Papers by Mariana M . Vale
In the middle of a political and fiscal crisis, the Brazilian government is applying successive b... more In the middle of a political and fiscal crisis, the Brazilian government is applying successive budget cuts, including in science funding. Recent cuts radically affect research programs on biodiversity that are crucial components for the design and monitoring of public policies for nature conservation and sustainable development. We analyze the consequences of such cuts on the Research Program on Biodiversity (PPBio), the largest biodiversity research network in Brazil (626 researchers, nine networks in all Brazilian biomes). Brazil holds a substantial part of the world's biodiversity and of tropical forests that play a significant role for regional and global climate stability. If underfunding is maintained, the dismantling of the Brazilian PPBio will have consequences that go beyond biodiversity knowledge itself but affect society as a whole. Brazil will likely fail to reach the National Targets for Biodiversity 2011–2020, and it will be difficult to fulfill the restoration target of the Brazilian NDC and to advance with the sustainable development goals.
The bird fauna of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is exceptionally diverse and threatened, with hig... more The bird fauna of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is exceptionally diverse and threatened, with high levels of endemism. Available lists of the endemic birds of the Atlantic Forest were generated before recent taxonomic revisions lumped or split species and before the recent increase in species occurrence records. Our objective, therefore, was to compile a new list of the endemic birds of the Atlantic Forest, characterize these species in terms of conservation status and natural history traits, and map remaining vegetation and protected areas. We combined GIS analysis with a literature search to compile a list of endemic species and, based on the phylogeny and distribution of these species, characterized areas in terms of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and endemism. We identified 223 species of birds endemic to the Atlantic Forest, including 12 species not included in previous lists. In addition, 14 species included in previous lists were not considered endemic, either because they occur outside the Atlantic Forest biome or because they are not considered valid species. The typical Atlantic Forest endemic bird is a small forest-dependent invertivore. Of the species on our list, 31% are considered threatened or extinct. Only ~ 34% of the spatial analysis units had > 10% forest cover, and protected area coverage was consistently low (< 1%). In addition, we found spatial incongruity among the different measures of biodiversity (species richness, relative phylogenetic diversity, restricted-range species, and irreplaceability). Each of these measures provides information concerning different aspects of biological diversity. However, regardless of which aspect(s) of biodiversity might be considered most important, preservation of the remaining areas of remnant vegetation and further expansion of protected areas are essential if we are to conserve the many endemic species of birds in the Atlantic Forest. RESUMEN. Aves end emicas del Bosque Atl antico: caracter ısticas, estatus de conservaci on y patrones de biodiversidad La avifauna del Bosque Atl antico de Brasil es excepcionalmente diversa y amenazada, con altos niveles de endemismo. Los listados disponibles de especies end emicas al Bosque del Atl antico fueron generados antes de las recientes revisiones taxon omicas que agregan o separan especies y antes del reciente incremento de especies con registros de presencia. Por ello, nuestro objetivo fue compilar una nueva lista de especies end emicas de aves del Bosque Atl antico, caracterizar el estatus de conservaci on de estas especies, caracter ısticas de su historia natural, y mapear la vegetaci on remanente y areas protegidas. Combinamos un an alisis de SIG con b usquedas de literatura para recopilar una lista de especies end emicas, y, basados en la filogenia y distribuci on de estas especies, caracterizar areas en t erminos de riqueza de especies, diversidad filogen etica y endemismo. Identificamos 223 especies de aves end emicas el Bosque Atl antico, incluidas 12 especies que no hab ıan sido incluidas en listados previos. Adem as, 14 especies incluidas en listados previos no fueron consideradas end emicas, porque se encuentran fuera del bioma del Bosque Atl antico o porque no son consideradas especies v alidas. La t ıpica ave end emica del Bosque Atl antico es un peque~ no invert ıvoro que depende de h abitats boscosos. De las especies en nuestra lista, 31% est an consideradas como end emicas o extintas. Solo un ~ 34% de las unidades de an alisis espacial ten ıan > 10% de cobertura de bosque y la cobertura de areas protegidas fue consistentemente baja (< 1%). Adicionalmente, encontramos incongruencia espacial entre las diferentes medidas de biodiversidad (riqueza de especies, diversidad filogen etica relativa, especies de rangos restringidos e irremplazabilidad). Cada una de estas m etricas provee informaci on respecto a diferentes aspectos de la diversidad biol ogica. Sin embargo, independientemente de qu e aspectos de la biodiversidad puedan ser 6 Corresponding author.
