Aspectos da ecologia populacional do tuco-tuco-das-dunas (Ctenomys flamarioni) foram estudados na região costeira da Estação Ecológica do Taim, com o objetivo de determinar características ecológicas, como a estrutura populacional e o tamanho e a forma da área de vida (home-range), utilizando a radiotelemetria numa população de Ctenomys flamarioni. O estudo foi desenvolvido entre dezembro de 2011 a março de 2013, foram realizadas 06 campanhas a cada trimestre de acordo com as estações sazonais com duração de quatro dias consecutivos. A extensão da área de estudo definida abrangeu uma área de 6 ha. O tamanho da área de vida foi calculado pelo software Biotas 2.0, utilizando o estimador de Kernel (95%) e o estimador MCP (100%). Foram capturados 56 indivíduos de Ctenomys flamarioni, 18 machos e 38 fêmeas. Foram realizadas 59 recapturas. A estimativa do tamanho populacional indicou uma pequena oscilação na taxa populacional entre as campanhas de amostragens sazonais. O valor da densidade demográfica média encontrada foi de 3,92 ± 0,5 indivíduos por hectare. No estudo de rádio-telemetria obteve-se 169 localizações dos indivíduos monitorados. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram uma nítida diferença entre estes dois métodos. O tamanho médio de área da vida obtido em Kernel (95%) foi de 1.860,3 m2 ± 832,0 para as fêmeas e 2.168,3 m2 ± 2.597,5 para os machos. Já os resultados obtidos pelo método MCP foram de 707,1 m2 ± 230,1 nos para as fêmeas e 3.334,5 m2 ± 2.632,1 para os indivíduos machos. A utilização da ferramenta de rádio-telemetria se mostrou uma grande aliada para responder algumas questões encontradas no programa de marcação e recaptura, como a taxa de deslocamento, aspectos comportamentais e mortalidade. / I studied aspects of population ecology of the Tuco-tuco of the dunes (Ctenomys flamarioni), such as population structure and home-range size and shape, in the coastal region of the Taim Ecological Station. The study was conducted from December 2011 to March 2013, in six campaigns of four consecutive days. Sampling was stratified along the annual seasons. My study site comprised a strip of sand dunes of 500 X 120 meters, totaling an area of 6 ha. I captured 56 individuals of Ctenomys flamarioni, 18 males and 38 females, and registered 59 recapture events. Population size estimates indicated short term population oscillations between seasons, but a long term equilibrium, with population sizes similar at the beginning and at the end of my study. The average population density was 3.92 ± 0.5 individuals per hectare. Using radio-telemetry, I obtained 169 locations. The results showed a clear difference between the two methods used to estimate home-range. The average home-range obtained with Kernel (95%) was 1860.3 ± 832.0 m2 for females and 2168.3 ± 2597.5 m2 for males. Home-ranges estimated by the MCP were 707.1 ± 230.1 m2 for females and 3334.5 ± 2632.1 m2 for males. The use of radio telemetry proved to be a great ally to answer some questions raised with mark-recapture analyses, such as, the rate of displacement, mortality and behavioral aspects.

