AimIncorporate species’ trait information together with climate projections for associated habitat to assess the potential vulnerability of rodent taxa to climate change.LocationOaxaca State, Mexico.MethodsWe used a trait‐based approach together with climate exposure models to evaluate the vulnerability of rodent species to projected climate conditions in the study region. Vulnerability was estimated based on three factors: (a) Level of climatic exposure that species are projected to experience across their current statewide range; (b) inherent species‐specific sensitivity to stochastic events; and (c) species’ capacity to cope with climate change effects. We defined species as inherently sensitive if they had any of the following: restricted geographic distribution in Mexico; narrow altitudinal range; low dispersal ability; or long generation length.ResultsVulnerability varied depending on the climate change scenario applied. Under the MPI general circulation model and current emissions trends, by 2099, all species evaluated were projected to have some level of threat (vulnerable for at least one factor), with 4 out of 55 species vulnerable for all three factors, 29 for two factors, and 22 for one factor. Six out of ten rodent species endemic to Oaxaca were vulnerable for two or more factors. We found that species with narrow and restricted‐range distributions combined with low adaptive capacity were projected to be particularly vulnerable.Main conclusionsBy including species‐specific trait information in climate exposure assessments, researchers can contextualize and enhance their understanding about how climate change is likely to affect individual taxa in an area of interest. As such, studies like this one provide more relevant threat assessment information than exposure analyses alone and serve as a starting point for considering how climatic changes interact with an array of other variables to affect native species across their range.
Los inventarios locales constituyen la base para entender la distribución de las especies y los procesos ecológicos e históricos subyacentes. Esta información, en asociación con la documentación de los motivos de caza de las especies, es necesaria para el diseño de estrategias de conservación. Este estudio provee datos nuevos de las especies de mamíferos medianos y grandes del Cerro Piedra Larga (CPL), un macizo montañoso interior en Oaxaca, México. Obtuvimos datos de observaciones directas en transectos, búsqueda de rastros y fototrampeo en bosque tropical caducifolio, bosque seco de pino-encino y en bosque de pino-encino. Registramos los motivos de caza de los mamíferos por la gente local a través de entrevistas informales. Cuantificamos el número de especies e identificamos aquellas que están en alguna categoría de riesgo para su conservación. Reportamos la presencia de 26 especies de mamíferos medianos y grandes en el CPL. Siete especies están en alguna categoría de riesgo. Los habitantes reconocieron la presencia de 23 especies, de las cuales 14 son cazadas para prevenir daños sobre animales domésticos y cultivos. Cinco especies son cazadas por su carne. Las observaciones directas, el fototrampeo y las entrevistas fueron métodos complementarios que ayudaron a tener una mejor lista de las especies. Siete especies constituyen los primeros registros para toda la subprovincia. El registro de Cuniculus paca representa una extensión de su distribución hacia el centro-sur de Oaxaca. Considerando a los mamíferos pequeños, los voladores y los medianos y grandes, el CPL tiene el 24.9 % del total de mamíferos terrestres registrados en Oaxaca. Este estudio destaca la importancia de este macizo montañoso por su diversidad de mamíferos, la cual es amenazada por agricultura de roza-tumba y quema, y actividades de desarrollo carretero.
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