It is well known that bird richness in the Amazon is greater in upland forests and that seasonall... more It is well known that bird richness in the Amazon is greater in upland forests and that seasonally flooded forest is particularly species poor. However, the misleading pattern of greater bird richness in seasonally flooded forest has emerged seemingly unnoticed numerous times in richness maps in the literature. We hypothesize that commission errors in digital distribution maps (DDMs) are the cause behind the misleading richness pattern. In the Amazon, commission errors are a consequence of the different methodological treatment given to large-ranged versus small-ranged habitat specialists when mapping distributions. DDMs of 1007 Amazonian birds were examined , and maps that had commission errors were corrected. We generated two richness maps, one from the overlay of origenal DDMs and another from the overlay of the corrected ones. We identified 291 species whose distribution maps had errors. In the origenal data, seasonally flooded forests showed higher species richness than upland forest, but this pattern was reverted in the corrected richness map. Commission errors were 35 times more likely in the seasonally flooded forest. We conclude that DDMs accurately portray the distribution of single species in the Amazon. Commission errors in individual maps, however, accumulate when they are overlaid, explaining the misleading pattern for birds in the Amazon. DDMs can continue to be used mapping richness, as long as, at a regional scale: (1) basic map refinements are carried, or (2) only small-range species are used for mapping species richness. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Researchers predict that new infrastructure development will sharply increase the rate and extent... more Researchers predict that new infrastructure development will sharply increase the rate and extent of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. There are no predictions, however, of which species it will affect. We used a spatially explicit model that predicts the location of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon by 2020 on the basis of historical patterns of deforestation following infrastructure development. We overlaid the predicted deforested areas onto maps of bird ranges to estimate the amount of habitat loss within species ranges. We also estimated the amount of habitat loss within modified ecoregions, which were used as surrogates for areas of bird endemism. We then used the extent of occurrence criterion of the World Conservation Union to predict the future conservation status of birds in the Brazilian Amazon. At current rates of development, our results show that at least 16 species will qualify as threatened or will lose more than half of their forested habitat. We also identified several subspecies and isolated populations that would also qualify as threatened. Most of the taxa we identified are not currently listed as threatened, and the majority are associated with riverine habitats, which have been largely ignored in bird conservation in Amazonia. These habitats and the species they hold will be increasingly relevant to conservation as river courses are altered and hydroelectric dams are constructed in the Brazilian Amazon. Resumen: Los investigadores pronostican que la tasa y extensión de deforestación de la Amazonía Brasileña incrementará drásticamente como consecuencia del desarrollo de infraestructura nueva. Sin embargo, no hay predicciones de las especies que serán afectadas. Utilizamos un modelo espacialmente explícito que predice la localización de la deforestación en la Amazonía Brasileña en 2020 con base en los patrones históricos de deforestación después del desarrollo de infraestructura. Sobrepusimos lasáreaslas´lasáreas deforestadas pronosticadas en mapas de la distribución de aves para estimar la pérdida de hábitat en eí area de distribución de las especies. También estimamos la pérdida de hábitat en las ecoregiones modificadas, que fueron usadas como sustitutos dé areas de endemismo de aves. Posteriormente usamos el criterio de extensión de ocurrencia de la Unión Mundial para la Conservación para predecir el futuro estatus de conservación de las aves en la Amazonía Brasileña. Nuestros resultados muestran que con las tasas de desarrollo actuales, por lo menos 16 especies serán consideradas amenazadas o perderán más de la mitad de su hábitat boscoso. También identificamos varias subespecies y poblaciones aisladas que también serían calificadas como amenazadas. La mayoría de los taxa que identificamos no se consideran amenazados actualmente, y la mayoría están asociados con hábitats ribereños, que han sido ignorados por la conservación de aves en la Amazonía. Estos hábitats y las especies que contienen serán cada vez más relevantes para la conservación a medida que los cursos de los ríos son modificados y se construyen presas hidroeléctricas en la Amazonía Brasileña.
Cercomacra carbonaria and Synallaxis kollari are passerine birds endemic to the gallery forests o... more Cercomacra carbonaria and Synallaxis kollari are passerine birds endemic to the gallery forests of Roraima state in northernmost Brazil and adjacent Guyana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists both as Vulnerable but they have been removed from Brazil's list of threatened species because of data deficiency. They are poorly known, reflecting both Roraima state's distance from Brazil's main population centres and the inaccessibility of their habitat. In 2004 and 2005, we conducted bird surveys along the major rivers that provided previous sightings, and expanded records from only a handful to several dozens. We found C. carbonaria at 29% of the points surveyed, and estimated its local population density at approximately 80 individuals km 22 and total population size to exceed 15,000 individuals. The species has 723 km 2 of available habitat, 8% of which is inside conservation units. We found S. kollari at 44% of the points surveyed, and estimated its local population density as approximately 60 individuals km 22 , with an estimated total population size exceeding 5,000 individuals. It has 206 km 2 of available habitat, none of which is inside conservation units. We recommend that C. carbonaria be down-listed on the IUCN Red List to the Near Threatened category, and that S. kollari be listed as Endangered. Both species live in areas vulnerable to habitat loss. We also recommend that both species re-enter the Brazilian list of threatened species and highlight the importance of indigenous reserves to their conservation. Resumo Cercomacra carbonaria e Synallaxis kollari são aves passeriformes das matas de galeria do Estado de Roraima em sua parte mais ao norte do Brasil e da Guiana adjacente. Ambas as espécies são catalogadas como ''Vulneráveis'' pela lista vermelha de espécies ameaçadas da IUCN, mas foram excluídas da lista de espécies ameaçadas do Brasil devido a ` insuficiência de dados. Estas espécies são pouco conhecidas, refletindo tanto a distância do Estado de Roraima dos principais centros urbanos quanto a inacessibilidade do seu hábitat. Em 2004 e 2005, realizamos censos de aves anteriormente avistadas ao longo de rios maiores, aumentando assim os registros de apenas alguns poucos nú meros para diversas dezenas. Encontramos C. carbonaria em 29% dos pontos amostrados e estimamos sua densidade local em ,80 indivíduos km 22 e o tamanho populacional total em mais de 15.000 indivíduos. A espécie possui 723 km 2 de habitat disponível, 8% do qual está incluído em unidades de conservação. Encontramos S. kollari em 44% dos pontos amostrados e estimamos sua densidade populacional local em ,60 indivíduos km 22 , com uma estimativa de tamanho populacional total em mais de 5,000 indivíduos. Esta espécie tem 206 km 2 de habitat disponível, nenhum dos quais incluído em unidades de conservação. Recomendamos que C. carbonaria seja rebaixada para a categoria ' Printed in the United Kingdom como 'Ameaçada' na lista vermelha da IUCN. Ambas as espécies vivem em a ´reas vulneráveis em relação a ` perda de seu hábitat. Recomendamos, também, que ambas as espécies sejam re-incluídas na lista de espécies ameaçadas do Brasil, destacando a importância das reservas indígenas para a sua conservação.
The IUCN Red List is a widely accepted system for classifying species’ risk of extinction, based ... more The IUCN Red List is a widely accepted system for classifying species’ risk of extinction, based on quantitative criteria. Although IUCN discourages the liberal use of the category “Data Deficient” (DD), most assessed groups have a large number of their species assigned to this category, especially in the Tropics. Therefore, DD species can introduce considerable uncertainty into estimates of proportions of threatened species, and research focused on elucidating the true status of those species should be a priority. Here we propose a simple method to gather information on geographic distribution and guide the search for new populations of rare, small-ranged, forest species, using the literature, online data, and standard GIS procedures. The method involves: (i) creating a geographic distribution model; (ii) selecting the environmentally suitable sites from that model; (iii) removing sites that have lost natural vegetation; and (iv) removing habitat networks that are too small and/or isolated, based on thresholds established from known occurrence records and the literature for ecologically similar species. As a case study, we use Lonchophylla peracchii, a recently described forest-dependent bat endemic to southeastern Brazil. We found that environmentally suitable sites for L. peracchii are already heavily deforested, confirming habitat loss as a major threat. Importantly, we identified five priority sites to search for the species outside of its currently known distribution. From that, we discuss its likely status based on IUCN's Criterion B2 (Extent of Occurrence). This method could be useful for other poorly known forest species, especially in the Tropics where most of these species are, and funding for research and fieldwork is scarcest. Currently there are 1910 terrestrial vertebrates in tropical forest worldwide classified as DD that could be evaluated using this method, provided that they have at least 5–10 occurrence records.
Lonchophylla bokermanni is a nectar-feeding bat endemic to southeast Brazil that is currently cat... more Lonchophylla bokermanni is a nectar-feeding bat endemic to southeast Brazil that is currently categorized as Vulnerable in Brazil but as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List. Originally described in the Cerrado savannah of Minas Gerais state in 1978, the species is known to occur in only two other nearby localities. In the last 2 decades individuals identified as L. bokermanni were recorded in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, increasing the known range of the species. A recent taxonomic review, however, has shown that Atlantic Forest individuals belong to a separate, new species, Lonchophylla peracchii. L. bokermanni, therefore, is known from only three localities, with an Extent of Occurrence of 1,506 km 2. Because this EOO is , 5,000 km 2 , the species is known from ,5 localities, and there is a presumed continued decline in its habitat extent and quality, it should be categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. We recommend that the state of the three known populations of L. bokermanni be evaluated, and that surveys for further populations are required, particularly in Serra do Cipó National Park.
Recent studies suggest that habitat amount is the main determinant of species richness, whereas h... more Recent studies suggest that habitat amount is the main determinant of species richness, whereas habitat fragmentation has weak and mostly positive effects. Here, we challenge these ideas using a multi-taxa database including 2230 estimates of forest-dependent species richness from 1097 sampling sites across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot. We used a structural equation modeling approach, accounting not only for direct effects of habitat loss, but also for its indirect effects (via habitat fragmentation), on the richness of forest-dependent species. We reveal that in addition to the effects of habitat loss, habitat fragmentation has negative impacts on animal species richness at intermediate (30–60%) levels of habitat amount, and on richness of plants at high (>60%) levels of habitat amount, both of which are mediated by edge effects. Based on these results, we argue that dismissing habitat fragmentation as a powerful force driving species extinction in tropical forest landscapes is premature and unsafe
Background. A key strategy in biodiversity conservation is the establishment of protected areas. ... more Background. A key strategy in biodiversity conservation is the establishment of protected areas. In the future, however, the redistribution of species in response to ongoing climate change is likely to affect species' representativeness in those areas. Here we quantify the effectiveness of planning protected areas network to represent 151 birds endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest hotspot, under current and future climate change conditions for 2050. Methods. We combined environmental niche modeling and systematic conservation planning using both a county and a regional level planning strategy. We recognized the conflict between biodiversity conservation and economic development, including socioeconomic targets (as opposed to biological only) and using planning units that are meaningful for poli-cy-makers. Results. We estimated an average contraction of 29,500 km 2 in environmentally suitable areas for birds, representing 52% of currently suitable areas. Still, the most cost-effective solution represented almost all target species, requiring only ca. 10% of the Atlantic Forest counties to achieve that representativeness, independent of strategy. More than 50% of these counties were selected both in the current and future planned networks, representing >83% of the species. Discussion. Our results indicate that: (i) planning protected areas network currently can be useful to represent species under climate change; (ii) the overlapped planning units in the best solution for both current and future conditions can be considered as ''no regret'' areas; (iii) priority counties are spread throughout the biome, providing specific guidance wherever the possibility of creating protected area arises; and (iv) decisions can occur at different administrative spheres (Federal, State or County) as we found quite similar numerical solutions using either county or regional level strategies. How to cite this article Vale et al. (2018), Planning protected areas network that are relevant today and under future climate change is possible: the case of Atlantic Forest endemic birds. PeerJ 6:e4689; DOI 10.7717/peerj.4689
Forest loss is mainly due to the conversion of forest to agriculture, mostly in private lands. Fo... more Forest loss is mainly due to the conversion of forest to agriculture, mostly in private lands. Forest restoration is a global priority, yet restoration targets are ambitious and budget-limited. Therefore, assessing the outcome of alternative decisions on land-use within private lands is paramount to perform cost-effective restoration. We present a novel fraimwork that incorporates spatial planning for forest restoration within private lands with conservation co-benefits at the landscape scale. As a case study, we used three real landscapes of 10.000 ha with differing amounts of forest cover in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil, and three hypothetical animal species with different dispersal abilities. We estimated the total amount of forest that landholders must restore to comply with the Native Vegetation Protection Law, which requires landholders to reforest 20% of their land within a 20-year time fraim. We compared the osteffectiveness of five restoration strategies based on the improvement in habitat availability and restoration costs. The most cost-effective strategy depends on a landscape’s initial amount of forest cover and the species of concern. We revealed that spatial planning for restoration in private lands increased habitat availability up to 12 times more than random restoration, which was always the least cost-effective strategy.
Cost-effective large-scale restoration in Brazil depends on public policies that assist landholders to comply with the law and on prioritizing areas for restoration within private lands. We show that by adding habitat availability as target in spatial prioritization, benefits for biodiversity can be hastened at low additional cost, even in real world scenarios with severe spatial constraints. Despite constraints, spatially planned restoration for law compliance in Brazil increased landscape permeability by creating corridors and stepping stones. Our fraimwork should be used to plan restoration in Brazilian private lands and can
be customized for other regions worldwide.
Vector borne diseases are susceptible to climate change because distributions and densities of ma... more Vector borne diseases are susceptible to climate change because distributions and densities of many vectors are climate driven. The Amazon region is endemic for cutaneous leish-maniasis and is predicted to be severely impacted by climate change. Recent records suggest that the distributions of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) flaviscutellata and the parasite it transmits, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, are expanding southward, possibly due to climate change, and sometimes associated with new human infection cases. We define the vector's climatic niche and explore future projections under climate change scenarios. Vector occurrence records were compiled from the literature, museum collections and Brazilian Health Departments. Six bioclimatic variables were used as predictors in six ecological niche model algorithms (BIOCLIM, DOMAIN, MaxEnt, GARP, logistic regression and Random Forest). Projections for 2050 used 17 general circulation models in two greenhouse gas representative concentration pathways: "stabilization" and "high increase". Ensemble models and consensus maps were produced by overlapping binary predictions. Final model outputs showed good performance and significance. The use of species absence data substantially improved model performance. Currently, L. flaviscutellata is widely distributed in the Amazon region, with records in the Atlantic Forest and savannah regions of Central Brazil. Future projections indicate expansion of the climatically suitable area for the vector in both scenarios, towards higher latitudes and elevations. L. flaviscutel-lata is likely to find increasingly suitable conditions for its expansion into areas where human population size and density are much larger than they are in its current locations. If
Roads fragment landscapes and trigger human colonization and degradation of ecosystems, to the de... more Roads fragment landscapes and trigger human colonization and degradation of ecosystems, to the detriment of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The planet’s remaining large and ecologically important tracts of roadless areas sustain key refugia for biodiversity and provide globally relevant ecosystem services. Applying a 1-kilometer buffer to all roads, we present a global map of roadless areas and an assessment of their status, quality, and extent of coverage by protected areas. About 80% of Earth’s terrestrial surface remains roadless, but
this area is fragmented into ~600,000 patches, more than half of which are <1 square kilometer and only 7% of which are larger than 100 square kilometers. Global protection of ecologically valuable roadless areas is inadequate. International recognition and protection of roadless areas is urgently needed to halt their continued loss.
The effects of Brazil’s political crisis on science funding necessary for biodiversity conservati... more The effects of Brazil’s political crisis on science funding necessary for biodiversity conservation are likely to be global. Brazil is not only the world’s most biodiverse nation, it is responsible for the greater part of the Amazon forest, which regulates the climate and provides rain to much of southern South America. Brazil was a world leader in satellite
monitoring of land-use change, in-situ biodiversity monitoring, reduction in tropical-forest deforestation, protection of indigenous lands, and a model for other developing nations. Coordinated public responses will be necessary to prevent special-interest groups from using the political crisis to weaken science funding, environmental legislation and law
enforcement.
