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Barelli C, Oberosler V, Cavada N, Mtui AS, Shinyambala S, Rovero F. Long‐term dynamics of wild primate populations across forests with contrasting protection in Tanzania. Biotropica 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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Greco I, Paddock CL, McCabe GM, Barelli C, Shinyambala S, Mtui AS, Rovero F. Calibrating occupancy to density estimations to assess abundance and vulnerability of a threatened primate in Tanzania. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
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Chaves ÓM, Júnior JCS, Buss G, Hirano ZMB, Jardim MMA, Amaral ELS, Godoy JC, Peruchi AR, Michel T, Bicca-Marques JC. Wildlife is imperiled in peri-urban landscapes: threats to arboreal mammals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:152883. [PMID: 35038525 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization and deforestation impose severe challenges to wildlife, particularly for forest-living vertebrates. Understanding how the peri-urban matrix impacts their survival is critical for designing strategies to promote their conservation. We investigated the threats faced by brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in peri-urban regions of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC) states, southern Brazil, by compiling negative interaction events (hereafter NIE) reported over more than two decades. We assessed the major NIEs, their distribution among age-sex classes, and the predictors of NIE-related mortality. After 20+ years of monitoring, we compiled 540 NIEs (RS = 248 and SC = 292). Electrocution by power lines was the most frequent cause of death or injury (37%), followed by dog attack (34%), vehicle collision (17%), and human mistreatment (12%). The occurrence of lethal injuries ranged from 5% to 69% depending on the type of NIE and on which state it occurred in. The overall post-NIE mortality was 56%. Adults of both sexes were the most affected individuals in both study regions. The minimal adequate GLM model explained 83% of the variation in NIE-related mortality. State, NIE type, and age-sex class were the main predictors of mortality. Overall, mortality was lower in SC and higher among adult females than in the other classes. We found that the survival of brown howler monkeys in the forest-urban interface is constrained by both the urban infrastructure and the growing interactions with humans and domestic and stray dogs (Canis familiaris). We propose the placement of aerial bridges, road signs and speed bumps in areas of frequent animal crossing, the sterilization of stray dogs, and the sensitization of local inhabitants on the importance of respecting and protecting wildlife to reduce their NIEs with humans and domestic animals in the forest-urban interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ó M Chaves
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, 2060 San José, Costa Rica; Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - J C Souza Júnior
- Centro de Pesquisas Biológicas de Indaial, Indaial, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau-FURB, Blumenau, Brazil
| | - G Buss
- Centro de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas Brasileiros (CPB), Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), João Pessoa, Brazil; Programa Macacos Urbanos (PMU), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
| | - Z M B Hirano
- Centro de Pesquisas Biológicas de Indaial, Indaial, Santa Catarina, Brazil; Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau-FURB, Blumenau, Brazil
| | - M M A Jardim
- Programa Macacos Urbanos (PMU), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil; Museu de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Secretaria do Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura (MCN/SEMA-RS), Brazil
| | - E L S Amaral
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - J C Godoy
- Programa Macacos Urbanos (PMU), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
| | - A R Peruchi
- Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau-FURB, Blumenau, Brazil
| | - T Michel
- Museu de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Secretaria do Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura (MCN/SEMA-RS), Brazil
| | - J C Bicca-Marques
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Chen-Kraus C, Raharinoro NA, Randrianirinarisoa MA, Anderson DJ, Lawler RR, Watts DP, Richard AF. Human-Lemur Coexistence in a Multiple-Use Landscape. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.779861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human impacts on the natural world are increasing and are generally considered a threat to wildlife conservation and the persistence of species. However, not all human activities are antithetical to conservation and not all taxa are impacted in the same ways. Understanding how wildlife respond to human activities at the population and individual level will help inform management of landscapes where humans and wildlife can coexist. We examined the effects of anthropogenic activities on a critically endangered primate, Verreaux’s sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), at a multiple-use reserve in southwest Madagascar. Specifically, we sought to determine which activities the sifakas perceived as disturbances, using the framework of the risk disturbance hypothesis (RDH). The RDH holds that animals will respond to perceived disturbances as they do to predation threats. We therefore predicted that sifakas would be more vigilant, spend more time in high forest strata, reduce their daily feeding time, and occur at lower densities in response to high levels of perceived disturbance. Using data on sifaka behavior and spatial distribution, and the frequencies of anthropogenic activities, we found that sifakas increased vigilance and their height above the ground in response to certain human-related activities, notably those of domestic dogs. Contrary to our predictions, however, we did not find a negative effect of anthropogenic activities on daily activity budgets or population density. The relationship between the occurrence of sifakas and the intensity of tree cutting was actually positive. Our results indicate that sifakas perceive certain anthropogenic activities as threats and respond with immediate behavioral shifts, but that these activities do not have a discernible negative impact on the reserve’s population at this time. These results suggest that lemur conservation can be successful even in areas that are subject to moderate human use.
