Showing papers by "Milton Cezar Ribeiro published in 2023"
TL;DR: In this paper , the effects of landscape structure on the diversity of functional traits in agricultural landscapes in the Brazilian Cerrado were investigated, and the authors found that the amount of forest and patch density were the landscape predictors that explained most of the diversity in plant functional traits.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors analyzed the potential movement distances of several mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species through the landscape anthropogenic matrix in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, using recorded roadkills within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a source of information of species occurrence.
Abstract: Abstract Context Animal movement through the landscape is essential to several ecological processes, assuring genetic flow, reproductive success and population dynamics. In fragmented landscapes, species change their movement patterns according to their sensitivity to landscape cover and configuration. Increased landscape habitat loss and fragmentation affects resource distribution and habitat availability, compelling species to move more frequently through anthropized matrices. Objectives Our aim was to provide a new prospect for what is known about animal movement through the landscape anthropogenic matrix in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, by analyzing the potential movement distances of several mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species. Methods We used recorded roadkills within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a source of information of species’ occurrence. We assumed the euclidean distance from the roadkill spot to the nearest forest fragment as the potential movement distance by different species through the anthropogenic matrix. Experts’ classification of species’ forest dependence degree, and animal movement information from the literature survey was used to analyze the variation in potential animal movement distance in these matrices. Results We analyzed 90 species, the majority of them being non-forest dependent (n = 64; 71%). The potential movement distances ranged from 0 to > 1500 m, and forest-dependent species presented lower mean distances (between 772 and 978 m) than non-forest dependent species (between 673 and 1015 m). The literature survey resulted in 44 articles regarding animal movement in the matrix, referred only to 22 species. No articles were found for 20 species, mainly reptiles and amphibians. Conclusions By comparing these values to the average distance between forest remnants in the Atlantic Forest, we expect that the distance to be traveled through the matrix to reach forest fragments may be restrictive, mainly for species with higher degree of forest dependence. Despite being descriptive, our results provide important insights on animal movement through the matrix, especially for less studied species, such as amphibians and reptiles.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigated how urban environmental attributes (e.g., noise, height of buildings, and urban vegetation characteristics) modulate species occurrences and the distribution of functional traits across the streetscape of a tropical metropolis.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , a comprehensive systematic literature review of 661 articles published between 1982 and 2019 was conducted to synthesize understanding of landscape heterogeneity and to provide the state-of-the-art on the subject.
Abstract: Summary The intrinsic complexity, variety of concepts and numerous ways to quantify landscape heterogeneity (LH) may hamper a better understanding of how its components relate to ecological phenomena. Our study is the first to synthesize understanding of this concept and to provide the state of the art on the subject based on a comprehensive systematic literature review of 661 articles published between 1982 and 2019. Definitions, terminologies and measurements of LH were diverse and conflicting. Most articles (534 out of 661) did not provide any definition for LH, and we found great variation among the studies that did. According to our review, only 10 studies measured the effects of different land-cover types on biotic or abiotic processes (functional LH). The remaining 651 studies measured physical attributes of the landscape without mentioning that different land-cover types may impact biotic and abiotic processes differently (structural LH). The metrics most frequently used to represent LH were the Shannon diversity index and proportion of land-cover type. Most metrics used as proxies of LH also coincided with those used to represent non-heterogeneity metrics, such as fragmentation and connectivity. We identify knowledge gaps, indicate future perspectives and propose guidelines that should be addressed when researching LH.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors found that male and female jaguars positively selected some anthropic structures, such as areas of crops and human settlements, for coexistence in the Neotropics dominated by humans.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors present new records of Oecomys cleberi within a region of the Atlantic Forest, in a transition zone with Cerrado, in the northwestern state of São Paulo.
