The distribution and abundance of small mammals in agroecosystems of southeastern Brazil

Autor(es)

Gheler-Costa, Carla ^[1] ; Vettorazzi, Carlos Alberto ^[2] ; Pardini, Renata ^[3] ; Verdade, Luciano Martins ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Isotop Ecol Lab, BR-13416000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Geoproc Lab, BR-13418900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Zool, BR-05508099 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: MAMMALIA; v. 76, n. 2, p. 185-191, MAY 2012.
• Citações Web of Science: 25

Resumo

The conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes depends on information about the ways in which species are affected by the conversion of native habitats into novel anthropogenic environments and the strategies that the species use to persist in these altered ecosystems. Here, we investigate how small mammals occupy the different agroecosystems of an agricultural landscape in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. From August 2003 through January 2005, we surveyed small mammals using Sherman traps at 16 sampling sites in each of the four predominant environments of the local agricultural landscape: remnant fragments of semideciduous forest, Eucalyptus plantations, sugarcane plantations, and pastures. With a total effort of 23,040 trap-nights and a capture success of 0.8%, we captured 177 rodents and marsupials belonging to eight species. The assemblage represented by these mammals is essentially composed of generalist species, which are common in degraded areas. Sugarcane plantations had the highest abundance, whereas pastures had the lowest species richness. Our results suggest that the loss of forest species can be related to the loss of native forest. The results also indicate that to improve the conservation value of agricultural landscapes, native forest fragments should be conserved, extensive monocultures should be avoided and agricultural impacts should be mitigated. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 01/13251-4 - Distribuição e abundância de vertebrados em relação à estrutura da paisagem na bacia do rio Passa-Cinco
• Beneficiário: Luciano Martins Verdade
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular