Papers by José Ramon Gadelha de Azevedo Alves
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Jan 31, 2012
Ao CNPq pela concessão da bolsa de mestrado e pelo financiamento do projeto através do edital 472... more Ao CNPq pela concessão da bolsa de mestrado e pelo financiamento do projeto através do edital 472401/2008-4. À Fundação O Boticário de Proteção à Natureza por também ter financiado esse trabalho através do edital 0879_20102. Ao Centro de Pesquisas Ambientais do Nordeste (Cepan) por ter administrado os recursos disponíveis para a realização desse trabalho. Ao meu orientador, Antonio Rossano Mendes Pontes, por todos os ensinamentos, conselhos, atenção, paciência, mas principalmente pela amizade. Ao colega Bruno Filgueiras, pela ajuda em algumas análises estatísticas e sugestões para o desenvolvimento desse manuscrito. Aos amigos de laboratório, Éverton Melo, Maria de Nazaré e Mareike Popeike, que estiveram no campo comigo e participaram ativamente da realização desse trabalho. Ao colega também de laboratório Marcelo Luna, por algumas ilustrações elaboradas para o manuscrito. Aos amigos que fiz em Roraima durante a realização desse trabalho, em especial ao Calango e seu filho, ao Antenor e toda a sua família e à Elma, que nunca mediram esforços para me ajudar no andamento do trabalho. Por fim, aos funcionários que trabalharam comigo no campo durante a realização desse trabalho. Resumo Embora os primatas sejam um dos táxons mais estudados até hoje, ainda pouco se sabe sobre como a estrutura de uma comunidade de primatas pode variar entre diferentes áreas. Além disso, quando a caça está presente, raramente é avaliado como esse fator pode agir independentemente das alterações vegetacionais. Esse trabalho objetivou avaliar como as características do hábitat e o impacto da caça podem afetar a estrutura da comunidade de primatas no extremo norte da Amazônia brasileira. Para tal, foram realizadas amostragens através de transecto linear em duas áreas submetidas à pressão da ação, mas com diferentes fitofisionomias (Assentamentos Novo Paraíso e Entre Rios) e uma área protegida com fitofisionomia semelhante a Novo Paraíso, o Parque Nacional do Viruá. Nós realizamos um esforço amostral de 1248,7 km percorridos nas três áreas, o que resultou em um total de 410 observações das oito espécies de primatas presentes na área de estudo. Em geral, a estrutura da comunidade apresentou-se altamente variável, tanto a nível regional quanto local, o que pode ser melhor explicado pelas diferenças nas fitofisionomias do que o impacto da caça. O assentamento Entre Rios, formado por uma fitofisionimia de Floresta Ombrófila Densa, apresentou uma maior abundância e biomassa de espécies maiores, comparada com Novo Paraíso e até mesmo com a área protegida, estas formadas por um mosaico de campinas, campinaranas e florestas ombrófilas. Assim, a ação da caça não se mostrou tão determinante na estruturação da comunidade, apesar de serem detectadas algumas variações entre a área caçada e não caçada com mesmas fitofisionomias. Isso é explicado pelo fato dos caçadores preterirem os primatas em detrimento de outras espécies, como ungulados, mas principalmente por esses assentamentos serem formados por uma matriz florestal contínua, permitindo um balanço fonte-dreno eficiente. Palavras-chave: Primatas da Amazônia. Escudo das Guianas. Heterogeneidade. Pressão da caça. Abundância e biomassa.
