Buffer zone use by mammals in a Cerrado protected area

Abstract

Habitat loss and degradation is threatening mammals worldwide. Therefore, Protected Areas (PA) are of utmost importance to preserve biodiversity. Their effectiveness, however, depends on some management strategies such as buffer zones, which prevent/mitigate the impact of external threats and might increase the amount of available habitat for wildlife existing within reserves. Nevertheless, how intensively terrestrial mammals use buffer zones remains little studied, particularly in the Neotropical region. Aiming to analyse the use of a buffer zone (5 km wide) by medium and large-sized mammals, we modelled the occupancy probabilities of five species of conservation concern including local (interior and buffer zone) as a site covariate, simultaneously controlling for imperfect detection. Data collection was made with camera traps from April to September 2013 in a 9000 ha Cerrado PA (“interior”) and in its surrounding area (39721.41 ha; “buffer zone”). This PA (Jataí Ecological Station) is immersed in a landscape where sugarcane plantations predominate in the northeastern of the state of São Paulo. We also conducted an inventory to compare the number and composition of species between interior and buffer zone. A total of 31 mammal species (26 natives) was recorded via camera traps and active search for sightings, vocalizations, tracks and signs. Occupancy estimates for Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Leopardus pardalis and Pecari tajacu were numerically higher in interior. On the other hand, Chrysocyon brachyurus had the highest occupancy in buffer zone, while the largest predator, Puma concolor, used both areas similarly. However, as the confidence intervals (95%) overlapped, the differences in occupancy probabilities between interior and buffer were weak for all these species. Additionally, regarding only the species recorded by cameras, the observed and estimated richness were similar between interior and buffer zone of the PA. Our data demonstrated that the buffer zone is indeed used by medium and large-sized mammals, including conservation-dependent ones. The lack of enforcement of current legislation regarding buffer zones is therefore a real threat for mammals, even when protection is guaranteed in the interior of protected areas.

Bat richness (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in an area of montane Atlantic Forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira, state of Minas Gerais, southeast Brazil

“…The results of this study show that the area, which falls within the buffer zone of the Serra do Papagaio State Park, has a rich chiropterofauna. The buffer zones of protected areas in the Cerrado have also been shown to be used by medium and large-bodied mammals, including those which are conservation dependent (Paolino et al 2016), though the importance of these zones for bats remains to be studied.…”

Structure and regional representativeness of the herpetofauna from Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas, Cerrado, Central Brazil

“…PAs are effective strategies for long-term biodiversity conservation in situ, especially for endangered species, besides maintaining the genetic variability of species [24,25]. Such areas, together with adjacent forest remnants, act as habitat corridors and stepping stones, forming a heterogeneous landscape that directly affects species dispersion [24,26]. However, PAs cover only 9.6% of the Cerrado biome area [27] and few of those areas have been inventoried at the biodiversity level.…”

Distribuição potencial e atual do tamanduá-bandeira (<em>Myrmecophaga tridactyla</em>) e indicação de áreas prioritárias para sua conservação

“…pastagem, silvicultura, cana-de-açúcar) venha sendo documentada na literatura (e.g. PAOLINO et al, 2016;VERSIANI, 2016). Portanto, é interessante investigar como as variáveis bioclimáticas, topográficas, de uso e cobertura do solo e antrópicas influenciam na distribuição da espécie, em diferentes escalas espaciais.…”

“…, no Parque Nacional de Brasilia, no Distrito Federal (DINIZ; BRITO, 2013; LACERDA; TOMAS; MARINHO-FILHO, 2009), no Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, em Minas Gerais (SCHNEIDER et al, 2000; SHAW; MACHADO-NETO; CARTER, 1987; YOUNG; COELHO, 2003), entre outras Unidades de Conservação federais (DINIZ; BRITO, 2015; NASCIMENTO; CAMPOS, 2011), além de Terras Indígenas, como a Reserva Xavante Rio das Mortes, no Mato Grosso(LEEUWENBERG, 1997; PRADA; MARINHO- FILHO, 2004). Em São Paulo, a espécie vem sendo estudada em algumas Unidades de Conservação estaduais, como a Estação Ecológica de Jataí(PAOLINO et al, 2016;VERSIANI, 2016) e a Estação Ecológica de Santa Bárbara…”

“…e Eucalyptus spp. em áreas de Cerrado no estado São Paulo (e.g PAOLINO et al 2016;VERSIANI, 2016;TIMO et al, 2014). e em plantações de Acacia mangium em Roraima(KREUTZ et al 2012).…”