In 1993, to determine if wild-strain mallard releases could be used as a management practice to increase local mallard breeding populations, I released 2,344,4.5- week-old mallard ducklings (1,200 females and 1,144 males) to wetlands on 12,10.4-km2 sites (approximately 200 per site, 100 females, 100 males) in the North Dakota Prairie Pothole Region. I monitored the release sites to determine if any relationship existed between site characteristics and time of release to duckling survival estimates. I conducted breeding pair surveys during 1994 and 1995 on treatment and paired control sites to compare post-release population levels. Lastly, I analyzed return data and habitat use, and conducted behavioral experiments to determine if wild-strain mallards experienced higher mortality rates and if any observed differences could be explained by behavior. In 1994,1 observed 55 of the nasal saddled ducklings returning as adult fem ale to the release sites. In 1995, only 5 nasal saddled females were observed, both on treatment and control sites. No difference was observed hi breeding pair populations on treatment and control sites in 1994 (P = 0.18) and 1995 (P = 0.59). Hard-released wild-strain mallard females had lower survival rates than wild (P = 0.01) and modified gentle-release wild-strain females (P = 0.05). Ail wild-strain females were virtually eliminated from the population by year 4. This suggests that these buds may have been more vulnerable to predation and other mortality factors than wild females. Breeding wild and wild-strain mallard females reacted similarly to human approach, but when flushed, wild females flew farther than wild-strain females (P = 0.0002). Wetlands used by wild-strain females differed from wild females during breeding by type (P < 0.0001) and cover (P = 0.0003) classification. Wild-strain females selected larger, more permanent wetlands exhibiting less emergent vegetation than did wild counterparts. These differences may help to explain why wiki-strain mallard releases did not increase local breeding populations. The lack of band recoveries for wild-strain females during the latter years when viewed in the context of the observed behavioral differences suggests that these birds were unable to adapt to conditions in the wild.

Large carnivores play many vital biological, economic, and conservation roles, however, their biological traits (low population densities, cryptic behavior) make them difficult to monitor. Pumas have been particularly difficult to study because the lack of distinctive markings on their coats prevents individual identification, precluding mark-recapture and other similar analyses. Further, compared to temperate areas, research on the interspecific interactions of Central American felids is particularly lacking. I used single- and multi-season, single-species occupancy models and two-species co-occurrence models to analyze camera trapping and habitat data collected at eight study sites across Belize. Puma occupancy was positively influenced by jaguar trap success, understory density, canopy cover, and human trap success, and negatively influenced by stream density. Jaguar trap success was the best predictor of where pumas occurred, while prey species were not found to influence puma occupancy. Mean occupancy was 0.740 (0.013) and ranged from 0.587 (0.042) to 0.924 (0.030). Over time, puma occupancy rates were generally high (> 0.90) and stable. Puma occupancy was higher in logged areas, suggesting that current levels of natural resource extraction at those sites were not detrimental to the species. Co-occurrence modeling showed little evidence for interactions between the carnivores, suggesting that jaguars may be acting as an umbrella species and that conservation efforts directed at jaguars are likely to benefit the other carnivores, including pumas. Overall, these findings are positive for puma conservation, but human-induced land use change is expanding and further monitoring will give us insight into how pumas respond to human encroachment. / Master of Science

A destruição de florestas tropicais é intensa e pode levar à extinção de espécies sensíveis à fragmentação. Na Mata Atlântica, mamíferos com importantes funções no equilíbrio do ecossistema, como Panthera onca (onça-pintada), já estão ausentes em grande parte do bioma. Logo, é de extrema urgência compreender os processos que influenciam na permanência dessas espécies em uma área, para evitar futuras extinções locais. Assim, o objetivo geral deste estudo foi analisar as influências das características ambientais sobre a riqueza e ocorrência de mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte e as relações espaço-temporais entre o predador de topo, mesopredadores e presas em uma área de Mata Atlântica contíngua ao Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar com recente histórico de perturbação (Parque das Neblinas, Bertioga, SP). A coleta de dados foi realizada por armadilhamento fotográfico, durante 90 dias em 2013 e 2014, em 27 pontos amostrais, distantes 1 km entre si. As características ambientais avaliadas foram altitude, densidade de drenagem, precipitação média, temperatura média, número de palmitos (Euterpe edulis) e presença de trilhas naturais. Para analisar as influências do ambiente sobre a riqueza e ocorrência de espécies (com mais de três registros por ano) foram utilizados Modelos