Conservation of small and medium-sized mammals following native woodland regrowth: A case study in a long-term UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Argentina

Tabeni, Solana; Spirito, Florencia; Ojeda, Ricardo A.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.07.003

Cited by 14 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…But, on the other hand, several ecosystem services and processes can occur in these peripheral areas, contributing to the permanence of habitats for wildlife species (Mitchell et al ). For example, lands outside of protected areas may contain unique habitats that are required by mammals and birds, playing a complementary role in their conservation (Pino et al ; Hansen & Defries ; Tabeni et al ). Furthermore, it has been noted that the spatial continuity of processes and ecosystem services performed by animals can require habitats spatially connected across different land uses (Kremen et al ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal abundance and seed predation across boundaries in a restored‐grazed woodland interface

Tabeni

Miguel

Campos

et al. 2017

Restoration Ecology

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Passive restoration is an effective tool for the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity. Often areas in recovery are immersed in a matrix of land uses, in which the expansion and intensification of human activities exert new visible pressures at their boundaries. The degree of connectivity between these areas and their peripheral lands can be analyzed by mobile link species, organisms that actively move in the landscape by connecting areas to one another through their functional roles. We focus our design on the interface generated by the long‐term restoration area and surrounding grazing lands. We analyze the changes on boundary structure, small mammal abundance, and on the function of native seed dispersal by these vertebrate species. We captured small mammals and determined seed removal of Prosopis flexuosa at three distances inside and outside a fence that delineates passively restored and currently grazed areas. Our results indicate that small rodents find more suitable habitats at the site under restoration than in grazing lands. The restored‐grazing interface shows a decrease in small mammal abundance from the protected area to the grazed lands. From a functional perspective, an increase in small mammal abundance results in an increase in their seed removal activity with implications for seed fate, because the long‐term recovery of vegetation could enhance seed predation on a native tree species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal abundance and seed predation across boundaries in a restored‐grazed woodland interface

Tabeni

Miguel

Campos

et al. 2017

Restoration Ecology

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“…Different land uses and management strategies practiced in drylands produce changes in richness, abundance and functional diversity of mammals (Chillo & Ojeda ; Tabeni et al . ; Chillo et al . ; Periago et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), this association of M. australis with grazing fields (Tabeni et al . ) could help maintain the P. flexuosa tree populations under anthropogenic disturbance. Microcavia australis, through consuming fruits, moving seed to short distances and releasing them from the fruit, could represent an initial mode of P. flexuosa seed dispersal at low cost to seeds in comparison with sigmodontine rodents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of small rodents in the seed dispersal process: Microcavia australis consuming Prosopis flexuosa fruits

Campos

Giannoni

et al. 2016

Austral Ecology

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Understanding the functional role of animal species in seed dispersal is central to determining how biotic interactions could be affected by anthropogenic drivers. In the Monte Desert, mammals play different functional roles in Prosopis flexuosa seed dispersal, acting as opportunistic frugivores (endozoochorous mediumsized and large mammals) or seed hoarders (some small sigmodontine rodents). Our objective was assessing the functional role of Microcavia australis, a small hystricognathi rodent, in the fruit removal and seed deposition stages of P. flexuosa seed dispersal, compared to sympatric sigmodontine rodents. In situ, we quantified fruit removal by small rodents during non-fruiting and fruiting periods, and determined the distance seeds were transported, particularly by M. australis. In laboratory experiments, we analysed how M. australis stores seeds (through scatter-or larder-hoarding) and how many seeds are left in caches as living seeds, relative to previous data on sigmodontine rodents. To conduct field studies, we established sampling stations under randomly chosen P. flexuosa trees at theÑacuñ an Man and Biosphere Reserve. We analysed fruit removal by small rodents and seed dispersal distance by M. australis using camera traps focused on P. flexuosa fruits covered with wire screen, which only allowed entry of small animals. In laboratory trials, we provided animals with a known number of fruits and assessed seed conditions after removal. Small rodents removed 75.7% of fruit supplied during the non-fruiting period and 53.2% during the fruiting period. Microcavia australis and Graomys griseoflavus were the main fruit removers. Microcavia australis transported seeds to a mean distance of 462 cm and cached seeds mainly in scatter-hoards, similarly as Eligmodontia typus. All transported seeds were left in fruit segments or covered only by the endocarp, never as predated seeds. Microcavia australis disperses P. flexuosa seeds by carrying fruits away from a source to consume them and then by scatter-hoarding fruits and seeds.Results of Wald test using Microcavia australis as intercept are shown. Significant results (P < 0.05) are indicated in bold. Data on sigmodontine rodents are from Giannoni et al. (2013).

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“…Similar to bats, forest-dependent species, including sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) were only found in the core zone of Giam Siak Kecil-Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve, Indonesia, whereas the generalist palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) was only found in the buffer zone [78]. Elsewhere, there appears to be no effect of the management zones on mammal richness and distribution in the reserve (e.g., [79,80]), or even greater species richness outside the reserve [81], but studies providing a robust comparison across zones and extralimital habitats remain few.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bat Ensembles Differ in Response to Use Zones in a Tropical Biosphere Reserve

et al. 2020

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Biosphere reserves, designated under The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Man and Biosphere Programme, aim to sustainably integrate protected areas into the biological and economic landscape around them by buffering strictly protected habitats with zones of limited use. However, the effectiveness of biosphere reserves and the contribution of the different zones of use to protection is poorly known. We assessed the diversity and activity of bats in the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (CRBR) in Sabah, Malaysia, using harp traps, mist nets and acoustic surveys in each zone—core, buffer, transition and in agricultural plots outside of the reserve. We captured 30 species, bringing the known bat fauna of CRBR to 50 species, half of Borneo’s bat species. Species composition and acoustic activity varied among zones and by foraging ensemble, with the core and buffer showing particular importance for conserving forest-dependent insectivorous bats. Frugivorous bats were found in all zones but were the most abundant and most species-rich ensemble within agricultural sites. Although sampling was limited, bat diversity and activity was low in the transition zone compared to other zones, indicating potential for management practices that increase food availability and enhance biodiversity value. We conclude that, collectively, the zones of the CRBR effectively protect diversity, but the value of the transition zone can be improved.

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Conservation of small and medium-sized mammals following native woodland regrowth: A case study in a long-term UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Argentina

Cited by 14 publications

References 16 publications

Small mammal abundance and seed predation across boundaries in a restored‐grazed woodland interface

Small mammal abundance and seed predation across boundaries in a restored‐grazed woodland interface

Role of small rodents in the seed dispersal process: Microcavia australis consuming Prosopis flexuosa fruits

Bat Ensembles Differ in Response to Use Zones in a Tropical Biosphere Reserve

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