A carregar...
Publicação
Spatio-temporal ecology of cervids in Eucalyptus plantations
| Nome: | Descrição: | Tamanho: | Formato: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.83 MB | Adobe PDF |
Autores
Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Human population growth has led to an increase in demand for forest and agroforestry products (e.g., wood). Deforestation caused by the exploitation of these resources is partially compensated by planting of new production forests, as is the case with eucalyptus plantations. These anthropogenic environments often affect the occurrence of animal and plant species due to their biological, structural and management characteristics. In Portugal, eucalyptus plantations are widespread, occupying a quarter of the total forested area. The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) are Cervidae species whose population has been growing in recent years in the country and as sympatric species they are ideal study models to understand how eucalyptus plantations change the spatial and temporal behavior of animals. In this study, using camera trapping methods, we analyzed the interaction between roe deer and red deer in eucalyptus plantations and areas of native vegetation and the occupancy and activity patterns exhibited by these species. We used conditional occupancy models of two species to obtain species interaction factors and to assess the spatial patterns we used single season, single species occupancy models. We calculated the temporal patterns using non-parametric kernel density estimator. The presence of eucalyptus plantations had a negative influence on the occupancy probability of both species. The species also have different interactions patterns in distinct eucalyptus plantations production stages, which indicates that the structure of the eucalyptus changes how the species use it. Anthropogenic disturbance has a major impact on the spatial and temporal ecology of these cervids. Human activity and infrastructures promote these species avoidance behavior, abandoning highly disturbed areas or altering their activity pattern, as with red deer that became more active during sunrise time to lower the chance of human encounter in Eucalyptus plantations. This study may serve as a reference for the spatial, temporal, and interspecies behavior of roe deer and red deer in the southwestern limit of their geographic range and how these species are affected by the presence of eucalyptus plantations. Therefore, we suggest measures to reduce the impact of Eucalyptus plantations on local deer population. Maintaning stands age heterogeneity and reducing work activities during the crepuscular hours to ensure normal deer behavior. Allowing small patches of native vegetation within plantation stands to provide food and refuge to roe and red deer. The knowledge generated by this study will be crucial for the sustainable management of these plantations and the populations of ungulates that inhabit them.
Descrição
Tese de mestrado, Biologia da Conservação, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2021
Palavras-chave
Ungulados Atividade temporal e espacial Eucalyptus globulus Espécies simpátricas Plantações exóticas Teses de mestrado - 2021