Zootaxa, 2013
We report the discovery of a new species of Coendou (Rodentia, Erethizontidae), here designated C... more We report the discovery of a new species of Coendou (Rodentia, Erethizontidae), here designated Coendou speratus sp. nov. This small porcupine, locally known as coandu-mirim, is found in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre in the Atlantic coast of northeastern Brazil north of the São Francisco river, one of the most important known biodiversity hotspots. The geographic range of C. speratus overlaps with that of the larger, widespread C. prehensilis, but not with that of C. insidiosus from the southeastern Atlantic forest, nor with that of C. nycthemera, an eastern Amazonian species. Coendou speratus is a small-bodied, long-tailed species that appears to be completely spiny because it lacks long dorsal fur. The dorsal quills have conspicuously brownish red tips that contrast with the blackish dorsal background color. The new species is overall similar to C. nycthemera, but the dorsal body quills are typically tricolored in the former and bicolored in the latter. The new species is externally very distinct from C. insidiosus, especially because the latter has bicolored dorsal quills that are almost completely hidden beneath longer and homogeneous pale or dark hairs.
Wildlife Biology, 2015
A variety of Amazonian mammals serve as sources of food for its human inhabitants, but hunting ca... more A variety of Amazonian mammals serve as sources of food for its human inhabitants, but hunting can have a strong negative impact on them. Diversity, abundance, biomass, and average group size of medium-sized and large mammals are compared across two forest areas of the northern Amazon: the Viruá National Park (protected) and the Novo Paraíso settlement (a human settlement where hunting is permitted). Hunting pressure was also characterized in Novo Paríso. A total of 33 mammal species were recorded. There were no significant differences in the sighting rates, relative abundance and biomass, and mammal group sizes between the two areas, although the totals of all these variables were higher in Viruá due to the higher abundance of Tayassu pecari, which was not recorded at Novo Paraíso. It is suggested that T. pecari may be on the verge of local extinction, as it was the most hunted species in the settlement area. Through interviews with 50 hunters, we estimate that 541 mammals of 20 species were hunted during the study year, resulting in an estimated biomass take of 8517 kg. While the hunting intensity in Novo Paraíso may be sustainable in the short term, the reported decline of hunting efficiency, combined with the extirpation of T. pecari , suggests that mammal abundance may decline there in the near future. In the study year, 849 hunts were carried out in a hunting effort of 4575 hours, with a maximum distance travelled of 5.4 km. There was an average of 4.82 consumers for each hunt, and a per capita harvest rate of 2.24 individuals/ consumer year. Hunting was not only for subsistence, but also for retaliation, although some species may not be hunted due to cultural taboos. The need for quantification of harvesting rates to maintain hunting at sustainable levels is highlighted.
A variety of Amazonian mammals serve as sources of food for its human inhabitants, but hunting ca... more A variety of Amazonian mammals serve as sources of food for its human inhabitants, but hunting can have a strong negative
impact on them. Diversity, abundance, biomass, and average group size of medium-sized and large mammals are compared
across two forest areas of the northern Amazon: the Viruá National Park (protected) and the Novo Paraíso settlement (a
human settlement where hunting is permitted). Hunting pressure was also characterized in Novo Paríso. A total of 33
mammal species were recorded. There were no significant differences in the sighting rates, relative abundance and biomass, and mammal group sizes between the two areas, although the totals of all these variables were higher in Viruá due to the higher abundance of Tayassu pecari, which was not recorded at Novo Paraíso. It is suggested that T. pecari may be on the verge of local extinction, as it was the most hunted species in the settlement area. Through interviews with 50 hunters, we estimate that 541 mammals of 20 species were hunted during the study year, resulting in an estimated biomass take of 8517 kg. While the hunting intensity in Novo Paraíso may be sustainable in the short term, the reported decline of hunting efficiency, combined with the extirpation of T. pecari , suggests that mammal abundance may decline there in the near future. In the study year, 849 hunts were carried out in a hunting effort of 4575 hours, with a maximum distance
travelled of 5.4 km. There was an average of 4.82 consumers for each hunt, and a per capita harvest rate of 2.24 individuals/
consumer year. Hunting was not only for subsistence, but also for retaliation, although some species may not be hunted due
to cultural taboos. The need for quantification of harvesting rates to maintain hunting at sustainable levels is highlighted.
