Identification of Critical Areas for Mammal Conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

Herein we identified the geographic location of protected areas (PAs) critical for strengthening mammalian conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve (RMBA) by assessing sites of particular importance for mammal diversity using different biodiversity criteria (richness, rarity, vulnerability) and a connectivity index. Although 95% of mammal species were represented by PAs, most of them had less than 10% of their distribution range protected by these areas. A total of 94 critical areas for mammal conservation-representing 49.60% of the total PAs were identified. Most of these areas were located at endangered ecoregions. We recommend that conservationists and policy makers should identify critical areas in order to guarantee biodiversity fluxes among landscapes, and enhance the connectivity between PAs to increase biodiversity protection and conservation. Knowledge about the location of critical areas may encourage managers and policy makers to develop specific programs to strengthen mammal biodiversity protection, especially for threatened species.

A Survey of mid and large bodied mammals in Núcleo Caraguatatuba, Serra do Mar State Park, Brazil

“…The sampling intensity and availability of both published and un-published studies has enabled the establishment of priority areas for the conservation of mammals across the Atlantic Forest biome (Galetti et al 2009, Albuquerque et al 2011). Yet these studies also highlight that there remain significant gaps not only in our understanding but also in the published data describing Atlantic Forest mammals (Brito et al 2009, Galetti et al 2009, Albuquerque et al 2011. With greater attention required for the development and dissemination of studies focusing on obtaining solutions to the management problems facing wild mammal species (Brito et al 2009).…”

The geography of high-value biodiversity areas for terrestrial vertebrates in Western Europe and their coverage by protected area networks

“…Many mammal species are facing population declines and are, or will be soon, under the risk of extinction (Cardillo et al, 2004;Rondinini et al, 2011;Visconti et al, 2011). Moreover, one fourth of mammal species are globally threatened or extinct , and the representation of mammals in protected areas is far from being complete, as reported by Rodrigues et al (2004) for the Globe, Catullo et al (2008) for Southeast Asia, and Albuquerque et al (2011) for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve. Thus, extra efforts are required to ensure mammal species conservation, especially for those not included in protected areas.…”

Dispersal ability reduces thermal specialization and prevents climate-driven extinctions in a Neotropical rainforest

“…While the RTN-based model indicates the northeastern coast and the Paraná River Plateau as regions with the highest extinction risks (Fig.6D), the FTN-based model indicates the southern and northern Espinhaço Range as those most likely to be harmed by high extinctions rates (Fig.6 E). The Paraná River Plateau, in particular, is one of the most disturbed and least conserved areas in the Atlantic Rainforest, despite its importance in connecting moist and semi-deciduous forests between the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado biomes(Albuquerque et al 2011; Souza et al 2020). The climate change impact foreshadowed by the RTNbased model, added to the historical and recurrent anthropic pressures in this region, flag worrisome outcomes for the Atlantic Rainforest biodiversity.…”