Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-01-21T09:35:50Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Milena Fiuza Diniz - 2015.pdf: 2191789 bytes, checksum: f9b07815a956dcbb354d5efe246b7a13 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-01-21T09:37:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Milena Fiuza Diniz - 2015.pdf: 2191789 bytes, checksum: f9b07815a956dcbb354d5efe246b7a13 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-21T09:37:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Milena Fiuza Diniz - 2015.pdf: 2191789 bytes, checksum: f9b07815a956dcbb354d5efe246b7a13 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / It is expected that networks of protected areas (NPAs) play a key role in conservation of several carnivores species, as jaguar, since habitat fragmentation and population isolation are strong threats. Therefore, the identification and establishment of connector structures, such as corridors and stepping-stones, are essential to ensure the population persistence of these species. Here, we used graph approach and the habitat availability metrics to design NPAs for jaguars in Atlantic Forest and ranking protected areas and other forest fragments according to their importance for landscape connectivity. Our results indicate that the protected jaguar areas (PJAs) are important to functional connectivity, mainly the state parks located in the Serra do Mar. The potential stepping-stone network, formed by 564 fragments with higher levels of importance for connectivity, increased the number of connections in landscape and reduced the amount of isolated PJAs. Only 15 fragments of this network, located in the south of the Atlantic Forest, contributed with 88% of interpatch connectivity, being considered as potential sites for jaguars reintroduction. Most of these connector areas are under the less restrictive protection of sustainable use protected areas. The approach used here has simple data requirements and provides a valuable initial guide to planning NPAs, can be applied to many other species. / (Sem resumo)