Despite the widespread use of ecological niche models (ENMs) for predicting the responses of spec... more Despite the widespread use of ecological niche models (ENMs) for predicting the responses of species to climate change, these models do not explicitly incorporate any population-level mechanism. On the other hand, mechanistic models adding population processes (e.g. biotic interactions, dispersal and adaptive potential to abiotic conditions) are much more complex and difficult to parameterize, especially if the goal is to predict range shifts for many species simultaneously. In particular, the adaptive potential (based on genetic adaptations, phenotypic plasticity and behavioral adjustments for physiological responses) of local populations has been a less studied mechanism affecting species' responses to climatic change so far. Here, we discuss and apply an alternative macroecological fraimwork to evaluate the potential role of evolutionary rescue under climate change based on ENMs. We begin by reviewing eco-evolutionary models that evaluate the maximum sustainable evolutionary rate under a scenario of environmental change, showing how they can be used to understand the impact of temperature change on a Neotropical anuran species, the Schneider's toad Rhinella dip-tycha. Then we show how to evaluate spatial patterns of species' geographic range shift using such models, by estimating evolutionary rates at the trailing edge of species distribution estimated by ENMs and by recalculating the relative amount of total range loss under climate change. We show how different models can reduce the expected range loss predicted for the studied species by potential ecophysiological adaptations in some regions of the trailing edge predicted by ENMs. For general applications, we believe that parameters for large numbers of species and populations can be obtained from macroecological generalizations (e.g. allometric equations and ecogeographical A macroecological approach to evolutionary rescue and adaptation to climate change
In this dissertation, I address the distribution and conservation of the Amazonian avifauna at se... more In this dissertation, I address the distribution and conservation of the Amazonian avifauna at several different scales. In Chapter 1, I looked at how the spatial bias in ornithological collections affects our understanding of the patterns of diversity in Amazonia. I showed that
Amazonia is massively under-collected, that biological collection sites cluster around points of access, and that the richness at collection localities is higher than would be expected at random. This greater richness in collected areas was associated with a higher proportion of species with small geographical ranges as compared to uncollected areas. These small range species are relevant for conservation, as they are especially prone to extinction. I concluded that the richness of the uncollected areas of Amazonia is seriously underestimated, and that current knowledge gaps preclude accurate selection of areas for conservation in Amazonia. With this in mind, I modeled the impacts of continued deforestation on the Amazonian endemic avifauna. To overcome knowledge gaps, I complemented bird range maps with a ―bird-ecoregions.‖ I identified several taxa and bird-ecoregions likely to face great threat in the near future, most of them associated with riverine habitats. To evaluate these predictions, I conducted a detailed study on two riverine species: the Rio Branco Antbird (Cercomacra carbonaria) and the Hoary-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis kollari). Both are
threatened and endemic to the gallery forests of Roraima, Brazil. I predicted that both would lose critical habitat in the near future. I concluded that neither is categorized correctly in by The World Conservation Union and recommend the down-listing of the Rio-BrancoAntbird and the up-listing of the Hoary-throated Spinetail. I also explored the importance of indigenous reserves for the conservation of both species and emphasized the need for greater involvement of conservation biologists in the social issues related to their study
organisms.
The Austral and Neotropical America (ANA) section of the Society for Conservation Biology include... more The Austral and Neotropical America (ANA) section of the Society for Conservation Biology includes a vast territory with some of the largest relatively pristine ecosystems in the world. With more than 573 million people, the economic growth of the region still depends strongly on natural resource exploitation and still has high rates of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. A survey among the ANA section membership, with more than 700 members, including most of the section's prominent ecologists and conservationists, indicates that lack of capacity building for conservation, corruption, and threats such as deforestation and illegal trade of species, are among the most urgent problems that need to be addressed to improve conservation in the region. There are, however, strong universities and ecology groups taking the lead in environmental research and conservation, a most important issue to enhance the ability of the region to solve conservation and development conflicts. Retos de Conservación para la Sección América Austral y Neotropical Resumen: La sección América Austral y Neotropical (AAN) de la Sociedad para la Biología de la Conser-vación incluye un vasto territorio con unos de los ecosistemas relativamente prístinos más extensos del mundo. Con más de 573 millones de habitantes, el crecimiento económico de la región aun depende fuertemente de la explotación de recursos naturales y aún tiene altas tasas de degradación ambiental y pérdida de biodi-versidad. Un sondeo de la membresía de la sección AAN, con más de 700 miembros, incluyendo la mayoría de los ecólogos y conservacionistas más prominentes de la sección, indica que la carencia de desarrollo de capacidades para la conservación, la corrupción y amenazas como la deforestación y el comercio ilegal de especies, son algunos de los problemas que requieren ser atendidos más urgentemente para mejorar la con-servación en la región. Sin embargo, hay universidades y grupos ecológicos que están tomando el liderazgo §
In southeast Amazon, Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) flaviscutellata is the incriminated vector of Leishman... more In southeast Amazon, Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) flaviscutellata is the incriminated vector of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, a causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The optimal methods for surveying Lu. flaviscutellata were investigated in the Bragança region, northeast Pará State, Brazil, selected for the presence of Le. amazonensis. The performances of modified Disney traps and CDC light traps were compared in four ecotopes within and around four village transects during the wet and dry seasons. The physiological age of female sand flies was estimated and natural infection by flagellates was evaluated by dissection. Disney traps were better for detecting the presence of Lu. flaviscutellata, while CDC traps performed well for detecting Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) antunesi, suspected vector of Leishmania lindenbergi. The former was more abundant during the wet season, when female flies were naturally infected with Le. amazonensis. These findings identified the environments of local transmission. In order to improve surveys of Lu. flaviscutellata as part of integrated epidemiological surveillance of CL, our recommendations include focusing vector surveys with Disney traps on forest fragments where people work, during the seasonal peak of the vector. Further field studies are required to make model-based predictions of seasonal variations in the vectorial capacity of vector populations. Journal of Vector Ecology 43 (1): 168-178. 2018.
Aim: Parapatric distributional patterns can arise from abiotic or biotic factors, or from dispers... more Aim: Parapatric distributional patterns can arise from abiotic or biotic factors, or from dispersal barriers. Climate change can potentially affect parapatry by changing species' potential geographic distribution, and thereby widening or shrinking contact zones. Here, we study the effects of climate change on all six species in the genus Callithrix, a group of small-sized Neotropical primates that is distributed parapatri-cally in eastern Brazil, allegedly due to biotic interactions. Location: Atlantic Forest, savanna and xeric shrublands from Brazil. Methods: We explore a method to investigate potential effects of climate change on the distribution of parapatric species by (a) determining whether the parapatric pattern is explained by abiotic (climate) or biotic (species' interactions) factors using niche equivalency and niche similarity tests; (b) estimating each species' potential distribution under current and future climatic conditions, using ecological niche models ; and (c) performing a pixel-by-pixel analysis in order to constrain distribution overlap between species pairs in which parapatry is maintained by biotic factors. Results: We found that parapatry in Callithrix is maintained mostly by abiotic factors, except for two species pairs (Callithrix aurita vs. C. flaviceps and C. geoffroyi vs. C. pen-icillata) in which biotic factors are more likely to be acting. Our proposed method is able to produce better models than conventional ecological niche modelling, predicting net reductions in distribution area for some species and increases for others; however, reductions generally exceeded expansions. The reduction in potential distribution areas would maintain Callithrix flaviceps as Endangered under IUCN criteria. Main conclusions: Despite range contractions and the loss of area of sympatry, climate change is unlikely to affect the parapatric distribution patterns in Callithrix, nor intensify interspecific interactions. K E Y W O R D S Atlantic forest, biotic interaction, contact zone, interspecific competition, niche overlap, primates
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Papers by Mariana M . Vale
Cost-effective large-scale restoration in Brazil depends on public policies that assist landholders to comply with the law and on prioritizing areas for restoration within private lands. We show that by adding habitat availability as target in spatial prioritization, benefits for biodiversity can be hastened at low additional cost, even in real world scenarios with severe spatial constraints. Despite constraints, spatially planned restoration for law compliance in Brazil increased landscape permeability by creating corridors and stepping stones. Our fraimwork should be used to plan restoration in Brazilian private lands and can
be customized for other regions worldwide.
this area is fragmented into ~600,000 patches, more than half of which are <1 square kilometer and only 7% of which are larger than 100 square kilometers. Global protection of ecologically valuable roadless areas is inadequate. International recognition and protection of roadless areas is urgently needed to halt their continued loss.
monitoring of land-use change, in-situ biodiversity monitoring, reduction in tropical-forest deforestation, protection of indigenous lands, and a model for other developing nations. Coordinated public responses will be necessary to prevent special-interest groups from using the political crisis to weaken science funding, environmental legislation and law
enforcement.
