Análise da paisagem e distribuição de mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte em uma área de Caatinga em Morro do Chapéu, Bahia

Abstract

Habitat loss and fragmentation is identified as one of the main threats to biodiversity. Mammals play an important ecological role in the environments where they inhabit, and for the good performance of their functions, they need areas with good availability of resources for food, in addition to some species being sensitive to anthropic disturbances and more susceptible to extinction, in fragmented landscapes. For the study area, there is no survey on the species of medium and large mammals present in its interior, nor how the anthropic changes that occur in the place may be affecting their distribution. With this, the goal was to determine if there is loss or fragmentation of habitat occurring in the Morro do Chapéu State Park (PEMC) and to know the diversity and distribution of medium and large mammals in the study site. To analyze the anthropic interference on the vegetation, Geoprocessing techniques were used and a map of vegetation cover and land use of the PEMC was prepared. For the faunal survey, cameras trap were installed, points were selected for collection of traces and questionnaires were applied to local residents. It was found that the PEMC is in the process of habitat loss, which if it persists could fragment the study area, impacting biodiversity. The medium and large mammals are composed of 26 species, 21 of which are wild and 5 are domestic, belonging to 9 orders and 16 families. Mammals registered by the camera trap had the highest number of records in conserved areas. Even the species managing to inhabit places close to anthropized areas, there are adversities generated with this modification of the habitat and conflicts between fauna and humans. The data generated in the present study may contribute to the realization of new works, or to the continuity of monitoring, aimed at establishing strategies for the conservation of biodiversity in the study area, as well as helping PEMC managers in decision making.