Lineares Generalizados. Para as demais análises, as espécies foram agrupadas em predador, mesopredadores, presas de grande, médio e pequeno porte. O período e sobreposição de atividade destes grupos foram estimados por meio da densidade de Kernel. A abundância foi estimada para mesopredadores e presas, através de modelos N-mixture. Para analisar a probabilidade de ocupação e detecção do predador de topo foram usados modelos de ocupação single-season. Foram amostrados 18 mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte, dos quais nove estão ameaçados de extinção ((Cabassous unicinctus (tatu-de-rabo-mole), Cuniculus paca (paca), Leopardus guttulus (gato-do-mato-pequeno), Leopardus pardalis (jaguatirica), Leopardus wiedii (gato-maracajá), Pecari tajacu (cateto), Puma concolor (onça-parda), Puma yagouaroundi (gato-mourisco) e Tapirus terrestris (anta)). A riqueza de espécies foi positivamente influenciada pelo maior volume de chuvas e a ocorrência da maioria das espécies (C. unicinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus (tatu-galinha), P. concolor, Sylvilagus brasiliensis (tapiti) e T. terrestris) foi influenciada pela densidade de drenagem em 2013. Em 2014, a riqueza não foi explicada por nenhuma característica e apenas quatro espécies sofreram influência de alguma característica ambiental. O predador de topo registrado foi catemeral, os mesopredadores e presas de grande porte mostraram-se mais noturnos e presas de médio e pequeno porte foram mais diurnas. Presas menores apresentaram a maior sobreposição total com o predador (&Delta;1=0,72). A influência sobre a probabilidade de ocupação da área pelo predador variou entre os anos, tendo sido pela abundância de presas de grande e pequeno porte, em 2013, e pela abundância de presas de médio porte, em 2014. A detecção foi influenciada apenas em 2014, de forma negativa pelas ocasiões. A partir destes resultados foi possível identificar as características ambientais que devem ser mantidas na área, como a disponibilidade de recursos hídricos e abundância de presas, a fim de conservar das espécies resilientes. / The destruction of tropical forests is alarming and may lead to the extinction of species susceptible to fragmentation. In the Atlantic Forest, mammals with important functions in the ecosystem balance, such as Panthera onca (jaguar), are already absent in part of the biome. Therefore, it is urgent to understand the processes that influence the permanence of these species in an area, in order to prevent future local extinctions. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the influence of environmental characteristics on the richness and occurrence of terrestrial mammals of medium and large size; as well as the spatio-temporal relationship between the top predator, mesopredator and preys, in the Atlantic foreste area continuos continuous with Serra do Mar State Park, with recent degradation history (Neblinas Park, Bertioga, State of São Paulo). Sample data was collected by camera trapping for 90 days in 2013 and 2014, 27 sampling points 1km distant from each other. The environmental characteristics were altitude, drainage density, average rainfall, average temperature, number of palm hearts (Euterpe edulis) and the presence of nature trails. Generalized Linear Models were used to analyze the environmental influences on the richness and occurrence of species (with more than 3 records per year). For the other analyses, species were grouped into predator, mesopredators, preys of large, medium and small size. The period and overlap activity of these groups were estimated by the Kernel density. Abundance was estimated for mesopredators and prey through N-mixture models. Single-season occupancy models were used to analyze the probability of occupancy and detection of top predators. A total of 18 terrestrial mammals of medium and large size were sampled, with nine of them being threatened with extinction: Cabassous unicinctus (naked-tailed armadillo), Cuniculus paca (paca), Leopardus guttulus (oncilla), Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), Leopardus wiedii (margay), Pecari tajacu (collared peccary), Puma concolor (cougar), Puma yagouaroundi (jaguarundi) and Tapirus terrestris (tapir). In the 2013, the species richness was positively influenced by the largest volume of precipitation and the species occurrence (C. unicinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus (tatu-galinha), P. concolor, Sylvilagus brasiliensis (tapiti) e T. terrestris) was interfered by the drainage density. In 2014, richness was not explained by any of the environmental characteristics mentioned and only four species have suffered influence of them. The top predator recorded was catemeral, the mesopredator and large prey were mainly nocturnal and prey of medium and small size were mainly daylight. Smaller prey had the highest total overlap with the predator (&Delta;1=0.72). The influence on the probability of occupancy of the area by the predator varied between the years: in 2013 it was the abundance of large and small preys, and in 2014, the influence was the abundance of medium preys. The detection was negatively influenced by the occasion only in 2014. Our findings showed the environmental characteristics that should be maintained in the area, such as water resources and abundance of prey, for conservation of Atlantic Forest and its fauna community.

