Ricardo Rocha
Universidade de Lisboa, Centre for Environmental Biology, Graduate Student
- University of Helsinki, Metapopulation Research Group, Graduate StudentImperial College London, Biological Sciences, AlumnusInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Graduate Studentadd
- My main area of interest regards the anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity loss, mainly in tropical forest ecosystems... moreMy main area of interest regards the anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity loss, mainly in tropical forest ecosystems. My current research is related to the evaluation of how habitat fragmentation impacts upon tropical forest communities and to the assessment of species persistence in humanized landscapes. My PhD thesis is dedicated to the effects tropical forest fragmentation on the spatial-temporal dynamics of phyllostomid bat communities and my fieldwork is carried out at the Biological Dynamics of Forests Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. Funding is provided by the Portuguese Fundation for Science and Tecnology (grant SFRH/BD/80488/2011).edit
Research Interests:
1. Evidence-based knowledge is critical for the delineation and success of conservation interventions. However, despite limited research resources, research efforts frequently fail to target conservation priorities. Island endemic bats... more
1. Evidence-based knowledge is critical for the delineation and success of conservation interventions. However, despite limited research resources, research efforts frequently fail to target conservation priorities. Island endemic bats (IEBs) are a poorly studied group inhabiting some of the world's most vulnerable habitats, and for which no review of research allocation has ever been conducted. 2. We conducted a bibliometric review to evaluate the global research patterns for IEBs with respect to individual species, geographical distribution and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categories. Additionally, we studied the relationship between the number of publications and changes in Red List category, and identified species-based and area-based priorities for future research. 3. IEBs are significantly more threatened than bat species that are not island endemics. However, research focusing on IEBs is scarce, centred on species of lesser conservation concern, and spatially asymmetric, overlooking areas of high IEB biodiversity. Conservation-oriented research seems to target species facing high extinction risk, but is extremely thinly and unevenly distributed. Although we found a positive association between research effort and improvement in Red List category, an increase in extinction risk did not trigger more scientific attention. A prioritisation analysis highlighted, as the top five islands for species richness in the least-studied and highest conservation concern IEBs: Sulawesi, Timor, New Guinea, Java, and Borneo. The ten species of highest research priority include threatened and Data Deficient species from Southeast Asian and Pacific islands.
Research Interests:
Networks of protected areas (PAs) form the backbone for biodiversity conservation worldwide. The effectiveness of protected areas has been studied and it has been shown that confounding factors, such as remoteness and accessibility ,... more
Networks of protected areas (PAs) form the backbone for biodiversity conservation worldwide. The effectiveness of protected areas has been studied and it has been shown that confounding factors, such as remoteness and accessibility , correlated with both presence of protection and extractive behaviors, affect the outcomes. We investigated the effectiveness of Madagascar's PA network in decreasing deforestation pressures, using a novel counterfactual methodology, accounting for distance to roads, rivers, major cities and altitude, slope and annual rainfall. The assessment was independently conducted for two different time periods, 1990–2000 and 2000– 2010, and for Madagascar's three major forest types. We found that PAs were effective to some extent in reducing deforestation and that some of this decrease can be attributed to the presence of PAs, not just to the confounding factors rendering the land assigned for protection less likely to be deforested. We found differences in PA effectiveness between the two time periods, and in general lower deforestation in the later time period has meant that the PAs have less pressures to resist. However, in the spiny forest, even if deforestation had overall diminished, the pressure on reference areas used to compare PAs seemed to have increased showing that PAs have indeed a mitigation effect and thus increased in effectiveness in the second time period. Our study highlights the alarming trend of what happens once enough forest has been lost in easily accessible areas and the pressures starts to spread to also more remote areas and lands comparable to PAs (remote and inaccessible).
