Effects of forest fragmentation on two sister genera of Amazonian rodents (Myoprocta acouchy and Dasyprocta leporina)

• Published in: Biological conservation 2008-03, Vol.141 (3), p.617-623
• Main Author: Jorge, Maria Luisa S.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Body size; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Dasyprocta; Dasyprocta leporina; Dasyproctidae; extinction; Extinction risk; forest ecosystems; forest trees; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General forest ecology; Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology; habitat fragmentation; Mammals; Myoprocta acouchy; Neotropics; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; population density; rain forests; rodents; Scatter-hoarding; seed dispersal; surveys; wildlife habitats; wildlife management
• ISSN: 0006-3207; 1873-2917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2007.11.013

Because agoutis (Dasyprocta sp.) and acouchies (Myoprocta sp.) are the most important dispersers of several large-seeded Amazonian trees, knowing their responses to forest fragmentation is essential and urgent. But until now, there was no study showing their population trends in Amazonian land forest fragments. The present study was conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. Eleven sites (three fragments of 1ha, three of 10ha, two of 100ha and three sites of continuous forest) were surveyed between 2003 and 2005. Agoutis and acouchies were systematically counted at each site through standard transect censuses and their densities were estimated with DISTANCE 4.1. Overall, I walked 100km, and encountered 136 acouchies and 35 agoutis. Fragmentation had a significant negative effect on acouchies and a significant positive effect on agouti densities. Acouchy density was 0.64±0.09 inds./ha (X¯±SE,N=3) in continuous forests and 0.07±0.07 inds./ha in 1-ha fragments. On the other hand, agouti density was 0.16±0.05 inds./ha in continuous forests and 0.71±0.24 inds./ha in 1-ha fragments. This study is consistent with the idea that in fragments, larger species of mammals are initially less affected by forest fragmentation than smaller ones. More critical to conservation is the fact that acouchies, which were negatively affected by fragmentation, are restricted to the core region of the Amazonian rainforests. Continued fragmentation of Amazonian forests should have vast negative consequences for the genus.