Mammals in atlantic forest remnants of Barbacena, Minas Gerais
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main causes of
biodiversity decline, since changes in environmental and
ecological conditions directly affect species richness,
abundance, and distribution. This study aimed to identify
medium- and large-sized mammals occurring in three
Atlantic Forest remnants located in the Barbacena campus of the Federal Institute of Southeast Minas Gerais (IFSudesteMG). The
species were recorded in track plots and through active search for
direct and indirect signs. 16 species distributed in six orders and 14
families were identified, including some vulnerable and threatened
species such as Lycalopex vetulus (meadow fox), Lontra longicaudis
(otter), and Callicebus nigrifrons (black-fronted titi monkey). Canis
familiaris (domestic dog) and Didelphis sp. (opossum) were the species
most frequently observed in the track plots. The largest fragment had
the greatest species richness, with 15 species, or 93.75% of the total.
The number of species shared among the three sampled areas was
31.2%. The similarities identified between the fragments indicate the
need for higher connectivity among them, through the creation of
ecological corridors to allow the movement and, consequently, gene
flux among the populations, favoring the maintenance of important
ecosystem services in the region. Although small, the study area
plays a major role in mammal conservation in the region, preserving
species from the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest domains. To reduce
potential impacts on the local fauna, management and conservation
efforts should be put forward.
Keywords: Fragmentation; biodiversity; mammalian fauna
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 CIÊNCIA ANIMAL BRASILEIRA (Brazilian Animal Science)
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).