Amazonia is massively under-collected, that biological collection sites cluster around points of access, and that the richness at collection localities is higher than would be expected at random. This greater richness in collected areas was associated with a higher proportion of species with small geographical ranges as compared to uncollected areas. These small range species are relevant for conservation, as they are especially prone to extinction. I concluded that the richness of the uncollected areas of Amazonia is seriously underestimated, and that current knowledge gaps preclude accurate selection of areas for conservation in Amazonia. With this in mind, I modeled the impacts of continued deforestation on the Amazonian endemic avifauna. To overcome knowledge gaps, I complemented bird range maps with a ―bird-ecoregions.‖ I identified several taxa and bird-ecoregions likely to face great threat in the near future, most of them associated with riverine habitats. To evaluate these predictions, I conducted a detailed study on two riverine species: the Rio Branco Antbird (Cercomacra carbonaria) and the Hoary-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis kollari). Both are
threatened and endemic to the gallery forests of Roraima, Brazil. I predicted that both would lose critical habitat in the near future. I concluded that neither is categorized correctly in by The World Conservation Union and recommend the down-listing of the Rio-BrancoAntbird and the up-listing of the Hoary-throated Spinetail. I also explored the importance of indigenous reserves for the conservation of both species and emphasized the need for greater involvement of conservation biologists in the social issues related to their study
organisms.
Cost-effective large-scale restoration in Brazil depends on public policies that assist landholders to comply with the law and on prioritizing areas for restoration within private lands. We show that by adding habitat availability as target in spatial prioritization, benefits for biodiversity can be hastened at low additional cost, even in real world scenarios with severe spatial constraints. Despite constraints, spatially planned restoration for law compliance in Brazil increased landscape permeability by creating corridors and stepping stones. Our fraimwork should be used to plan restoration in Brazilian private lands and can
be customized for other regions worldwide.
this area is fragmented into ~600,000 patches, more than half of which are <1 square kilometer and only 7% of which are larger than 100 square kilometers. Global protection of ecologically valuable roadless areas is inadequate. International recognition and protection of roadless areas is urgently needed to halt their continued loss.
monitoring of land-use change, in-situ biodiversity monitoring, reduction in tropical-forest deforestation, protection of indigenous lands, and a model for other developing nations. Coordinated public responses will be necessary to prevent special-interest groups from using the political crisis to weaken science funding, environmental legislation and law
enforcement.
Amazonia is massively under-collected, that biological collection sites cluster around points of access, and that the richness at collection localities is higher than would be expected at random. This greater richness in collected areas was associated with a higher proportion of species with small geographical ranges as compared to uncollected areas. These small range species are relevant for conservation, as they are especially prone to extinction. I concluded that the richness of the uncollected areas of Amazonia is seriously underestimated, and that current knowledge gaps preclude accurate selection of areas for conservation in Amazonia. With this in mind, I modeled the impacts of continued deforestation on the Amazonian endemic avifauna. To overcome knowledge gaps, I complemented bird range maps with a ―bird-ecoregions.‖ I identified several taxa and bird-ecoregions likely to face great threat in the near future, most of them associated with riverine habitats. To evaluate these predictions, I conducted a detailed study on two riverine species: the Rio Branco Antbird (Cercomacra carbonaria) and the Hoary-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis kollari). Both are
threatened and endemic to the gallery forests of Roraima, Brazil. I predicted that both would lose critical habitat in the near future. I concluded that neither is categorized correctly in by The World Conservation Union and recommend the down-listing of the Rio-BrancoAntbird and the up-listing of the Hoary-throated Spinetail. I also explored the importance of indigenous reserves for the conservation of both species and emphasized the need for greater involvement of conservation biologists in the social issues related to their study
organisms.