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Barelli C, Donati C, Albanese D, Pafčo B, Modrý D, Rovero F, Hauffe HC. Interactions between parasitic helminths and gut microbiota in wild tropical primates from intact and fragmented habitats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21569. [PMID: 34732823 PMCID: PMC8566450 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01145-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian gastrointestinal tract harbours a highly complex ecosystem composed of a variety of micro- (bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoans) and macro-organisms (helminths). Although most microbiota research focuses on the variation of single gut components, the crosstalk between components is still poorly characterized, especially in hosts living under natural conditions. We investigated the gut micro-biodiversity (bacteria, fungi and helminths) of 158 individuals of two wild non-human primates, the Udzungwa red colobus (Procolobus gordonorum) and the yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus). These species have contrasting diets and lifestyles, but live sympatrically in both human-impacted and pristine forests in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Using non-invasive faecal pellets, helminths were identified using standard microscopy while bacteria and fungi were characterized by sequencing the V1–V3 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and the ITS1–ITS2 fragment for fungi. Our results show that both diversity and composition of bacteria and fungi are associated with variation in helminth presence. Although interactions differed by habitat type, in both primates we found that Strongyloides was negatively associated and Trichuris was positively associated with bacterial and fungal richness. To our knowledge, this is one of the few studies demonstrating an interaction between helminth and gut microbiota communities in wild non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barelli
- Conservation Genetic Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele All'Adige, Italy. .,Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | - Claudio Donati
- Computational Biology Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele All'Adige, Italy
| | - Davide Albanese
- Computational Biology Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele All'Adige, Italy
| | - Barbora Pafčo
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Heidi C Hauffe
- Conservation Genetic Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele All'Adige, Italy
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Altitudinal and Seasonal Variation in the Structure of Nocturnal Primate Assemblages on Mount Cameroon. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00179-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Using occupancy-based camera-trap surveys to assess the Critically Endangered primate Macaca nigra across its range in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. ORYX 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605319000851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPrimates are one of the most threatened groups of mammals. Understanding their patterns of population occurrence and abundance, especially in response to threats, is critical for informing conservation action. The crested black macaque Macaca nigra is the only Critically Endangered species of Sulawesi's seven endemic macaques. Little is known about its distribution or its response to deforestation and hunting. We conducted a camera-trap survey across the entire species range using an occupancy-based analytical approach to (1) establish the first range-wide baseline of occurrence, (2) investigate how environmental and anthropogenic factors influence occurrence, (3) identify priority conservation subpopulations, and (4) test the efficacy of the sampling and analytical protocol for temporal monitoring of M. nigra using occupancy as the state variable. From 9,753 camera-trap days, M. nigra was detected on 473 days at 77 of the 111 camera locations. Species occupancy was 0.66 and highest inside protected areas and closed canopy forest. We identified eight distinct subpopulations, based on distribution and forest fragment size. To inform future monitoring, we used a power analysis to determine if our effort would allow us to detect inter-annual occupancy declines of 10%, and found that 90 camera locations surveyed for 3 months (8,100 camera days) across three consecutive seasons is the effort required to detect such change with 80% certainty. Our study underscores the importance of well-managed protected areas and intact forests for the long-term survival of the crested black macaque, and tests the effectiveness of camera traps to monitor primates at the landscape scale.
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Loss of protozoan and metazoan intestinal symbiont biodiversity in wild primates living in unprotected forests. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10917. [PMID: 32616818 PMCID: PMC7331812 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67959-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of the current biodiversity crisis, investigating the human impact on non-human primate gut biology is important to understanding the ecological significance of gut community dynamics across changing habitats and its role in conservation. Using traditional coproscopic parasitological techniques, we compared the gastrointestinal protozoan and metazoan symbiont richness of two primates: the Udzungwa red colobus (Procolobus gordonorum) and the yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus). These species live sympatrically in both protected and unprotected forests within the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania with distinct ecological adaptations and diets. Our results showed that terrestrial and omnivorous yellow baboons had 2 (95% CI 1.47–2.73) and 3.78 (2.62–5.46) times higher gut symbiont richness (both including and excluding rare protozoans) compared to the arboreal and leaf-eating Udzungwa red colobus in unprotected and protected forest, respectively. We also found a consistent depletion of symbiont richness in red colobus living in the unprotected forest fragment compared to the continuous protected forests [the latter having 1.97 times (95% CI 1.33–2.92) higher richness], but not in yellow baboons. Richness reduction was particularly evident in the Udzungwa red colobus monkeys, confirming the pattern we reported previously for gut bacterial communities. This study demonstrates the impact of human activities even on the microbiodiversity of the intestinal tract of this species. Against the background of rapid global change and habitat degradation, and given the health benefits of intact gut communities, the decrease in natural gut symbionts reported here is worrying. Further study of these communities should form an essential part of the conservation framework.