Orientador: Sergio Furtado dos Reis / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T01:47:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernandes_FernandaRodrigues_M.pdf: 549710 bytes, checksum: 94d40a4c24acc5f6771952a3e701e623 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: A área de vida de Gracilinanus microtarsus foi estudada através de métodos de captura-marcação-recaptura na Reserva Biológica de Mogi Guaçu, estado de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil, de novembro de 2005 a agosto de 2006. Um total de 467 pontos de localização foi obtido e as áreas de vida foram estimadas com o método do polígono convexo mínimo (MPC) com 90% dos dados dos pontos de localização. Considerando-se todas as capturas de cada indivíduo, a área de vida média estimada pelo MPC 90% foi de 1.161m2 (± 873m2) para as fêmeas e 1.403m2 (± 1.810m2) para os machos. Na estação quente-úmida, o tamanho médio da área de vida das fêmeas foi de 1.125m2 (± 880m2) e dos machos foi de 1.212m2 (± 1.449m2). Na estação friaseca, as fêmeas e os machos tiveram áreas de vida com tamanhos médios iguais a 1.260m2 (± 946m2) e 2.025m2 (± 2.899m2), respectivamente. Houve uma relação positiva significativa entre o tamanho médio da área de vida e a massa corporal dos indivíduos capturados. O modelo linear generalizado mais parcimonioso indicou que a massa corporal contribui significativamente para a variação no tamanho da área de vida. Todavia, quando foram removidos dois prováveis outliers, o modelo linear generalizado mais parcimonioso indicou que o sexo contribuiu significativamente para a variação no tamanho da área de vida. Os machos ocuparam áreas de vida maiores, supostamente devido à existência de dimorfismo sexual no tamanho corporal nesta espécie, sendo os machos maiores do que as fêmeas / Abstract: The home range of Gracilinanus microtarsus was studied through capture-mark-recapture method in the Biological Reserve of Mogi Guaçu, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil from November 2005 to August 2006. A total of 467 location points was obtained and home range estimated with minimum convex polygon (MPC) with 90% of the data points. Considering all captures of each individual, mean home range size estimated by MPC 90% was 1,161m2 (± 873m2) for females and 1,403m2 (± 1,810m2) for males. In the warm-wet season mean home range size was 1,125m2 (± 880m2) for females and 1,212m2 (± 1,449m2) for males. In the cool-dry season the mean size of home range was 1,260m2 (± 946m2) for females and 2,025m2 (± 2,899m2) for males. Home range size was positively correlated with body mass. The general linear model showed that body mass significantly contributed to the variation of home range size and when the two outliers were removed, the generalized linear model showed that sex significantly contributed to the variation of home size. Males had larger home ranges than females possibly because sexual dimorphism in body mass in this species, with males being larger than females / Mestrado / Mestre em Ecologia

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-16T17:27:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 nataliadossantosmamede.pdf: 3067068 bytes, checksum: 6aefdd9452c0f7d9137d49c0d6f7a648 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-28T12:11:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 nataliadossantosmamede.pdf: 3067068 bytes, checksum: 6aefdd9452c0f7d9137d49c0d6f7a648 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-28T12:11:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 nataliadossantosmamede.pdf: 3067068 bytes, checksum: 6aefdd9452c0f7d9137d49c0d6f7a648 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-10 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / No Brasil a pesquisa com Cetáceos tem se intensificado e uma espécie tem ganhado destaque seja pelo número de estudos quanto pelo status de conservação, o boto-cinza, Sotalia guianensis. Uma população de boto-cinza no sul do estado do Espírito Santo foi escolhida para o presente estudo devido a ausência de estudos prévios. Entre os anos de 2012 e 2014 esforços através de métodos que abranjam uma escala espaço-temporal. No total, 117 saídas de barco foram realizadas (472,4 horas), no período de dezembro de 2011 a novembro de 2014. A aplicação da técnica de foto-identificação possibilitou a identificação de 60 indivíduos. A maior parte dos indivíduos foto-identificados foi fiel a esta área durante este período e em diversos graus de residência. Entre os indivíduos foto-identificados não houve diferença entre os tamanhos das áreas de vida e a partir da sobreposição das áreas de vida destes indivíduos e dos grupos avistados, foi possível identificar que a porção mais ao norte da área amostrada da Baía de Benevente foi a mais utilizada pelos botos. As maiores áreas de vida já relatadas para a espécie foram registradas no presente estudo. A partir do método de marcação-recaptura foi estimada uma abundância de 65 a 80 indivíduos aproximadamente. Grupos de botos-cinza foram avistados em todos os anos e estações, correspondendo a 54,38% dos dias de esforço. Em média, os grupos foram compostos por oito indivíduos, e em sua maioria foi observada a presença de filhotes, assim como ao longo de todos os anos e estações. Sendo a presença de filhotes correlacionada ao aumento do tamanho dos grupos. As observações do comportamento dos grupos avistados identificaram que o estado comportamental mais frequente foi a alimentação, seguido pelo deslocamento, socialização e descanso. A ocorrência e a fidelidade desta população de boto-cinza a Baía de Benevente, assim como assim como a presença de filhotes em todas as estações e do comportamento prevalente ser o de alimentação, são todos indicadores da importância da Baía de Benevente seja como área de alimentação e ou de cria. Neste contexto, o tamanho desta população associado a ameaças antrópicas já identificadas colocam esta população em um estado de atenção para possíveis ações de manejo. / In Brazil, research with cetaceans has been intensified the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, has gained distinction because of the increasing number of studies regarding its conservation status. An estuarine dolphin population in the southern state of Espirito Santo was chosen for this study due to lack of previous studies. Between 2012 and 2014 efforts were done by methods covering a spatio-temporal scale. A total of 117 boat trips were made (472.4 hours), from December 2011 to November 2014. The application of photo-identification technique allowed the identification of 60 individuals. Most photo-identified individuals were faithful to this area during this period and in various degrees of residence. Among individuals photo-identified no difference between the sizes of home ranges and from the overlapping areas of life of individuals and sighted groups, it observed that the portion farther north of the sampled area of Benevente Bay was most commonly used by dolphins. The largest home range previously reported for the species were recorded in this study. From the mark-recapture method was estimated 59-80 individuals. Estuarine dolphin groups were sighted in all the years and seasons, corresponding to 54.38% of the effort days. On average, the groups were composed of eight individuals, and mostly we observed the presence of calves, as well as over all the years and seasons. Since the presence of calves were correlated to the increase in size of the groups. The observations of the behavior of the sighted group found that the most common behavioral state was foraging, followed by the displacement, socialization and resting. The occurrence and fidelity of this population of Guiana dolphin in Benevente Bay, as well as the presence of calves in all seasons and prevalent behavior was foraging, all are indicators of the importance of Benevente Bay as an feeding and breeding area. In this context, the size of this population associated with anthropogenic threats already identified puts this population in a state of attention to possible management actions.

