Influence of landscape structure in movement patterns and the population density of the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous)

• Grant number: 19/04851-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 18, 2019
• End date: June 17, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Grantee: Claudia Zukeran Kanda
• Supervisor: Luca Borger
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Swansea University, Wales
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/11595-3 - Influence of landscape structure in movement patterns and population density of the Crab-Eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous), BP.DR

Abstract

Animal space use is influenced by the interactions between individuals and their environment. The availability and spatial distribution of resources in the landscape can determine their accessibility and in turn influence the movements and degree of conspecific interactions of animals. We propose to contrast different models of space use to evaluate how landscape structure and population density affect individual and conspecific animal movement. We will analyze GPS collar data collected on 31 individuals of crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in two contrasting landscapes in Brazil. This research Internship Abroad (BEPE) will be developed at Swansea University, UK, supervised by Prof. Luca Börger (expertise in movement ecology) in collaboration with Dr. Jonathan Potts (expertise in mathematical ecology, University of Sheffield). This combination of different, complementary expertise is important and essential to achieving the project aims. Research in movement ecology is very recent in Brazil, with few researchers with expertise in this area of enquiry area. Thus, the internship will be very important for learning about movement ecology and more broadly how to tackle new scientific questions about ecology and its application to further conservation in Brazil at the landscape scale. Furthermore, we intend to publish this research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NAGY-REIS, MARIANA; OSHIMA, JULIA EMI DE FARIA; KANDA, CLAUDIA ZUKERAN; PALMEIRA, FRANCESCA BELEM LOPES; DE MELO, FABIANO RODRIGUES; MORATO, RONALDO GONCALVES; BONJORNE, LILIAN; MAGIOLI, MARCELO; LEUCHTENBERGER, CAROLINE; ROHE, FABIO; et al. NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics. ECOLOGY, v. 101, n. 11, NOV 2020. (14/01986-0, 12/14245-2, 10/05343-5, 13/50421-2, 06/04878-7, 17/21816-0, 05/00405-4, 13/24453-4, 15/22844-1, 13/07162-6, 15/19439-8, 16/11595-3, 19/04851-1, 15/18381-6, 13/04957-8, 14/23095-0, 14/09300-0, 11/06782-5, 15/17739-4, 11/22449-4, 14/23132-2, 14/10192-7, 12/00534-2, 14/14925-9)