Local vs landscape drivers of primate occupancy in a Brazilian fragmented region

Abstract

Understanding the drivers of species distributions in human-dominated landscapes is crucial for proposing sound conservation strategies. Primates are the most studied terrestrial vertebrate taxa, yet still their response to forest loss and fragmentation widely varies among species.In this paper, we assessed the relative influence of local vs landscape features on occupancy of two primate species -the black-fronted titi monkey and the black-pencilled marmoset, in a Brazilian fragmented region. We created detection histories by performing repeated auditory surveys on 25 native vegetation patches. Then we fitted occupancy models using habitat and GIS-based data as site covariates, and weather conditions as detection covariates. We found that forest-like canopy elements are important for the titi monkey, which is a forest-dependent species. Marmoset occupancy was also related to local elements, but in a lesser extent. In addition, we found that ignoring detectability in playback call surveys created a 20% difference in occupancy estimates for the marmoset. We conclude that drivers of primate occupancy at the studied landscape rely mainly on local key habitat elements, so that on-ground conservation actions should not focus on habitat amount alone. Furthermore we reiterate that primate researchers should explicitly account for imperfect detection to avoid substantial detectability bias.

Fragment shape and size, landscape permeability and fragmentation level as predictors of primate occupancy in a region of Brazilian Cerrado

“…In contrast with the other two species, no significant influence of any predictor was found on patch occupancy by C. penicillata. In patches of native vegetation of the Brazilian Atlantic forest and Cerrado, Sales et al (2016) also observed a high occupancy level for marmosets, which did not exhibit a clear relationship with any predictors at either a local or landscape scale. This might be accounted for by the considerable ecological flexibility of the marmosets of this genus (Abreu, De la Fuente, Schiel, & Souto, 2016;Amora, Mendes, & Ferrari, 2013), which allows them to colonize successfully both open and disturbed forests.…”

Dramatic decline in a titi monkey population after the 2016–2018 sylvatic yellow fever outbreak in Brazil

“…Black‐fronted titi monkey populations have experienced declines over the last decades (more than 20% in the past 24 years, Jerusalinksy et al, 2020), mainly due to the degradation of the Atlantic Forest (Ribeiro et al, 2009). Titi monkeys can live in primary and secondary forests (Trevelin et al, 2007) with high and closed canopy (Sales et al, 2016), which enables them to occur in small forest patches embedded in agricultural landscapes (Ribeiro et al, 2009). The inevitable proximity to humans and domestic animals in these landscapes increases the chances of pathogens transmission.…”

Mamíferos De Médio E Grande Porte No Campus Da Universidade Federal De Lavras, Sul Do Estado De Minas Gerais, Brasil

“…Quatro espécies com registros para o município de Lavras não foram observadas para o campus da UFLA, Callicebus nigrifrons (Primates, Pitheciidae), Puma concolor (Carnivora, Felidae), Euphractus sexcinctus (Cingulata, Dasypodidae) e Conepatus semistriatus (Carnivora, Mephitidae). Populações da espécie C. nigrifrons estão presentes em remanescentes florestais circundantes ao campus, assim como em grande parte dos remanescentes florestais do município (Sales et al 2016). Desse modo, sua ausência na área de estudo ainda não é compreendida.…”