Análise da ocorrência, distribuição, riqueza e endemicidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no Mata Atlântica brasileira, com ênfase no Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco e nas abordagens não invasivas

Abstract

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF) is globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, harboring high species richness and endemicity while suffering from intense anthropogenic threat. Three Pleistocene climate refuge centers are recognized in this biome: São Paulo, Bahia and Pernambuco. However, rapid contemporary climate change associated with other anthropogenic activities reduces species distribution area, impacting species richness, and may result in the extinctions of many species. To understand the responses of medium and large mammals of the BAF to climate change, we built species distribution models and compared species richness and endemicity for the past (21 000 years ago), present and future (2081-2100). We also examined the potential change in distribution between the present and the future in each of the BAF refugia. To understand the evolutionary history of the communities, we calculated the phylogenetic diversity of each refuge. We observed patterns of contemporary richness and areas of endemism congruent with the areas of the Pleistocene refugia. Phylogenetic diversity revealed different evolutionary histories in each refuge and the presence of phylogenetically distant species in the area of lowest richness (Pernambuco refuge), indicating that ecological diversity may be preserved. Our results highlight the widespread and negative impacts of climate change on mammal distribution. The species distribution modeling approach requires accurate and reliable species identification and occurrence data. Many mammal species, especially carnivores, occur at low densities, which makes them difficult to detect and study. Through a systematic literature review we explored how fecal DNA, a noninvasive sampling approach, has been used to study carnivore species considered rare. We investigated the applications and techniques that have been employed, the sampling effort required and the efficacy of fecal DNA in detecting rare carnivores. We compiled data from 250 papers and found that fecal DNA is a valuable source of genetic material for determining species, individual identity, and sex, among other applications. Fecal DNA was found to be more and equally efficient in determining the number of individuals and species present, respectively, compared to alternative methods. Among the three BAF refugia, the Pernambuco Endemism Center (PEC) or Pernambuco refuge deserves to be highlighted for its smaller area, scarce studies, and intense anthropogenic threat, resulting in habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. Therefore, it is essential to determine the efficiency of sampling methods to produce rapid and reliable assessments. We compared five noninvasive survey methods to assess the medium-sized mammal community in a forest fragment immersed in a sugarcane matrix. We identified thirteen species and discussed the results in relation to the group of species detected, the proportional detection success and the latency to first detection of each method. We expanded the molecular identification of feces to six important areas of the PEC in the state of Alagoas searching for native Canidae and Felidae species. We identified two species: Leopardus tigrinus and Cedocyon thous. The results show the usefulness of fecal DNA sampling for detecting rare species, such as L. tigrinus, but also reinforce the process of defaunation in the region. The findings in each of these chapters are relevant to the conservation of mammals in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, shedding light on strategies and actions that can be taken to preserve the biological diversity of this ecosystem.