Zootaxa, 2013
We report the discovery of a new species of Coendou (Rodentia, Erethizontidae), here designated C... more We report the discovery of a new species of Coendou (Rodentia, Erethizontidae), here designated Coendou speratus sp. nov. This small porcupine, locally known as coandumirim, is found in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre in the Atlantic coast of northeastern Brazil north of the São Francisco river, one of the most important known biodiversity hotspots. The geographic range of C. speratus overlaps with that of the larger, widespread C. prehensilis, but not with that of C. insidiosus from the southeastern Atlantic forest, nor with that of C. nycthemera, an eastern Amazonian species. Coendou speratus is a small-bodied, long-tailed species that appears to be completely spiny because it lacks long dorsal fur. The dorsal quills have conspicuously brownish red tips that contrast with the blackish dorsal background color. The new species is overall similar to C. nycthemera, but the dorsal body quills are typically tricolored in the former and bicolored in the latter. The new species is externally very distinct from C. insidiosus, especially because the latter has bicolored dorsal quills that are almost completely hidden beneath longer and homogeneous pale or dark hairs.
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Papers by José Ramon Gadelha de Azevedo Alves
impact on them. Diversity, abundance, biomass, and average group size of medium-sized and large mammals are compared
across two forest areas of the northern Amazon: the Viruá National Park (protected) and the Novo Paraíso settlement (a
human settlement where hunting is permitted). Hunting pressure was also characterized in Novo Paríso. A total of 33
mammal species were recorded. There were no significant differences in the sighting rates, relative abundance and biomass, and mammal group sizes between the two areas, although the totals of all these variables were higher in Viruá due to the higher abundance of Tayassu pecari, which was not recorded at Novo Paraíso. It is suggested that T. pecari may be on the verge of local extinction, as it was the most hunted species in the settlement area. Through interviews with 50 hunters, we estimate that 541 mammals of 20 species were hunted during the study year, resulting in an estimated biomass take of 8517 kg. While the hunting intensity in Novo Paraíso may be sustainable in the short term, the reported decline of hunting efficiency, combined with the extirpation of T. pecari , suggests that mammal abundance may decline there in the near future. In the study year, 849 hunts were carried out in a hunting effort of 4575 hours, with a maximum distance
travelled of 5.4 km. There was an average of 4.82 consumers for each hunt, and a per capita harvest rate of 2.24 individuals/
consumer year. Hunting was not only for subsistence, but also for retaliation, although some species may not be hunted due
to cultural taboos. The need for quantification of harvesting rates to maintain hunting at sustainable levels is highlighted.
impact on them. Diversity, abundance, biomass, and average group size of medium-sized and large mammals are compared
across two forest areas of the northern Amazon: the Viruá National Park (protected) and the Novo Paraíso settlement (a
human settlement where hunting is permitted). Hunting pressure was also characterized in Novo Paríso. A total of 33
mammal species were recorded. There were no significant differences in the sighting rates, relative abundance and biomass, and mammal group sizes between the two areas, although the totals of all these variables were higher in Viruá due to the higher abundance of Tayassu pecari, which was not recorded at Novo Paraíso. It is suggested that T. pecari may be on the verge of local extinction, as it was the most hunted species in the settlement area. Through interviews with 50 hunters, we estimate that 541 mammals of 20 species were hunted during the study year, resulting in an estimated biomass take of 8517 kg. While the hunting intensity in Novo Paraíso may be sustainable in the short term, the reported decline of hunting efficiency, combined with the extirpation of T. pecari , suggests that mammal abundance may decline there in the near future. In the study year, 849 hunts were carried out in a hunting effort of 4575 hours, with a maximum distance
travelled of 5.4 km. There was an average of 4.82 consumers for each hunt, and a per capita harvest rate of 2.24 individuals/
consumer year. Hunting was not only for subsistence, but also for retaliation, although some species may not be hunted due
to cultural taboos. The need for quantification of harvesting rates to maintain hunting at sustainable levels is highlighted.