Edwin L. Hernández-Pérez

Bio: Edwin L. Hernández-Pérez is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Habitat fragmentation. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 8 publications receiving 28 citations.

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Abstract: Biodiversity loss is currently one of the most important societal concerns worldwide, and it is caused mainly by habitat loss and fragmentation, biological invasion, and climate change (Vitousek et al. 1996, Newbold et al. 2015, Bellard et al. 2016). Introduced species can have positive effects on human well-being, especially when used for livelihoods benefits (Shackleton et al. 2019). However, introduced species become invasive when they disrupt ecosystem processes by negatively affecting native species through direct, indirect or apparent competition, predation, habitat modification, and alteration of nutrient and water cycles (Long 2003, Mooney et al. 2005, Clout and Rusell 2007, Bellard et al. 2016).

Fototrampeo de mamíferos terrestres de talla mediana y grande asociados a petenes del noroeste de la península de Yucatán, México

Abstract: Introduccion.- La costa noroeste de la Peninsula de Yucatan forma un corredor que engloba diversas areas protegidas, las cuales albergan un gran numero de ecosistemas criticos de suma importancia para la conservacion, tal es el caso de las formaciones vegetales conocidas como “Petenes”. Estas formaciones solo estan presentes en la Peninsula de Yucatan, Mexico, Peninsula de Florida, EEUU y Cuba, haciendo de este ecosistema y en general, de la costa noroeste de la Peninsula de Yucatan, una de la regiones prioritarias para la conservacion en Mexico. Por lo que el estudio de las poblaciones de mamiferos, su abundancia y diversidad podrian ayudarnos a entender la estructura y dinamica de este ecosistema costero, debido a esto el presente estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la abundancia y los patrones de actividad de los mamiferos que hacen uso de los Petenes. Metodos.- Se usaron 20 trampas-camaras con las cuales se determino la abundancia relativa, asi como los patrones de actividad de los mamiferos medianos y grandes asociados a los “Petenes” en la Peninsula de Yucatan, Mexico. Se realizaron dos periodos de muestreo, abarcando la temporada de lluvias de 2013 y la de secas de 2014. Resultados.- Con un esfuerzo total de 3 284 dias-trampa se lograron registrar 16 especies de seis ordenes, 12 familias y 15 generos. Las especies mas abundantes fueron Nasua narica , Dasyprocta punctata , Cuniculus paca y Procyon lotor . Mientras que las menos abundantes fueron Conepatus semistriatus y Ateles geoffroyii. Se registran cinco tipos de patrones de actividad: Diurno/Nocturno/Crepuscular (24 h) con tres especies, Crepuscular/Diurno con tres especies, Crepuscular/Nocturno con tres especies, Nocturno con cinco especies y Diurno con dos especies. Discusion.- La presencia de especies consideradas dentro de alguna categoria de proteccion, tanto a nivel nacional e internacional, como Leopardus pardalis , L. wiedii, Conepatus semistriatus y Ateles geoffroyii hacen de los Petenes un ecosistema valioso para la conservacion de la diversidad biologica de esta importante region de Mexico. Palabras clave: Abundancia, Estatus de Conservacion, Patrones de actividad, Trampas Camara, Ecosistemas costeros.

Wild pig (Sus scrofa) as prey of the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)

Abstract: The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), is the hematophagous bat with the broadest distribution and the only one that preys on wild mammals However, when the abundance of domestic species increases, D rotundus tends to feed on horses, domestic pigs, and poultry The presence of Wild pigs in Laguna de Terminos, Campeche, represents an increase in prey availability, a factor that fosters the growth of bat populations in the region Records were obtained with camera traps in the area of influence of the Laguna de Terminos Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Campeche Camera traps were placed on trees at the edge of trails for the recording of Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) and collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) The photo trapping period ranged from January 25 to August 16, 2018 with a sampling effort of 1,428 trap days We recorded 18 species of mammals in the five locations studied Predation of the common vampire bat on Wild pigs was recorded in a single camera trap located in an oil palm plantation (Elaeis guineensis) surrounded by livestock areas and secondary forest fragments Wild pigs were the only species recorded as being attacked by the common vampire bat Of all separate records of Wild pigs, 117 % (n = 22) corresponded to photographs and videos of interactions between Wild pigs and bats Vampire bat attacks were recorded between 20:00 and 5:00 h, with a peak of activity around 23:21 h The increased availability of Wild pigs, together with changes in land use, seemingly foster the growth and expansion of vampire bat populations and, therefore, contribute to a higher incidence of attacks on domestic species In addition to the negative ecological effects, the presence of Wild pigs involves increasingly important epidemiological implications Studies on the interaction between common vampire bats and Wild pigs are necessary to assess the risk of disease transmission in the region