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The Gut Microbiota Communities of Wild Arboreal and Ground-Feeding Tropical Primates Are Affected Differently by Habitat Disturbance. mSystems 2020; 5:5/3/e00061-20. [PMID: 32457237 PMCID: PMC7253362 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00061-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota diversity has become the subject of extensive research in human and nonhuman animals, linking diversity and composition to gut function and host health. Because wild primates are good indicators of tropical ecosystem health, we developed the idea that they are a suitable model to observe the consequences of advancing global change (e.g., habitat degradation) on gut microbiota. So far, most of the studies focus mainly on gut bacteria; however, they are not the only component of the gut: fungi also serve essential functions in gut homeostasis. Here, for the first time, we explore and measure diversity and composition of both bacterial and fungal microbiota components of two tropical primate species living in highly different habitat types (intact versus degraded forests). Results on their microbiota diversity and composition are discussed in light of conservation issues and potential applications. Human exploitation and destruction of tropical resources are currently threatening innumerable wild animal species, altering natural ecosystems and thus, food resources, with profound effects on gut microbiota. Given their conservation status and the importance to tropical ecosystems, wild nonhuman primates make excellent models to investigate the effect of human disturbance on the diversity of host-associated microbiota. Previous investigations have revealed a loss of fecal bacterial diversity in primates living in degraded compared to intact forests. However, these data are available for a limited number of species, and very limited information is available on the fungal taxa hosted by the gut. Here, we estimated the diversity and composition of gut bacterial and fungal communities in two primates living sympatrically in both human-modified and pristine forests in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Noninvasively collected fecal samples of 12 groups of the Udzungwa red colobus (Procolobus gordonorum) (n = 89), a native and endangered primate (arboreal and predominantly leaf-eating), and five groups of the yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) (n = 69), a common species of least concern (ground-feeding and omnivorous), were analyzed by the V1-V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene (bacterial) and ITS1-ITS2 (fungal) sequencing. Gut bacterial diversities were associated with habitat in both species, most likely depending on their ecological niches and associated digestive physiology, dietary strategies, and locomotor behavior. In addition, fungal communities also show distinctive traits across hosts and habitat type, highlighting the importance of investigating this relatively unexplored gut component. IMPORTANCE Gut microbiota diversity has become the subject of extensive research in human and nonhuman animals, linking diversity and composition to gut function and host health. Because wild primates are good indicators of tropical ecosystem health, we developed the idea that they are a suitable model to observe the consequences of advancing global change (e.g., habitat degradation) on gut microbiota. So far, most of the studies focus mainly on gut bacteria; however, they are not the only component of the gut: fungi also serve essential functions in gut homeostasis. Here, for the first time, we explore and measure diversity and composition of both bacterial and fungal microbiota components of two tropical primate species living in highly different habitat types (intact versus degraded forests). Results on their microbiota diversity and composition are discussed in light of conservation issues and potential applications.
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Oberosler V, Tenan S, Zipkin EF, Rovero F. When parks work: Effect of anthropogenic disturbance on occupancy of tropical forest mammals. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:3881-3894. [PMID: 32489618 PMCID: PMC7244893 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) in the tropics are vulnerable to human encroachment, and, despite formal protection, they do not fully mitigate anthropogenic threats to habitats and biodiversity. However, attempts to quantify the effectiveness of PAs and to understand the status and changes of wildlife populations in relation to protection efficiency remain limited. Here, we used camera-trapping data collected over 8 consecutive years (2009-2016) to investigate the yearly occurrences of medium-to-large mammals within the Udzungwa Mountains National Park (Tanzania), an area of outstanding importance for biological endemism and conservation. Specifically, we evaluated the effects of habitat and proxies of human disturbance, namely illegal hunting with snares and firewood collection (a practice that was banned in 2011 in the park), on species' occurrence probabilities. Our results showed variability in species' responses to disturbance: The only species that showed a negative effect of the number of snares found on occurrence probability was the Harvey's duiker, a relatively widespread forest antelope. Similarly, we found a moderate positive effect of the firewood collection ban on only the suni, another common antelope, and a negative effect on a large opportunistic rodent, the giant-pouched rat. Importantly, we found evidence of temporal stability in occurrence probability for all species over the 8-year study period. Our findings suggest that well-managed PAs can sustain mammal populations in tropical forests. However, variability among species in their responses to anthropogenic disturbance necessitates consideration in the design of conservation action plans for multiple taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Oberosler
- Tropical Biodiversity SectionMUSE – Museo delle ScienzeTrentoItaly
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Simone Tenan
- Vertebrate Zoology SectionMUSE – Museo delle ScienzeTrentoItaly
| | - Elise F. Zipkin
- Department of Integrative Biology and EcologyEvolutionary Biology and Behavior ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichigan
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Tropical Biodiversity SectionMUSE – Museo delle ScienzeTrentoItaly
- Department of BiologyUniversity of FlorenceSesto FiorentinoItaly
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Coelho IP, Collins SJ, Santos Júnior EM, Valença‐Montenegro MM, Jerusalinsky L, Alonso AC. Playback point counts and N‐mixture models suggest higher than expected abundance of the critically endangered blond titi monkey in northeastern Brazil. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23126. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Igor P. Coelho
- Departamento de Ecologia, Núcleo de Ecologia de Rodovias e FerroviasUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Sara J. Collins
- Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Research LaboratoryCarleton University Ottawa Canada
| | - Eduardo M. Santos Júnior
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas BrasileirosInstituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade João Pessoa Brazil
| | - Mônica M. Valença‐Montenegro
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas BrasileirosInstituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade João Pessoa Brazil
| | - Leandro Jerusalinsky
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas BrasileirosInstituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade João Pessoa Brazil
| | - André C. Alonso
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas BrasileirosInstituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade João Pessoa Brazil
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Paddock CL, Bruford MW, McCabe GM. Estimating the population size of the Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) using acoustic distance sampling. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23083. [PMID: 31912545 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, and is classified as Endangered due to its putatively declining population size, habitat degradation and fragmentation. Previous population size estimates have ranged from 1,350 to 3,500 individuals, with the last direct survey being conducted 15 years before the present study. Previous estimates are now thought to have underestimated the population due to a limited knowledge of group and habitat size, nonsystematic approaches and the use of visual methods that are not suitable for surveying the Sanje mangabey with its semi-terrestrial and elusive behaviors. We used an acoustic survey method with observers recording the distinctive "whoop-gobble" vocalization produced by mangabeys and point transect distance sampling to model a detection function and estimate abundance. Twenty-eight surveys were conducted throughout the two forests where Sanje mangabeys are found: Mwanihana forest in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park (n = 13), and the Uzungwa Scarp Nature Reserve (n = 15). Group density was found to be significantly lower in the relatively unprotected Uzungwa Scarp forest (0.15 groups/km2 ; 95% CI: 0.08-0.27) compared to the well-protected Mwanihana forest (0.29 groups/km2 ; 95% CI: 0.19-0.43; p = .03). We estimate that there are 1,712 (95% CI: 1,141-2,567) individuals in Mwanihana and 1,455 (95% CI: 783-2,702) in the Uzungwa Scarp, resulting in a total population size of 3,167 (95% CI: 2,181-4,596) individuals. The difference in group density between sites is likely a result of the differing protection status and levels of enforcement between the forests, suggesting that protection of the Uzungwa Scarp should be increased to encourage recovery of the population, and reduce the threat of degradation and hunting. Our results contribute to the reassessment of the species' IUCN Red List status and informing management and conservation action planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Lynette Paddock
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol, Avon, UK
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Oliver K, Ngoprasert D, Savini T. Assessment of survey protocol for estimates of abundance for elusive nocturnal primates. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextEstimates of a species abundance and habitat preferences provide vital information on their status and the appropriate conservation management. For nocturnal arboreal primates, obtaining reliable estimates of these parameters is particularly challenging because of their cryptic behaviour, often resulting in a small number of detections. Although techniques are available for assessing the abundance of species with a low probability of detection, most require strict assumptions that are difficult to meet.
AimsHere, we aimed to explore the possibility of improving nocturnal-primate abundance estimates when detection probability is low and to determine the minimal effort required to calculate reasonable estimates of their overall abundance and the effect of habitat type on abundance estimates.
MethodsWe used count data obtained from spotlighting along line transects for estimating density of Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) in north-eastern Thailand with N-mixture hierarchical modelling, to run simulations of varying survey parameters and asses the effort needed to produce robust estimates based on the relative bias from each simulation.
Key resultsN-mixture analysis showed that the data obtained from our study were still biased (9%), with a lambda of 1.79 lorises, detection probability of 0.11, 50 survey sites and a maximum of 12 sample occasions. The simulation results found that increasing the number of sample occasions to 14 per transect would produce an acceptable bias (<5%).
ConclusionsWe recommend that future studies on nocturnal arboreal species should use preliminary surveys to gauge the specific lambda and probability of detection so as to establish the effort needed to produce reasonable estimates of abundance.
ImplicationsOur study showed that count data obtained from spotlighting can be used to produce robust abundance estimates of nocturnal arboreal species. Unlike simple encounter rate, this method incorporates detection probability and habitat preferences, yet does not require additional trained field technicians.