Research Interests:
In recent years, large clearings (>1000 ha) accounted for gradually smaller amounts of total annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, whereas the proportion of small clearings (<50 ha) nowadays represents more than 80% of annual... more
In recent years, large clearings (>1000 ha) accounted for gradually smaller amounts of total annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, whereas the proportion of small clearings (<50 ha) nowadays represents more than 80% of annual deforestation. Despite the ubiquity of small clearings in fragmented Amazonian landscapes, most fragmentation research has focused on the effects of large-scale deforestation , leading to a poor understanding of the impacts of smaller barriers on Amazonian vertebrates. We capitalized on the periodical re-isolation of experimental forest fragments at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in the Central Amazon as a before-after-control-impact experiment to investigate the short-term effects of small clearings on bat assemblages. Over the course of three years we sampled six control sites in continuous forest, the interiors and edges of eight forest fragments as well as eight sites in the surrounding matrix. Sampling took place both before and after the experimental manipulation (clearing of a 100 m wide strip of regrowth around each fragment), resulting in $4000 bat captures. Species were classified as old-growth specialists and habitat generalists according to their habitat affinities and a joint species distribution modeling framework was used to investigate the effect of fragment re-isolation on species occupancy. Following fragment re-isolation, species richness declined in all habitats other than fragment edges and, although responses were idiosyncratic, this decline was more pronounced for forest specialist than for generalist species. Additionally, fragment re-isolation led to a reduction in the similarity between assemblages in modified habitats (fragment interiors, edges and matrix) and continuous forest. Sampling of controls in continuous forest both prior to and after re-isolation revealed that much of the variation in bat species occupancy between sampling periods did not arise from fragment re-isolation but rather reflected natural spatiotemporal variability. This emphasizes the need to sample experimental controls both before and after experimental manipulation and suggests caution in the interpretation of results from studies in which the effects of habitat transformations are assessed based solely on data collected using space-for-time substitution approaches.
Research Interests: Forestry, Forest Fragmentation, Forest Ecology, Bats (Mammalogy), Bats, and 18 moreTropical forest, Fragmentation, Habitat fragmentation, Bats, Chiroptera, Bats Peru diversity Tumbes Amotape, Morcegos Do Brasil: Biologia, Sistemática, Morcegos, Fragmentación, Marcação de morcegos, Conservação, Sistemática de Morcegos, Fragmentation Ecology, Ecologia De Morcegos, Habitat Fragmentation and Loss, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Bat casualties caused by opportunistic predation of entangled animals during surveys employing mist-nets are scarcely reported in the scientific literature. Consequently, predator induced mortality associated with this sampling method is... more
Bat casualties caused by opportunistic predation of entangled animals during surveys employing mist-nets are scarcely reported in the scientific literature. Consequently, predator induced mortality associated with this sampling method is probably underestimated. Here, we report a predation attempt of a silky short-tailed bat (Carollia brevicauda) by a
tawny-bellied screech-owl (Megascops watsonii) while the bat was entangled in the mistnet. The event took place in the Central Brazilian Amazon and represents the first report of bat predation attempt by this owl species. Additionally, we searched the literature for published records of bat predation during mist-net surveys since 1990. Twelve publications, covering at least 15 bat species and 11 predators, have reported opportunistic predation on entangled animals. We consider that predation of entangled animals is likely underreported and we recommend than in order to reduce opportunistic predation of entangled animals, researchers should: a) periodically visit the mist-nets every 15 to 20 minutes, and b) avoid that mist-nets reach ground-level once an animal becomes trapped.
tawny-bellied screech-owl (Megascops watsonii) while the bat was entangled in the mistnet. The event took place in the Central Brazilian Amazon and represents the first report of bat predation attempt by this owl species. Additionally, we searched the literature for published records of bat predation during mist-net surveys since 1990. Twelve publications, covering at least 15 bat species and 11 predators, have reported opportunistic predation on entangled animals. We consider that predation of entangled animals is likely underreported and we recommend than in order to reduce opportunistic predation of entangled animals, researchers should: a) periodically visit the mist-nets every 15 to 20 minutes, and b) avoid that mist-nets reach ground-level once an animal becomes trapped.
