Multiscale effects of habitat changes on diversity of rainforest snakes

Autor(es)

Leal-Santos, Gabriella ; Tambosi, Leandro Reverberi ; Pavoine, Sandrine ; Martins, Marcio

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION; v. 33, n. 5, p. 18-pg., 2024-03-28.

Resumo

Snake response to habitat changes is frequently investigated at the species level, but it is still poorly known how snakes respond to habitat changes at the community level and at which spatial scale. Here, we used a multi-model inference approach to evaluate the effects of local and landscape composition (percentage of forest cover and silviculture) and habitat fragmentation (number of forest patches and total edge) on species, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of snake communities in tropical fragmented landscapes. Additionally, we tested whether silviculture acted as an environmental filter for snakes. Species and functional diversity responded primarily to landscape elements: species richness, abundance, and functional diversity decreased with deforestation. In addition, species richness and abundance increased with the proportion of forest and the number of patches in the landscape. In contrast, phylogenetic diversity was driven by the local habitat composition. Although habitat types did not filter entire clades and functional groups, each species tended to have a co-occurring species with similar traits (at landscape level) and a close relative (at both levels) in impacted habitats. In contrast, the co-occurrence of close relatives and functionally similar species was avoided in the native forest. Our findings indicate that snake responses to habitat changes occur on multiple scales and highlight the importance of conserving native forests to maintain multiple components of biodiversity. Strategies for conserving snake diversity in tropical fragmented landscapes should therefore consider management practices at both the local and landscape scales. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/11478-0 - Diversidade de serpentes em florestas nativas e florestas de eucalipto na região de Monte Verde, Camanducaia, MG: subsídios para a conservação
• Beneficiário: Gabriella Neves Leal Santos
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 20/12658-4 - Desafios para a conservação de anfíbios e répteis escamados, com ênfase na fauna brasileira: de informações básicas às ações de conservação
• Beneficiário: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 18/14091-1 - Efeitos de alterações de habitat sobre comunidades de anfíbios e répteis Squamata: subsídios para programas de manejo, avaliações de risco de extinção e planos de ação de conservação
• Beneficiário: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular