Estimating puma densities from câmera trapping across three study sites: Bolivia, Argentina, and Belize

KELLY, M.J.; NOSS, A.J.; DI BITETTI, M.S.; MAFEI, L.; ARISPE, R.L.; PAVIOLO, A.; DE ANGELO, C.D.; DI BLANCO, Y.E. 2008. Estimating puma densities from câmera trapping across three study sites: Bolivia, Argentina, and Belize. Journal of Mammalogy 89(2):408-418.

Abstract. Estimates of abundance are extremely valuable for species conservation, yet determining abundance for elusive, wide-ranging, carnivores is difficult. We estimated density of pumas using remote cameras across study sites in Bolivia, Argentina, and Belize. We used obvious and subtle markings to identify individual pumas in photographs and conducted double-blind identifications to examine the degree of agreement among investigators. Average agreement on identification between pairs of investigators was nearly 80.0% and 3-way agreement was 72.9%. Identification of pumas as different individuals was uncommon (7.8% pairwise, 0.69% 3-way disagreement) with the remainder described as unidentifiable. Densities of pumas varied consistently from site to site regardless of investigator. Bolivian pumas moved the shortest distances between camera stations and Argentinean pumas the longest, but distances among cameras and area covered by surveys varied among sites. We applied a correction factor to the Bolivian data to account for the small area surveyed and found that, averaged across investigator, Bolivia had significantly more pumas per 100 km² (mean 6 SD; 6.80 6 1.5) than Belize (3.42 6 1.3) or Argentina (0.67 6 0.2). Numbers of pumas in Argentina match those of low-density North American sites, and those for Belize are consistent with the Pantanal and high-density North American sites. Densities of pumas can be reliably estimated with remote cameras for these sites, and our work presents the 1st density estimates for Central America and for forested environments in South America.

Microhabitats in a forest-floor small mammal fauna

DUESER, R.D.; SHUGART JR., H.H. 1978. Microhabitats in a forest-floor small mammal fauna. Ecology 59(1):89-98.

Abstract. This study examines microhabitat  configurations for 3 small mammal species occupying second-growth mesic forest on Walker Branch Watershed in eastern Tennessee. Small mammal populations were sampled in oak-hickory, chestnut oak and pine forest types, with three 0.36-ha live-trapping grids per forest type. There were 255 total captures for 4 forest-floor species during 9,696 trap-nights between 1 May and 16 August 1973. These captures included 2% Blarina brevicauda, 66% Peromyscus  leucopus,  5% Ochrotomys  nuttalli  and 27% Tamias striatus.  Blarina was  captured most frequently in the pine forest type, Peromyscus and Tamias most frequently in the oak-hickory, and Ochrotomys exclusively in the pine. Twenty-nine variables describing proximate habitat structure were measured at each small mammal capture site. There were significant overall species differences on  18 of these  variables. A subset of variables was identified for each of the 3 most frequently observed species, consisting of only the variables of particular significance for distinguishing the capture sites of that species from those of the other species collectively. Discriminant analysis of these few variables both described the average microhabitat configuration for a species and indicated the relative importance of each variable for characterizing or describing that configuration, subject to the assumptions of the analysis. The observed differences between species in microhabitat  configuration are consistent with both the composition by  forest type of  each  species  sample and the  literature information for  each species. Microhabitat segregation among these species is discussed with reference to recent theories of habitat selection, ecological specialization and resource partitioning in equilibrium faunas.

A new study method of microhabitat structure of small mammals

CERQUEIRA, R.; FREITAS, S.R. 1999. A new study method of microhabitat structure of small mammals. Revista Brasileira de Biologia 59(2):219-223.

Abstract. The variables in habitat studies are usually transformed in such a way that they become abstractions and intuition is lost. We tested a new method for the analysis of habitat using data collected in a grid laid at the “restinga de Maricá”, in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Thirty-seven microhabitat variables were measured at each trap station. We assume that these variables characterize the microhabitat structure at the moment when measurements were taken. The data are transformed in 3 ways: (1) the averages of the measured variables were calculated, as usual in habitat studies; (2) the data are transformed in densities per area in square meters without reduction in the number of variables; and (3) we calculated the natural logarithms of the data thus transformed. The 3 sets were analised through discriminant analysis. The logarithms of densities were the most efficient kind of transformation. This transformation resulted in a significance of p = 0.0001 with 39.72% of variance in the 1st discriminant function and of p = 0.0426 with 31.45% of variance in the 2nd function, and 84.62% of groups correctly classified. We obtained better classification results than previous similar works and we kept the intuition through the data analysis.

Predicting presence and abundance of a small mammal species: the effect of scale and resolution

ORROCK, J.L.; PAGELS, J.F.; MCSHEA, W.J.; HARPER, E.K. 2000. Predicting presence and abundance of a small mammal species: the effect of scale and resolution. Ecological Applications 10(5):1356-1366.

Abstract. Management of small mammal communities in forest ecosystems requires a working knowledge of the scales at which species presence and abundance can best be predicted. Habitat-based models were developed to characterize the distribution of a boreal relict, the southern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi, in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA, at three hierarchical scales of analysis. Vole presence and abundance were most evident at the high-resolution (macrohabitat) scale, followed by the intermediateresolution scale. The low-resolution model was the least effective for predicting presence or abundance and reflects the need for more resolute landscape classification systems if small mammal populations are to be accounted for in an ecologically relevant manner. Tree and shrub communities indicative of suitable vole habitat included Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Tsuga canadensis in the canopy and Carpinus caroliniana in the understory. Vole abundance increased with incidence of tree species such as Betula alleghaniensis, Pinus rigida, and Prunus serotina in the canopy, and Acer spicatum and woody vines in the understory. Voles were associated with northwest-facing high-elevation sites with abundant rocky substrate, likely a reflection of physiological water and thermal requirements, biogeographic influences, and the importance of substrate complexity for decreasing inter- and intraspecific interactions and avoidance of predators.
Identification of the most effective resolution of landscape characterization improves habitat-based models of C. gapperi population dynamics in managed landscapes. Lowresolution habitat classifications may suffice for detecting suitable vole habitats within forest types, but prediction of vole abundance is most accurate at the greatest resolution, i.e., the macrohabitat scale. The utility of forest communities and habitats at various scales to predict vole presence and abundance suggests that C. gapperi may be a useful indicator species for identification and assessment of habitat important for rare small mammal species in the southern Appalachians.

Processo Seletivo Docente Unisinos 2013

O Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia da UNISINOS, nível mestrado e doutorado, nota 4 na Capes, seleciona professores-pesquisadores para o seu corpo docente permanente, com disponibilidade para 40 horas semanais de dedicação.

Requisitos dos candidatos:
· Título de Doutor, em Biologia ou áreas afins, nacionalmente reconhecido na forma da lei, para atuar na área de Biodiversidade, com experiência em Ecologia;
· Experiência na elaboração e no desenvolvimento de projetos de pesquisa, em temáticas das linhas de pesquisa do PPG;
· Produção científica nos últimos 5 anos: artigos publicados em periódicos conforme Qualis da CAPES, na área de Biodiversidade, com aderência às Linhas de Pesquisa do Programa;
· Desejável experiência docente no ensino superior e em orientações de mestrado e/ou doutorado.

Mais informações no Edital e no Anexo.