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Barelli C, Gonzalez-Astudillo V, Mundry R, Rovero F, Hauffe HC, Gillespie TR. Altitude and human disturbance are associated with helminth diversity in an endangered primate, Procolobus gordonorum. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225142. [PMID: 31800582 PMCID: PMC6892551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal parasites colonizing the mammalian gut influence the host immune system and health. Parasite infections, mainly helminths, have been studied intensively in both humans and non-human animals, but relatively rarely within a conservation framework. The Udzungwa red colobus monkey (Procolobus gordonorum) is an endangered endemic primate species living in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, a global biodiversity hotspot. Since this endemic primate species is highly sensitive to human disturbance, here we investigate whether habitat type (driven by natural and human-induced factors) is associated with helminth diversity. Using standard flotation and sedimentation techniques, we analyzed 251 fecal samples belonging to 25 social groups from four different forest blocks within the Udzungwa Mountains. Five parasitic helminth taxa were recovered from Udzungwa red colobus, including Trichuris sp., Strongyloides fulleborni, S. stercoralis, a strongylid nematode and Colobenterobius sp. We used Generalized Linear Mixed Models to explore the contribution of habitat type, altitude and fecal glucocorticoid levels (as biomarkers of stress) in predicting gut parasite variation. Although some parasites (e.g., Trichuris sp.) infected more than 50% of individuals, compared to others (e.g., Colobenterobius sp.) that infected less than 3%, both parasite richness and prevalence did not differ significantly across forests, even when controlling for seasonality. Stress hormone levels also did not predict variation in parasite richness, while altitude could explain it resulting in lower richness at lower altitudes. Because human activities causing disturbance are concentrated mainly at lower altitudes, we suggest that protection of primate forest habitat preserves natural diversity at both macro- and microscales, and that the importance of the latter should not be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barelli
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy
- MUSE–Science Museum, Tropical Biodiversity Section, Trento, Italy
| | - Viviana Gonzalez-Astudillo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Program in Population Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Pathology Resident, California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Francesco Rovero
- MUSE–Science Museum, Tropical Biodiversity Section, Trento, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Heidi C. Hauffe
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy
| | - Thomas R. Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Program in Population Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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Oberosler V, Tenan S, Zipkin EF, Rovero F. Poor management in protected areas is associated with lowered tropical mammal diversity. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- V. Oberosler
- Tropical Biodiversity Section MUSE ‐ Museo delle Scienze Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 338122Trento Italy
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Pavia via Ferrata 127100Pavia Italy
| | - S. Tenan
- Vertebrate Zoology Section MUSE ‐ Museo delle Scienze Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 338122Trento Italy
| | - E. F. Zipkin
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program Michigan State University 288 Farm Lane East Lansing48824MI USA
| | - F. Rovero
- Tropical Biodiversity Section MUSE ‐ Museo delle Scienze Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 338122Trento Italy
- Department of Biology University of Florence Via Madonna del Piano 650019Sesto Fiorentino Italy
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16
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Estrada A, Garber PA, Mittermeier RA, Wich S, Gouveia S, Dobrovolski R, Nekaris K, Nijman V, Rylands AB, Maisels F, Williamson EA, Bicca-Marques J, Fuentes A, Jerusalinsky L, Johnson S, Rodrigues de Melo F, Oliveira L, Schwitzer C, Roos C, Cheyne SM, Martins Kierulff MC, Raharivololona B, Talebi M, Ratsimbazafy J, Supriatna J, Boonratana R, Wedana M, Setiawan A. Primates in peril: the significance of Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for global primate conservation. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4869. [PMID: 29922508 PMCID: PMC6005167 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Primates occur in 90 countries, but four-Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-harbor 65% of the world's primate species (439) and 60% of these primates are Threatened, Endangered, or Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017-3). Considering their importance for global primate conservation, we examine the anthropogenic pressures each country is facing that place their primate populations at risk. Habitat loss and fragmentation are main threats to primates in Brazil, Madagascar, and Indonesia. However, in DRC hunting for the commercial bushmeat trade is the primary threat. Encroachment on primate habitats driven by local and global market demands for food and non-food commodities hunting, illegal trade, the proliferation of invasive species, and human and domestic-animal borne infectious diseases cause habitat loss, population declines, and extirpation. Modeling agricultural expansion in the 21st century for the four countries under a worst-case-scenario, showed a primate range contraction of 78% for Brazil, 72% for Indonesia, 62% for Madagascar, and 32% for DRC. These pressures unfold in the context of expanding human populations with low levels of development. Weak governance across these four countries may limit effective primate conservation planning. We examine landscape and local approaches to effective primate conservation policies and assess the distribution of protected areas and primates in each country. Primates in Brazil and Madagascar have 38% of their range inside protected areas, 17% in Indonesia and 14% in DRC, suggesting that the great majority of primate populations remain vulnerable. We list the key challenges faced by the four countries to avert primate extinctions now and in the future. In the short term, effective law enforcement to stop illegal hunting and illegal forest destruction is absolutely key. Long-term success can only be achieved by focusing local and global public awareness, and actively engaging with international organizations, multinational businesses and consumer nations to reduce unsustainable demands on the environment. Finally, the four primate range countries need to ensure that integrated, sustainable land-use planning for economic development includes the maintenance of biodiversity and intact, functional natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Estrada
- Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - Serge Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology and Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Liverpool John Moores University and University of Amsterdam, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sidney Gouveia
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | | | - K.A.I. Nekaris
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Vincent Nijman
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Fiona Maisels
- Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, NY, USA
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
| | | | | | - Agustin Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Leandro Jerusalinsky
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Steig Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Fabiano Rodrigues de Melo
