadeu Gomes de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
- Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
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de Oliveira IAP, Norris D, Michalski F. Anthropogenic and seasonal determinants of giant otter sightings along waterways in the northern Brazilian Amazon. Mamm Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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