Uso de habitat e ocorrência de roedores caviomorfos na Amazônia Central, Brasil

Abstract

Understanding the habitat use of a species reveals details about its ecology, spatial distribution, and population dynamics that can be used in conservation and population management plans. Caviomorph rodents act as seed dispersers and seed predators, influencing the maintenance and regeneration of biological communities. Despite their importance, caviomorph habitat preferences are not well understood, including how anthropogenic activities may affect habitat use. We studied caviomorph habitat use in relation to extractivist activities at the Piagaçu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve, a reserve managed for so that local communities may directly use natural resources, such as Brazil nuts. We evaluated the probability of occupancy of lowland paca (Cuniculus paca), black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa), and green acouchi (Myoprocta pratti), in relation to environmental variables at two spatial scales, in areas with and without Brazil nut harvesting. We used camera trap data to estimate species occupancy and used environmental variables measured in the field and extracted from digital geographic databases as predictors of species occupancy. We found lowland paca occured most often in areas with high drainage density, far from human communities, and outside of Brazil nut extraction areas. Black agouti were most common in areas far from human settlements with an open forest understory. Green acouchi occured most frequently in areas with high drainage density, where no Brazil nut harvesting occurs. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the ecology of these species and bring subsidies for conservation, mainly in areas managed for sustainable use.