Uso do espaço por jabutis-amarelos (chelonoidis denticulatus) em uma reserva na amazônia central: influências de características biológicas, do gradiente topográfico e da disponibilidade de recursos alimentares e clareiras

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the influence of sex, body length and distance traveled on the areas used by yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulatus) in an area of dense rain forest in Central Amazonia. We also investigated whether individuals selected different ranges of terrain slope and elevation, areas with greater availability of food resources or proportion of clearings. We captured 21 individuals of C. denticulatus (7 males, 6 females and 8 juveniles) and monitored the individuals’ movements using thread-bobbins, sampling the elevations and slopes used, the availability of potential food resources (flowers, fallen ripe fruits and fungi) and proportions of clearings within the routes traveled by each individual. To sample the availability of resources, we collected the same variables in plots distributed throughout the study area. Of the food resources analyzed, only flowers varied in relation to the topographic gradient, presenting higher densities in high and flat areas. The areas used by yellow-footed tortoises were larger for individuals with larger body lengths and were similar between sexes. Young individuals were more associated with higher and flat areas, while terrain slope did not appear to be a limiting factor for adult individuals, which frequently moved between areas with large differences in elevation and slope. Although tortoises used clearings in similar proportions to their availability, the higher frequency of encounters of resting adult adult individuals under fallen trees indicates that this resource is important for shelter. Young individuals were more frequently sheltered in leaf litter. This study indicates that, although C. denticulatus has generalist habits, its use of space varied considerably between different life phases e, and variations in topography can influence the space use by small individuals.