Orientadores: Eleonore Zulnara Freire Setz, José Eduardo Mantovani / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T00:59:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Penteado_MarcelJoseFranco_D.pdf: 10454343 bytes, checksum: d8c60e67c27ebfc4bdb666229a8d4b1e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O puma (Puma concolor) e a jaguatirica (Leopardus pardalis) são dois dos felídeos com maior distribuição geográfica no continente americano, ocorrendo em biomas que vão desde regiões muito secas até florestas tropicais. Assim como todos os predadores de porte médio e grande, necessitam de grandes áreas para sobreviver e são particularmente vulneráveis a extinções locais em ambientes fragmentados, onde seu desaparecimento pode levar a altas densidades de pequenos mamíferos predadores, ou mesopredadores, e ao empobrecimento dos níveis tróficos mais baixos. Além da perda de habitat, estas espécies sofrem com a falta de informações sobre sua ecologia, incluindo área de vida, uso de habitat e padrões de deslocamento e dispersão, essenciais para elaborar planos de manejo e estratégias de conservação eficientes. O presente trabalho analisou algumas destas informações em duas áreas com níveis significativos de impactos antrópicos (municípios de Paulínia, Cosmópolis, Americana e Atibaia), através do monitoramento de um puma por radiotelemetria GPS e três jaguatiricas por radiotelemetria VHF. Descrevemos a área de vida do puma com 11.400ha. Identificamos seleção para ambientes com cobertura vegetal arbórea e uso de matas ciliares como rotas de deslocamento. Também verificamos que seu nível de atividade decresce conforme a noite avança. Foi possível determinar locais prefereciais de predação através da análise de clusters, com indicações de que o puma monitorado identificou os melhores locais para predação de animais de maior porte. Também estimamos a área de vida para três jaguatiricas, variando entre 153 e 680ha, dentro do intervalo descrito para áreas de floresta tropical, mas muito inferior à descrita para outras áreas do continente americano, como o Pantanal e Iguaçú. Também verificamos preferência por ambientes com cobertura vegetal densa. Considerando os resultados obtidos, estratégias eficientes para a preservação destas espécies dependem da manutenção de áreas de mata nativa, interligadas por corredores de deslocamento, que permitam o trânsito destes animais entre eles e o contato e fluxo gênico entre populações distintas / Abstract: The cougar (Puma concolor) and the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) are broadly distributed in the Americas, and occurs in biomes ranging from dry areas to tropical forests. As all medium to large sized predators, they need large landscapes to survive, and may be particularly vulnerable to local extinction in fragmented landscapes, where their disappearance can lead to higher densities of small mammalian predators, or mesopredators, and the impoverishment of lower trophic levels. Besides the loss of habitat, these species suffer from a lack of information about its ecology, including home range, habitat use and patterns of movement and dispersion, essential to develop effective management action plans and conservation strategies. The present study examined some of this information in two areas with significant levels of human impacts (municipalities in Paulínia, Cosmópolis, Americana and Atibaia), by monitoring a cougar by GPS radio telemetry and three ocelots by VHF radio telemetry. We describe the cougar's home range with 11.400ha (100% MCP). We found string selection for habitats with dense forest cover, and use of riparian areas as travel routes. We also found that their activity level decreases as the night progresses. We determinate preferecial predation sites by cluster analysis, with indications that the tracked cougar identified the best places to predation of larger animals. We also estimate the home range for three ocelots, ranging between 153 and 680ha (100% MCP) within the range reported for tropical forest, but much lower than that reported for other areas of the Americas, including brazilian Pantanal and Iguaçú. We also observed a preference for environments with dense vegetation. Considering these results, efficient strategies for the preservation of these species depend on maintaining areas of native forest, connected by movement corridors, allowing the transit of these animals between them and the contact and gene flow between different populations / Doutorado / Ecologia / Doutor em Ecologia