- Universidade Federal de Goiás and Dept. Eng. Florestal, Campus UFV, UFV, Viçosa, Brazil, Jataí Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (DCIEN/FFP/UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Christian Roos
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susan M. Cheyne
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
- Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Maria Cecilia Martins Kierulff
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Instituto Pri-Matas and Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Brigitte Raharivololona
- Mention Anthropobiologie et Développement Durable, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Mauricio Talebi
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jonah Ratsimbazafy
- Groupe d’étude et de recherche sur les primates (Gerp), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jatna Supriatna
- Graduate Program in Conservation Biology, Department of Biology FMIPA, University of Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Ramesh Boonratana
- Mahidol University International College, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Made Wedana
- The Aspinall Foundation–Indonesia Program, Bandung West Java, Indonesia
| | - Arif Setiawan
- SwaraOwa, Coffee and Primate Conservation Project, Java, Central Java, Indonesia
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17
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Corrêa FM, Chaves ÓM, Printes RC, Romanowski HP. Surviving in the urban-rural interface: Feeding and ranging behavior of brown howlers (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in an urban fragment in southern Brazil. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22865. [PMID: 29722034 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Wild primates that live in urban areas face extreme threats that are less frequent in nonurban fragments, such as the presence of dangerous matrix elements (e.g., roads, power lines, buildings, and a high density of domestic dogs near food patches), that could influence their movements, feeding behavior, and survival. However, the scarcity of studies addressing this issue hinders our understanding of the behavioral adjustments that favor the survival of primates in urban areas. For 12 months, we studied a six-individual group of brown howlers (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in an urban fragment to determine (i) their diet richness and its relationships with food availability, (ii) their daily path length (DPL) and the matrix elements used during movement, and (iii) the main ecological drivers of the DPL. Sampling effort totaled 72 days, 787 hr, and 3,224 instantaneous scans. We found that the diet of brown howlers contained 35 plant species (including seven cultivated crops) belonging to 33 genera and 21 families. The consumption of fruits and young leaves was directly related to their temporal availability. The average DPL (446 m) was smaller than that reported for groups of howlers inhabiting large nonurban fragments. To move between food patches, animals used three main matrix elements: trees, power lines, and roofs. The number of plant species used during the day was the main driver of DPL. Our findings highlighted that the generalist-opportunistic diet of brown howlers and their ability to move across the anthropogenic matrix using artificial elements such as power lines, roofs, and wildlife crossings represent a remarkable part of their behavioral repertory in Lami. However, there are potential costs associated with these strategies, namely, electrocution and predation by domestic dogs. Thus, it is urgent to further investigate how these behaviors could affect the long-term survival of these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana M Corrêa
- Instituto de Biociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Óscar M Chaves
- Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Organização Fauna Brasilis (OFB), Lami, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo C Printes
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), Pará, Brazil
| | - Helena P Romanowski
- Instituto de Biociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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18
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Malumbres-Olarte J, Crespo L, Cardoso P, Szűts T, Fannes W, Pape T, Scharff N. The same but different: equally megadiverse but taxonomically variant spider communities along an elevational gradient. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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19
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Goodwin CED, Hodgson DJ, Al-Fulaij N, Bailey S, Langton S, Mcdonald RA. Voluntary recording scheme reveals ongoing decline in the United Kingdom hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius
population. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecily E. D. Goodwin
- Environment and Sustainability Institute; University of Exeter; Penryn Campus; Penryn TR10 9FE Cornwall UK
| | - David J. Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn Campus; Penryn TR10 9FE Cornwall UK
| | - Nida Al-Fulaij
- People's Trust for Endangered Species; 3 Cloisters House 8 Battersea Park Road London SW8 4BG UK
| | - Sallie Bailey
- Forest Enterprise Scotland; Dumfries & Borders Forest District; Ae Village, Parkgate Dumfries DG1 1QB UK
| | - Steve Langton
- Hallgarth; Leavening Malton YO17 9SA North Yorkshire UK
| | - Robbie A. Mcdonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute; University of Exeter; Penryn Campus; Penryn TR10 9FE Cornwall UK
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20
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Estrada A, Garber PA, Rylands AB, Roos C, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Heymann EW, Lambert JE, Rovero F, Barelli C, Setchell JM, Gillespie TR, Mittermeier RA, Arregoitia LV, de Guinea M, Gouveia S, Dobrovolski R, Shanee S, Shanee N, Boyle SA, Fuentes A, MacKinnon KC, Amato KR, Meyer ALS, Wich S, Sussman RW, Pan R, Kone I, Li B. Impending extinction crisis of the world's primates: Why primates matter. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1600946. [PMID: 28116351 PMCID: PMC5242557 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 595] [Impact Index Per Article: 85.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Nonhuman primates, our closest biological relatives, play important roles in the livelihoods, cultures, and religions of many societies and offer unique insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and the threat of emerging diseases. They are an essential component of tropical biodiversity, contributing to forest regeneration and ecosystem health. Current information shows the existence of 504 species in 79 genera distributed in the Neotropics, mainland Africa, Madagascar, and Asia. Alarmingly, ~60% of primate species are now threatened with extinction and ~75% have declining populations. This situation is the result of escalating anthropogenic pressures on primates and their habitats-mainly global and local market demands, leading to extensive habitat loss through the expansion of industrial agriculture, large-scale cattle ranching, logging, oil and gas drilling, mining, dam building, and the construction of new road networks in primate range regions. Other important drivers are increased bushmeat hunting and the illegal trade of primates as pets and primate body parts, along with emerging threats, such as climate change and anthroponotic diseases. Often, these pressures act in synergy, exacerbating primate population declines. Given that primate range regions overlap extensively with a large, and rapidly growing, human population characterized by high levels of poverty, global attention is needed immediately to reverse the looming risk of primate extinctions and to attend to local human needs in sustainable ways. Raising global scientific and public awareness of the plight of the world's primates and the costs of their loss to ecosystem health and human society is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Estrada
- Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anthony B. Rylands
- Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78705, USA
| | | | - Vincent Nijman
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, U.K
| | - Eckhard W. Heymann
- Abteilung Verhaltensökologie und Soziobiologie, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Kellnerweg 4, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joanna E. Lambert
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1350 Pleasant Street UCB 233, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, MUSE—Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
| | - Claudia Barelli
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, MUSE—Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
| | - Joanna M. Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, and Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K
| | - Thomas R. Gillespie
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 400 Dowman Drive, Math and Science Center, Suite E510, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | | | - Miguel de Guinea
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, U.K
| | - Sidney Gouveia
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Dobrovolski
- Department of Zoology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil
| | - Sam Shanee
- Neotropical Primate Conservation, 23 Portland Road, Manchester M32 0PH, U.K
- Asociación Neotropical Primate Conservation Perú, 1187 Avenida Belaunde, La Esperanza, Yambrasbamba, Bongará, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Noga Shanee
- Neotropical Primate Conservation, 23 Portland Road, Manchester M32 0PH, U.K
- Asociación Neotropical Primate Conservation Perú, 1187 Avenida Belaunde, La Esperanza, Yambrasbamba, Bongará, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Sarah A. Boyle
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Agustin Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Katherine C. MacKinnon
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Katherine R. Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1810 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Andreas L. S. Meyer
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, C.P. 19020, Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Serge Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, U.K
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Robert W. Sussman
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Ruliang Pan
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia (M309), 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Inza Kone
- Centre Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques, Université de Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Baoguo Li
- Xi’an Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, No. 229, Taibai North Road, Xi’an 710069, China
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Rovero F, Ahumada J. The Tropical Ecology, Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network: An early warning system for tropical rain forests. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 574:914-923. [PMID: 27665451 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
While there are well established early warning systems for a number of natural phenomena (e.g. earthquakes, catastrophic fires, tsunamis), we do not have an early warning system for biodiversity. Yet, we are losing species at an unprecedented rate, and this especially occurs in tropical rainforests, the biologically richest but most eroded biome on earth. Unfortunately, there is a chronic gap in standardized and pan-tropical data in tropical forests, affecting our capacity to monitor changes and anticipate future scenarios. The Tropical Ecology, Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network was established to contribute addressing this issue, as it generates real time data to monitor long-term trends in tropical biodiversity and guide conservation practice. We present the Network and focus primarily on the Terrestrial Vertebrates protocol, that uses systematic camera trapping to detect forest mammals and birds, and secondarily on the Zone of Interaction protocol, that measures changes in the anthroposphere around the core monitoring area. With over 3 million images so far recorded, and managed using advanced information technology, TEAM has created the most important data set on tropical forest mammals globally. We provide examples of site-specific and global analyses that, combined with data on anthropogenic disturbance collected in the larger ecosystem where monitoring sites are, allowed us to understand the drivers of changes of target species and communities in space and time. We discuss the potential of this system as a candidate model towards setting up an early warning system that can effectively anticipate changes in coupled human-natural system, trigger management actions, and hence decrease the gap between research and management responses. In turn, TEAM produces robust biodiversity indicators that meet the requirements set by global policies such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Standardization in data collection and public sharing of data in near real time are essential features of such system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Rovero
- Sezione di Biodiversità Tropicale, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy.
| | - Jorge Ahumada
- Moore Center for Science, Conservation International, Washington DC, USA
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22
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Tenan S, Iemma A, Bragalanti N, Pedrini P, De Barba M, Randi E, Groff C, Genovart M. Evaluating mortality rates with a novel integrated framework for nonmonogamous species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:1307-1319. [PMID: 27112366 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The conservation of wildlife requires management based on quantitative evidence, and especially for large carnivores, unraveling cause-specific mortalities and understanding their impact on population dynamics is crucial. Acquiring this knowledge is challenging because it is difficult to obtain robust long-term data sets on endangered populations and, usually, data are collected through diverse sampling strategies. Integrated population models (IPMs) offer a way to integrate data generated through different processes. However, IPMs are female-based models that cannot account for mate availability, and this feature limits their applicability to monogamous species only. We extended classical IPMs to a two-sex framework that allows investigation of population dynamics and quantification of cause-specific mortality rates in nonmonogamous species. We illustrated our approach by simultaneously modeling different types of data from a reintroduced, unhunted brown bear (Ursus arctos) population living in an area with a dense human population. In a population mainly driven by adult survival, we estimated that on average 11% of cubs and 61% of adults died from human-related causes. Although the population is currently not at risk, adult survival and thus population dynamics are driven by anthropogenic mortality. Given the recent increase of human-bear conflicts in the area, removal of individuals for management purposes and through poaching may increase, reversing the positive population growth rate. Our approach can be generalized to other species affected by cause-specific mortality and will be useful to inform conservation decisions for other nonmonogamous species, such as most large carnivores, for which data are scarce and diverse and thus data integration is highly desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Tenan
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy.
