Spatial and temporal dynamics of mammal movements between an urban forest and its surrounding landscape

• Grant number: 24/11007-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Raul Costa Pereira
• Grantee: Camila Mateus Almeida dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/11953-2 - Echoes of socioeconomic inequality into biodiversity (IneqBio), AP.JP

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in tropical regions. Understanding biodiversity patterns and how to conserve them in fragmented landscapes requires knowledge not only of the internal dynamics of habitat patches but also of the surrounding matrices. Atlantic Forest fragments are often surrounded by matrices composed of a complex mosaic of land uses. A notable example of this scenario in the interior of São Paulo state is the Área de Relevante Interesse Ecológico (ARIE) Mata de Santa Genebra, the largest forest fragment in its region, which is surrounded by urban, agricultural, and natural vegetation areas. This project aims to understand the temporal, spatial, and species composition dynamics of mammals that move between the ARIE Mata de Santa Genebra and the heterogeneous surrounding matrix. To achieve this, we will use terrestrial and arboreal camera traps to record movements between the fragment and the matrix over the course of a year. Specifically, we expect greater movement to the urban and agricultural matrix by generalist species and during the season with the lowest availability of plant resources, such as fruits. Understanding when and where mammal species in the region move will allow us to inform integrated management decisions in forest fragments surrounded by heterogeneous matrices, identifying priority areas for conservation and the creation of new ecological corridors.