IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Penteado, M.J.F. | |
| As on‡as e as abundƒncias de predadores intermedi rios em fragmentos de mata atlƒntica do estado de SÆo Paulo | |
| 2006 Full Book | |
Top predators may be particularly vulnerable to local extinction in fragmented landscapes, where their disappearance can lead to higher densities of small mammalian predators, or mesopredators, and the impoverishment of lower trophic levels. This is the basis of the hypothesis of "mesopredator release". Northern Hemisphere studies support this hypothesis. Up to now, there have been no studies evaluating if in the Neotropics jaguars (_Panthera onca_) or cougars (_Puma concolor_) influence mesopredator abundances. We estimated mammal abundances using track-detection stations baited with a scent lure along trails at nine sites in southeast SÆo Paulo State, Brazil: Serra do Japi (n=40), Grota Funda (n=14), Reserva Ecol¢gica do Vuna (n=30), Parques Estaduais da Cantareira (n=30) e do Jaragu (n=20), Mata do Topo (n=7), Mata do Bico (n=5), Mata do Pasto (n=7), and Mata do Riacho (n=5). Mammal abundance was expressed as the logarithm of visitation rate per station per night in each sampling session. We conducted sample sessions in each of the four seasons of the year (n = 2208 station-nights). We recorded thirteen carnivore species. Jaguar (_Panthera onca_) was recorded only in Serra do Japi. Both ocelot (_Leopardus pardalis_) and jaguarundi (_Herpailurus yaguarundi_) relative abundances were positively correlated with puma (_Puma concolor_) relative abundances (Pearson r > 0.95; p < 0.003). Crab eating fox (_Cerdocyon thous_) relative abundance were positively correlated with puma abundances (Pearson r = 0,98, p<0,05). In the absence of puma in the Parque Estadual do Jaragu , ocelot relative abundance was also negatively correlated to that of little spotted cat (_Leopardus tigrinus_ - Pearson r = -0.98, p<0.05). A mixture of positive and negative mesopredator correlations was also observed for the reintroduced gray wolf (_Canis lupus_) in Yellowstone, USA, and for the Iberian lynx (_Lynx pardinus_) in Spain. |
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