| | - Aaron Iemma
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy
| | - Natalia Bragalanti
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy
- Servizio Foreste e Fauna, Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Via Trener 3, 38100, Trento, Italy
| | - Paolo Pedrini
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy
| | - Marta De Barba
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), F-38000, Grenoble, France
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Ettore Randi
- Laboratorio di Genetica, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy
- Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, Sohngårdsholmsvej 57, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Claudio Groff
- Servizio Foreste e Fauna, Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Via Trener 3, 38100, Trento, Italy
| | - Meritxell Genovart
- Vertebrate Zoology Section, MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy
- Population Ecology Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles (Mallorca), Spain
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Caro T, Davenport TRB. Wildlife and wildlife management in Tanzania. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:716-723. [PMID: 26681228 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Tanzania, arguably mainland Africa's most important nation for conservation, is losing habitat and natural resources rapidly. Moving away from a charcoal energy base and developing sustainable finance mechanisms for natural forests are critical to slowing persistent deforestation. Addressing governance and capacity deficits, including law enforcement, technical skills, and funding, across parts of the wildlife sector are key to effective wildlife protection. These changes could occur in tandem with bringing new models of natural resource management into play that include capacity building, corporate payment for ecosystem services, empowering nongovernmental organizations in law enforcement, greater private-sector involvement, and novel community conservation strategies. The future of Tanzania's wildlife looks uncertain-as epitomized by the current elephant crisis-unless the country confronts issues of governance, embraces innovation, and fosters greater collaboration with the international community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A..
| | - Tim R B Davenport
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Tanzania Program, P.O. Box 922, Zanzibar, East Africa
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Martin EH, Ndibalema VG, Rovero F. Does variation between dry and wet seasons affect tropical forest mammals' occupancy and detectability by camera traps? Case study from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel H. Martin
- Department of Wildlife Management; Sokoine University of Agriculture; P.O. Box 3073 Morogoro Tanzania
- College of African Wildlife Management - Mweka; P.O. Box 3031 Moshi Tanzania
- Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre; C/O Udzungwa Mountains National Park; P.O. Box 99 Mang'ula Tanzania
| | - Vedasto G. Ndibalema
- Department of Wildlife Management; Sokoine University of Agriculture; P.O. Box 3073 Morogoro Tanzania
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre; C/O Udzungwa Mountains National Park; P.O. Box 99 Mang'ula Tanzania
- Tropical Biodiversity Section; MUSE - Museo delle Scienze; Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3 Trento 38122 Italy
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25
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Placing Madagascar's marine turtle populations in a regional context using community-based monitoring. ORYX 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605315001398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMadagascar is an important foraging ground for marine turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, yet the status of the country's nesting aggregations remains poorly documented. We assess the current status and trend in nesting throughout Madagascar, including data recorded by a community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles (western Madagascar). We contextualize the findings in comparison with data from Madagascar's closest neighbouring states. Reports indicate that nesting levels have declined at many coastal sites, with no known recordings since 2000 at > 40 nesting sites. We estimate there are a minimum of 1,200 nests per year in Madagascar, with the largest recorded nesting aggregation (< 1,000 nests per year) found on islands off the west and northern coasts. The majority of nesting aggregations, including those recorded by the community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles, are relatively small, in the order of < 50 nests per year, yet they are potentially important sources of regional genetic diversity. Nesting on many of the islands (e.g. Tromelin, Europa) around Madagascar has increased over the last 20 years, despite the fact that thousands of turtles probably originating from these sites are taken by fishers in the waters of Madagascar annually. We discuss the importance of protecting small nesting populations, and how community-based monitoring could be an important tool for conserving remote and vulnerable populations and building capacity for natural resource management.
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Primates in Human-Modified and Fragmented Landscapes: The Conservation Relevance of Modelling Habitat and Disturbance Factors in Density Estimation. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148289. [PMID: 26844891 PMCID: PMC4742242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate density estimations of threatened animal populations is essential for management and conservation. This is particularly critical for species living in patchy and altered landscapes, as is the case for most tropical forest primates. In this study, we used a hierarchical modelling approach that incorporates the effect of environmental covariates on both the detection (i.e. observation) and the state (i.e. abundance) processes of distance sampling. We applied this method to already published data on three arboreal primates of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, including the endangered and endemic Udzungwa red colobus (Procolobus gordonorum). The area is a primate hotspot at continental level. Compared to previous, ‘canonical’ density estimates, we found that the inclusion of covariates in the modelling makes the inference process more informative, as it takes in full account the contrasting habitat and protection levels among forest blocks. The correction of density estimates for imperfect detection was especially critical where animal detectability was low. Relative to our approach, density was underestimated by the canonical distance sampling, particularly in the less protected forest. Group size had an effect on detectability, determining how the observation process varies depending on the socio-ecology of the target species. Lastly, as the inference on density is spatially-explicit to the scale of the covariates used in the modelling, we could confirm that primate densities are highest in low-to-mid elevations, where human disturbance tend to be greater, indicating a considerable resilience by target monkeys in disturbed habitats. However, the marked trend of lower densities in unprotected forests urgently calls for effective forest protection.
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