As habitat loss and fragmentation are major causes of decline in animal species, studying habitat requirements in these species is a key component of their recovery. I investigated the relationship between landscape composition and habitat use of Blanding’s turtles, Emydoidea blandingii, a freshwater turtle threatened by habitat loss and road mortality on most of its Canadian range. In 2010, I conducted a radio-telemetry survey of 44 Blanding’s turtles in southern Québec, Canada, and modelled their home range size from land cover proportions measured at many spatial scales. I also used data from a visual survey conducted in 2008 and 2009 to model wetland occupancy of the species at the landscape scale. Home range size of the Blanding’s turtle was significantly correlated to landscape composition, and the proportions of agriculture, open water and anthropogenic lands had the strongest relationships with home range size. However, those relationships were weak and the models were unable to predict home range size accurately. At the landscape scale, land cover and road density poorly predicted probability of occurrence, and Blanding’s turtles occupied wetlands in both disturbed and natural sites. Management of the species should focus on protecting sites of occurrence with high wetland density, low road density, and sufficient suitable habitat to cover their seasonal movement patterns.

The home range encompasses an animal’s movements as it goes about its normal activity, and several home range estimators have been developed. I evaluated the performance of the Minimum Convex Polygon, Bivariate Normal, and several kernel home range estimators in a geographical information system environment using simulations and a large database of O. pumilio mark-recapture locations. A fixed 90% kernel estimator using Least-Square Cross-Validation (to select the bandwidth) outperformed other methods of estimating home range size and was effective with relatively few capture points. Home range size, core area size, intrasexual overlap, and movement rates among coordinates were higher in female frogs than in male frogs. These measures likely reflect behavioral differences related to territoriality (males only) and parental care (both sexes). The simple Biological Index of Vagility (BIV) generated movement values that scaled well with home range size while revealing more information than home range estimates alone.

Remote cameras have become a popular tool for monitoring wildlife. We used remote cameras to estimate bobcat (Lynx rufus) population abundance on the Utah Test and Training Range during two sample periods between 2015 and 2017. We used two statistical methods, closed capture mark-recapture (CMR) and mark-resight Poisson log-normal (PNE), to estimate bobcat abundance within the study area. We used the maximum mean distance moved method (MMDM) to calculate the effective sample area for estimating density. Additionally, we captured bobcats and estimated home range using minimum convex polygon (MCP) and kernel density estimation (KDE) methods. Bobcat abundance on the UTTR was 35-48 in 2017 and density was 11.95 bobcats/100 km2 using CMR and 16.69 bobcats/100 km2 using PNE. The North Range of the study area experienced a decline of 36-44 percent in density between sample periods. Density declines could be explained by natural predator prey cycles, by habituation to attractants or by an increase in home range area. We recommend that bobcat abundance and density be estimated regularly to establish population trends.To improve the management of bobcats on the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), we investigated bobcat (Lynx rufus) habitat use. We determined habitat use points by capturing bobcats in remote camera images. Use and random points were intersected with remotely sensed data in a geographic information system. Habitat variables were evaluated at the capture point scale and home range scale. Home range size was calculated using the mean maximum distance moved method. Scales and habitat variables were compared within generalized linear mixed-effects models. Our top model (AICc weight = 1) included a measure of terrain ruggedness, mean aspect, and land cover variables related to prey availability and human avoidance.