A destruição de florestas tropicais é intensa e pode levar à extinção de espécies sensíveis à fragmentação. Na Mata Atlântica, mamíferos com importantes funções no equilíbrio do ecossistema, como Panthera onca (onça-pintada), já estão ausentes em grande parte do bioma. Logo, é de extrema urgência compreender os processos que influenciam na permanência dessas espécies em uma área, para evitar futuras extinções locais. Assim, o objetivo geral deste estudo foi analisar as influências das características ambientais sobre a riqueza e ocorrência de mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte e as relações espaço-temporais entre o predador de topo, mesopredadores e presas em uma área de Mata Atlântica contíngua ao Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar com recente histórico de perturbação (Parque das Neblinas, Bertioga, SP). A coleta de dados foi realizada por armadilhamento fotográfico, durante 90 dias em 2013 e 2014, em 27 pontos amostrais, distantes 1 km entre si. As características ambientais avaliadas foram altitude, densidade de drenagem, precipitação média, temperatura média, número de palmitos (Euterpe edulis) e presença de trilhas naturais. Para analisar as influências do ambiente sobre a riqueza e ocorrência de espécies (com mais de três registros por ano) foram utilizados Modelos Lineares Generalizados. Para as demais análises, as espécies foram agrupadas em predador, mesopredadores, presas de grande, médio e pequeno porte. O período e sobreposição de atividade destes grupos foram estimados por meio da densidade de Kernel. A abundância foi estimada para mesopredadores e presas, através de modelos N-mixture. Para analisar a probabilidade de ocupação e detecção do predador de topo foram usados modelos de ocupação single-season. Foram amostrados 18 mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte, dos quais nove estão ameaçados de extinção ((Cabassous unicinctus (tatu-de-rabo-mole), Cuniculus paca (paca), Leopardus guttulus (gato-do-mato-pequeno), Leopardus pardalis (jaguatirica), Leopardus wiedii (gato-maracajá), Pecari tajacu (cateto), Puma concolor (onça-parda), Puma yagouaroundi (gato-mourisco) e Tapirus terrestris (anta)). A riqueza de espécies foi positivamente influenciada pelo maior volume de chuvas e a ocorrência da maioria das espécies (C. unicinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus (tatu-galinha), P. concolor, Sylvilagus brasiliensis (tapiti) e T. terrestris) foi influenciada pela densidade de drenagem em 2013. Em 2014, a riqueza não foi explicada por nenhuma característica e apenas quatro espécies sofreram influência de alguma característica ambiental. O predador de topo registrado foi catemeral, os mesopredadores e presas de grande porte mostraram-se mais noturnos e presas de médio e pequeno porte foram mais diurnas. Presas menores apresentaram a maior sobreposição total com o predador (&Delta;1=0,72). A influência sobre a probabilidade de ocupação da área pelo predador variou entre os anos, tendo sido pela abundância de presas de grande e pequeno porte, em 2013, e pela abundância de presas de médio porte, em 2014. A detecção foi influenciada apenas em 2014, de forma negativa pelas ocasiões. A partir destes resultados foi possível identificar as características ambientais que devem ser mantidas na área, como a disponibilidade de recursos hídricos e abundância de presas, a fim de conservar das espécies resilientes. / The destruction of tropical forests is alarming and may lead to the extinction of species susceptible to fragmentation. In the Atlantic Forest, mammals with important functions in the ecosystem balance, such as Panthera onca (jaguar), are already absent in part of the biome. Therefore, it is urgent to understand the processes that influence the permanence of these species in an area, in order to prevent future local extinctions. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the influence of environmental characteristics on the richness and occurrence of terrestrial mammals of medium and large size; as well as the spatio-temporal relationship between the top predator, mesopredator and preys, in the Atlantic foreste area continuos continuous with Serra do Mar State Park, with recent degradation history (Neblinas Park, Bertioga, State of São Paulo). Sample data was collected by camera trapping for 90 days in 2013 and 2014, 27 sampling points 1km distant from each other. The environmental characteristics were altitude, drainage density, average rainfall, average temperature, number of palm hearts (Euterpe edulis) and the presence of nature trails. Generalized Linear Models were used to analyze the environmental influences on the richness and occurrence of species (with more than 3 records per year). For the other analyses, species were grouped into predator, mesopredators, preys of large, medium and small size. The period and overlap activity of these groups were estimated by the Kernel density. Abundance was estimated for mesopredators and prey through N-mixture models. Single-season occupancy models were used to analyze the probability of occupancy and detection of top predators. A total of 18 terrestrial mammals of medium and large size were sampled, with nine of them being threatened with extinction: Cabassous unicinctus (naked-tailed armadillo), Cuniculus paca (paca), Leopardus guttulus (oncilla), Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), Leopardus wiedii (margay), Pecari tajacu (collared peccary), Puma concolor (cougar), Puma yagouaroundi (jaguarundi) and Tapirus terrestris (tapir). In the 2013, the species richness was positively influenced by the largest volume of precipitation and the species occurrence (C. unicinctus, Dasypus novemcinctus (tatu-galinha), P. concolor, Sylvilagus brasiliensis (tapiti) e T. terrestris) was interfered by the drainage density. In 2014, richness was not explained by any of the environmental characteristics mentioned and only four species have suffered influence of them. The top predator recorded was catemeral, the mesopredator and large prey were mainly nocturnal and prey of medium and small size were mainly daylight. Smaller prey had the highest total overlap with the predator (&Delta;1=0.72). The influence on the probability of occupancy of the area by the predator varied between the years: in 2013 it was the abundance of large and small preys, and in 2014, the influence was the abundance of medium preys. The detection was negatively influenced by the occasion only in 2014. Our findings showed the environmental characteristics that should be maintained in the area, such as water resources and abundance of prey, for conservation of Atlantic Forest and its fauna community.

No description available.