Abstract: Oecomys cleberi is an arboreal rodent little known reagarding its natural history, distribution, and ecology. In this paper, we present new records of O. cleberi within a region of the Atlantic Forest, in a transition zone with Cerrado, in the northwestern state of São Paulo. We investigated the effects of the structure of fragmented landscapes on its occurrence at 40 sites in this region. We detected O. cleberi only in seasonal semideciduous forests and palm forests, but not in pastures, wetlands, and young reforestation. Our results indicated that its occurrence was determined by the amount of habitat within a 500 m radius landscape, and extremely low occupancy probabilities in landscapes with less than 25% forest cover (ψ < 0.3). Our results show the importance of the amount of habitat at the landscape scale for the occurrence of Oecomys cleberi, and point out that most of the landscapes in the study region presented low occupancy probabilities by this forest rodent. Although O. cleberi should not be considered as an Atlantic Forest species, it seems to be a resident species in ecotone areas with Cerrado, within the Atlantic Forest domain. Thus, conservation actions are necessary to preserve their populations in these regions.
TL;DR: The Forest Edge Research Network (FERN) database as mentioned in this paper provides extensive data on many variables that can be used for further study including meta-analyses and can assist in answering questions important to conservation efforts.
Abstract: Many studies have focused on vegetation across forest edges to study impacts of edges created by human activities on forest structure and composition, or patterns of vegetation at inherent natural edges. Our objective was to create a database of plant-related variables across different types of edges from various studies (mainly from across Canada, but also in Brazil and Belize) to facilitate edge research. We compiled data on vegetation along more than 300 transects perpendicular to forest edges adjacent to clear-cuts, burned areas, bogs, lakes, barrens, insect disturbances, and riparian areas from 24 studies conducted over the past three decades. Data were compiled for more than 400 plant species and forest structure variables (e.g., trees, logs, canopy cover). All data were collected with a similar sampling design of quadrats along transects perpendicular to forest edges, but with varying numbers of transects and quadrats, and distances from the edge. The purpose for most of the studies was either to determine the distance of edge influence (edge width) or to explore the pattern of vegetation along the edge to interior gradient. We provide data tables for the cover of plant species and functional groups, the species and size of live and dead trees, the density of saplings, maximum height of functional groups and shrub species, and the cover of functional groups at different heights (vertical distribution of vegetation). The Forest Edge Research Network (FERN) database provides extensive data on many variables that can be used for further study including meta-analyses and can assist in answering questions important to conservation efforts (e.g., how is distance of edge influence from created edges affected by different factors?). We plan to expand this database with subsequent studies from the authors and we invite others to contribute to make this a more global database. The data are released under a CC0 license. When using these data, we ask that you cite this data paper and any relevant publications listed in our metadata file. We also encourage you to contact the first author if you are planning to use or contribute to this database.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors propose a theoretical framework to further explore how the spatial flow of ecosystem services can vary according to landscape structure emphasizing the role played by the configuration of supply, demand, and neutral areas, as well as individual characteristics of ES.
Abstract: Despite advances in understanding the effects of landscape structure on ecosystem services (ES), many challenges related to these complex spatial interactions remain. In particular, the integration of landscape effects on different components of the service provision chain (supply, demand, and flow) remains poorly understood and conceptualized. Here we propose a theoretical framework to further explore how the spatial flow of ES can vary according to landscape structure (i.e. composition and configuration) emphasizing the role played by the configuration of supply, demand, and neutral areas, as well as individual characteristics of ES (e.g., service rivalry). For this, we expand the discussion on how landscape changes can affect ES flows and propose a theoretical representation of ES flows variation led by different supply-demand ratios. Additionally, we expand this discussion by integrating the potential effects of neutral areas in the landscape as well as of supply/demand spatial overlap. This novel approach links the spatial arrangement (e.g. fragmentation, network complexity, matrix resistance) usually captured by landscape metrics, and ratios of ES supply and demand areas to potential effects on spatial flows of ES. We discuss the application of this model using widely studied ES, such as pollination, pest control by natural enemies, and microclimate regulation. Finally, we propose a research agenda to connect the presented ideas with other prominent research topics that must be further developed to support landscape management targeting ES provision. The prominence of ES science calls for contributions such as this to give the scientific community the opportunity to reflect on the underlying mechanisms of ES and avoid oversimplified spatial assessments.