The Red Sea is valued for its biodiversity and the livelihoods it provides for many. It now faces overfishing, habitat degradation, and anthropogenic induced climate-change. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) became a powerful management tool to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems, re-establish their balance, and enhance marine populations. For this, they need to be well designed and managed. There are 15 designated MPAs in the Red Sea but their level of enforcement is unclear. To design an MPA it is necessary to know if it will protect species of interest by considering their movement needs. In this thesis I aim at understanding fish movement in the Red Sea, specifically home range (HR) to inform MPA size designation. With not much empirical data available on HR for Red Sea fish, I used a Machine Learning (ML) classification model, trained with empirical literature HR measurements with Maximum Total Length (L Max), Aspect Ratio (AR) of the caudal fin, and Trophic Level as predictor variables. HR was classified into 5 categories: <.1 km, 0.1- 1.0 km, 2.0- 5.0 km, 5.0- 20 km, and >20 km. The model presents a 74.5% degree of accuracy. With it, I obtained the HR category for 337 Red Sea fish species. Having MPAs with a maximum linear dimension of at least 10km will meet the requirements of 90% of fish species evaluated in the model, which were small to medium size families (damselfishes, butterflyfishes, small wrasses, cardinalfishes, gobies and blennies). This percentage does not include larger species likely to move over much greater distances (10s, 100s or 1000s of km) (e.g., medium to large jacks, snappers,, groupers, sharks and rays). 60% of the Red Seas designated MPAs have the potential, if enforced as a No Take Area (NTA), to benefit more than 95% of reef fishes. However, larger MPAs will be required to protect more wide-ranging species. TRSP project in Al Wadj is proposing to close the entire SEZ to fishing. If they are successful in implementing and enforcing this fishing ban, TRSP will be the largest no take area in the Red Sea (~160 km long) that is likely to not only protect all of the species evaluated in the model, but also most wide-ranging species. Therefore, TRSP is not only likely to achieve and surpass its stated goal of increasing current fish biomass by 30%, but also to provide benefits to surrounding areas through the spillover of adults, juvenile and larvae to fished areas.

Since white-nose syndrome (WNS) arrived in the northeastern U.S. in 2006, several affected bat species have exhibited marked population declines (> 90%). For areas such as Fort Drum in northern New York that are subject to regulatory mandates because of the presence of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), acoustic monitoring is now likely more effective than traditional capture methodologies. In the summers of 2011 and 2012, I implemented intensive acoustic sampling using Anabat detectors at Fort Drum to develop a summer acoustic monitoring protocol that is both cost efficient and effective at detecting species of high conservation or management interest, such as the Indiana bat and the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Habitat analysis of radio telemetry data and occupancy models of acoustic data were congruent in confirming nocturnal spatial use of forested riparian zones by little brown bats.  Additionally, occupancy models of passive versus active sampling revealed that passive acoustic sampling is preferable to active sampling for detecting declining species in the post-WNS context. Finally, assessment of detection probabilities at various arrays of acoustic detector layouts in an expected area of use revealed that a grid of detectors covering a wide spatial extent was more effective at detecting Indiana and little brown bats than permanent stations, transects, or double transects. My findings suggest that acoustic monitoring can be affectively implemented for monitoring Indiana and little brown bats even in areas of severe decline. Future efforts should be aimed at determining effective sampling designs for additional declining species. / Master of Science

An understanding of habitat relationships is essential for managing hunted species, such as cougar, that are difficult to census. In the first phase of this study, I used aerial telemetry data to examine diurnal cougar resource selection at 2 scales, and compared results between 2 study sites, the Oquirrh Mountains and Monroe Mountain, Utah. In the second phase of this study, I used conditional logistic regression models and GPS collar data from the Oquirrh Mountains to determine whether cougar resource selection varied over 3 behaviors (prey caching, resting at a daybed site, and nocturnal activities) and 2 scales. Results from phase 1 indicated that in general, during diurnal hours cougars selected for woodland cover types, moderate to steep (20-70%) slopes, canyon and steep hillside landforms, and home ranges with a higher density of edge. However, selection for these resources was not consistent at both study sites, scales, or for every cougar. Small sample sizes and poor spatial accuracy of the aerial telemetry data likely precluded the ability to detect selection in every case. Results from phase 2 indicated that cougar resource selection varied by behavior, and selection of some resources was detected only at certain scales. Cougar cache sites were characterized by southern and eastern aspects; lower elevation; avoidance of edge; a greater diversity of land cover types; canyon landforms (ridges were avoided); riparian, deciduous, and coniferous woodland; and deciduous and coniferous forest cover types. Cougars selected daybed sites that avoided western aspects and edges, were further from roads, closer to streams, higher in elevation, on moderate to steep slopes, and in rocky, deciduous woodland, and riparian cover types. During nocturnal activities, cougars avoided northern aspects, and selected areas that were closer to streams and roads, on edges and in canyon landforms, with gentler slopes, and rock, riparian, and deciduous woodland cover types. Results from cross-validation procedures confirmed that the models were reliable and predictive of cougar resource selection. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of cougar resource selection over various scales and behaviors. Managers should use caution when using diurnal data to make conclusions about selection during other times of day or behaviors.