Mammals in forest remnants of an ecotonal Atlantic Forest-Cerrado area from southeastern Brazil

Authors

  • Rafael de Souza Laurindo Universidade Federal de Lavras, Departamento de Biologia. Campus Universitário, s/n, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil
  • Roberto Leonan M. Novaes Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Campus Fiocruz da Mata Atlântica. Estrada Rodrigues Caldas, 3400, 22713-375, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
  • Renan de França Souza Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução. Av. São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
  • Vitor Ferreira Souza Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências da Natureza. Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000, Alfenas, MG, Brasil
  • Filipe Felix Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências da Natureza. Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000, Alfenas, MG, Brasil
  • Tommy Magalhães Souto Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências da Natureza. Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000, Alfenas, MG, Brasil
  • Rogério Grassetto T. da Cunha Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências da Natureza. Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700, 37130-000, Alfenas, MG, Brasil
  • Renato Gregorin Universidade Federal de Lavras, Departamento de Biologia. Campus Universitário, s/n, 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/nbc.2017.121.03

Abstract

Forest areas in southeastern Brazil were intensively fragmented by historical processes of land use, and even today this region is under severe anthropic pressure due to agricultural, mining, tourism, and high urban expansion. However, contemporaneous studies on its biodiversity, particularly those focusing on remaining fauna in higly fragmented landscapes are necessary. In the present study, we present a species list of mammals in forest remnants of an agricultural landscape from southeastern Brazil (RPPN Fazenda Lagoa), located in an ecotone of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, with additional information on habitat use, vulnerability to roadkill and considerations for conservation purposes. We recorded 63 species of Chiroptera, Carnivora, Rodentia, Didelphimorphia, Primates, Cingulata, Pilosa, Cetartiodactyla and Lagomorpha. Approximately 15% of the species are under some risk of extinction, including the endemic buffy-tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix aurita). We also recorded invasive species and domestic dogs and cats living in feral condition. Ten species were reported as roadkills in the roads that give access to the RPPN. We concluded that these remnants play an important role in the maintenance and conservation of the mammals, serving as one of the last refuges for wildlife in a severely deforested region.

Keywords: conservation, diversity, forest fragments, Mammalia, richness, roadkill.

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Published

2017-04-30

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2017): January/April

Section

Articles

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