Patch Size, Functional Isolation, Visibility and Matrix Permeability Influences Neotropical Primate Occurrence within Highly Fragmented Landscapes

Author(s)

da Silva, Lucas Goulart ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Milton Cezar ^[2] ; Hasui, Erica ^[1] ; da Costa, Carla Aparecida ^[1] ; Teixeira da Cunha, Rogerio Grassetto ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Univ Alfenas UNIFAL MG, Inst Nat Sci, Alfenas - Brazil

^[2] Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, Dept Ecol, Spatial Ecol & Conservat Lab LEEC, Rio Claro - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 10, n. 2 FEB 6 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 12

Abstract

Forest fragmentation and habitat loss are among the major current extinction causes. Remaining fragments are mostly small, isolated and showing poor quality. Being primarily arboreal, Neotropical primates are generally sensitive to fragmentation effects. Furthermore, primates are involved in complex ecological process. Thus, landscape changes that negatively interfere with primate population dynamic affect the structure, composition, and ultimately the viability of the whole community. We evaluated if fragment size, isolation and visibility and matrix permeability are important for explaining the occurrence of three Neotropical primate species. Employing playback, we verified the presence of Callicebus nigrifrons, Callithrix aurita and Sapajus nigritus at 45 forest fragments around the municipality of Alfenas, Brazil. We classified the landscape and evaluated the metrics through predictive models of occurrence. We selected the best models through Akaike Selection Criterion. Aiming at validating our results, we applied the plausible models to another region (20 fragments at the neighboring municipality of Poco Fundo, Brazil). Twelve models were plausible, and three were validated, two for Sapajus nigritus (Area and Area+Visibility) and one for Callicebus nigrifrons (Area+Matrix). Our results reinforce the contribution of fragment size to maintain biodiversity within highly degraded habitats. At the same time, they stress the importance of including novel, biologically relevant metrics in landscape studies, such as visibility and matrix permeability, which can provide invaluable help for similar studies in the future and on conservation practices in the long run. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50421-2 - New sampling methods and statistical tools for biodiversity research: integrating animal movement ecology with population and community ecology
• Grantee: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants