Spatiotemporal interaction between invasive species (Canis familiaris and Sus scrofa) and wild canids (Cerdocyon thous and Chrysocyon brachyurus) in areas from Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.

• Grant number: 23/12855-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Rita de Cassia Bianchi
• Grantee: Letícia Rodrigues Moretto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/13501-2 - Occupancy model with continuous-time detection and single-season occupancy model: methods comparison to evaluate invasive-carnivore species interactions, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The indirect effects exerted by predators can cause several negative consequences in their prey populations. To avoid agonistic encounters with their predators, prey can change the time they are active or change the locations they are present. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) are among the worst 100 invasive species and are present in Brazilian protected areas. These species can be threats to the fauna, as they can transmit diseases, compete for resources more efficiently by organizing themselves in groups and in high density. Two of the species that may suffer from these threats are the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), being able to avoid these species spatio-temporally. Thus, the objective is to understand how these invasive species affect native species, considering space-time changes. To test this hypothesis, I will analyze data obtained by camera traps in Cerrado and Atlantic Forest areas, collected over several years. The analysis will be done by the Markov modulated Poisson process (MMPP), which uses temporal and spatial data and is an advanced approach appropriate to deal with the complexity of interactions between species. Temporal data will be obtained from the records of the study species and for spatial covariates, I will use landscape data that will be extracted from platforms such as MapBiomas. In the end, I will evaluate the occupation models of wild canids. The information will have great potential to contribute to the conservation of native species, providing an overview of the occupation patterns of wild canid populations in interactions with invasive species. Therefore, the results can support the identification of priority areas for protection and management, as well as influence the development of strategies to control invasive species.