Jaguars and Roads in the Calakmul Region: Evidence of Road Crossing and Collisions with Vehicles

Abstract: Jaguars (Panthera onca) suffer from the negative effects of roads, mostly significant habitat fragmentation and increased risk of mortality due to vehicle collisions. In Mexico records of jaguars killed on roads are scarce and mostly anecdotal. The Calakmul-Balam-Ku jaguar population is the most important jaguar population in Mexico, but it is threatened by an extensive road network in which Federal Highway 186 Escarcega–Chetumal (hereafter called Hwy. 186) serves as the main road in the region. As part of a study to determine the diversity and abundance of medium- and large-sized mammals around Hwy. 186, we set 47 camera traps during 2019 and obtained pictures of 2 male jaguars on both sides of the road, evidence that these animals were crossing the highway. Also, later in 2020 we found the road-killed carcass of one the jaguars that we had previously documented crossing the highway. These empirical observations occurred in areas where landscape models implemented as far back as 2010 had predicted jaguar crossing sites on Hwy. 186 and where wildlife-safe road-crossing infrastructure has been proposed but so far not installed.

Updated and annotated checklist of recent mammals from Brazil.

Abstract: An updated and annotated checklist of mammals occurring in Brazil is presented. A total of 751 native species, distributed in 249 genera, 51 families and 11 orders were recorded to the country. The Brazilian mammalian fauna shows an elevated rate of endemism (30%; 223 species). Among the species evaluated by IUCN (668 species; 90%), a total of 80 (10.6% of total mammalian fauna) are Threatened, 28 (3.9%) are considered as Near Threatened, two species (0.3%) are presumable Extinct, 96 (12.8%) are considered with Deficient Data for conservation and 462 (61.6%) are considered as Least Concern. Fifteen new species were described since the last national compilation (published in 2017), which associated to new records to the country and synonimizations resulted in an increment of 30 species. Eight non-native species were introduced to the country, including the recently established Asiatic cervids Rusa unicolor (sambar) and Axis axis (chital). Seven native species (five primates and two hystricomorph rodents) have been translocated from their areas of natural occurrence to other areas inside the country.

Causes and consequences of large-scale defaunation in the Atlantic Forest

Abstract: The Atlantic Forest of South America hosts one of the world’s most diverse and threatened tropical forest biota. After five centuries of European human expansion, most Atlantic Forest landscapes are archipelagos of small forest fragments surrounded by open-habitat matrices. In this chapter, we describe the causes and consequences of large-scale defaunation in the Atlantic Forest of South America. We identify and quantify the magnitude of the main anthropogenic drivers of defaunation and stimulate a debate on how to revert the loss of fauna to restore biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services. The magnitude of the impact of defaunation in the Atlantic Forest is hard to estimate, but we can predict that, at large scale, habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation are the most common threats to terrestrial populations. Other threats vary in importance according to the taxonomic group. In general, apex predators, other carnivores, large-bodied mammals, and large herbivores were among the most defaunated functional groups and the loss of these animals has also a strong impact on the ecosystem services. Given the extent of the consequences of defaunation in the Atlantic Forest, mitigation strategies are imperative. Habitat restoration would clearly be effective in building space for defaunation mitigation but reversing the pervasive defaunation that occurred in the Atlantic Forest is by no means a straightforward task. Nonetheless, it will be fundamental to assure the persistence of the biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest remnants.