Research Interests: Bats (Mammalogy), Bats, Bats, Chiroptera, Bats Peru diversity Tumbes Amotape, Morcegos Do Brasil: Biologia, Sistemática, and 10 moreNeotropical Bats, Morcegos, Sistematica De Morcegos, Murciélagos, Ecologia De Morcegos, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Across the tropics, vast deforested areas are undergoing forest regeneration due to land abandonment. Although secondary forest is an expanding type of landscape matrix that has been shown to buffer some of the negative consequences of... more
Across the tropics, vast deforested areas are undergoing forest regeneration due to land abandonment. Although secondary forest is an expanding type of landscape matrix that has been shown to buffer some of the negative consequences of forest loss and fragmentation on taxonomic diversity, little is known in this regard about the functional dimension of biodiversity. We took advantage of an ecosystem-wide fragmentation experiment to investigate longer term changes in functional diversity of a mega-diverse Amazonian bat assemblage associated with regrowth development in the matrix. We found that matrix regeneration affected several facets of bat functional diversity in secondary forest over time, increasing functional a diversity, species-and community-level functional uniqueness, altering functional trait composition, and resulting in functional b-diversity changes via trait gains. However, approximately 30 years of matrix regeneration were insufficient for functional diversity to recover to the same levels as in continuous forest. Our results suggest that a combination of natural, human-assisted, and active restoration is likely to be the most successful strategy for restoring functional biodiversity of bats in human-modified tropical landscapes, a finding that most likely also applies to many other taxa.
Research Interests: Forestry, Conservation Biology, Conservation, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function, Forest Ecology And Management, and 20 moreMammalogy, Forest Fragmentation, Biodiversity, Forest Ecology, Bats (Mammalogy), Wildlife Conservation, Chiroptera, Biodiversity Conservation, Biodiversity Research, Bats, Tropics, Tropical Forest Ecology, Tropical forest, Neotropics, Fragmentation, Bats, Chiroptera, Neotropical Bats, Habitat Fragmentation and Loss, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
The recent upsurge in bat-borne virus research has attracted substantial news coverage worldwide. A systematic review of virological literature revealed that bats were described as a major concern for public health in half of all studies... more
The recent upsurge in bat-borne
virus research has attracted substantial news
coverage worldwide. A systematic review of virological literature revealed that
bats were described as a major concern for public health in half of all studies
(51%), and that their key role in delivering ecosystem services was disregarded
in almost all studies (96%). Although research on zoonoses is of the utmost
importance, biased framings of bats can undermine decades of conservation
efforts. We urge researchers and science communicators to consider the conservation
impacts of how research findings are presented to the public carefully,
and, whenever possible, to highlight the ecological significance of bats, their
dire conservation situation and their importance for human well-being.
virus research has attracted substantial news
coverage worldwide. A systematic review of virological literature revealed that
bats were described as a major concern for public health in half of all studies
(51%), and that their key role in delivering ecosystem services was disregarded
in almost all studies (96%). Although research on zoonoses is of the utmost
importance, biased framings of bats can undermine decades of conservation
efforts. We urge researchers and science communicators to consider the conservation
impacts of how research findings are presented to the public carefully,
and, whenever possible, to highlight the ecological significance of bats, their
dire conservation situation and their importance for human well-being.
Research Interests: Molecular Virology (Biology), Perception, Social Sciences, Human Perception and Performance, Conservation Biology, and 18 moreConservation, Virology, Molecular virology, Biodiversity, Bats (Mammalogy), Attitudes (Social Psychology), Wildlife Conservation, Animal Behaviour (Bats), Biodiversity Conservation, Bats, Beliefs and attitudes, Bats, Chiroptera, Cave Bats, Bats Peru diversity Tumbes Amotape, Neotropical Bats, Virologia, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Recent studies predict a future decrease in precipitation across the tropics, particularly the Amazon, likely causing significant droughts that have negative consequences for Amazonian freshwater biomes, especially lakes. Furthermore,... more
Recent studies predict a future decrease in precipitation across the tropics, particularly the Amazon, likely causing significant droughts that have negative consequences for Amazonian freshwater biomes, especially lakes. Furthermore, immediate consequences of global warming for terrestrial fauna associated with tropical lakes are poorly understood as the vast majority of studies come from temperate regions. Here, we assess the seasonal importance of lakes for the conservation of aerial insectivorous bats in the Central Amazon using passive bat recorders. We compared richness, general bat activity and foraging activity between lakes and adjacent forest. Of a total of 21 species/sonotypes recorded in both habitats, all were detected over lakes, and 18 were significantly more active over lakes than in forest. Only two species had significantly higher activity levels in the forest than at the lakes. Species richness and general bat activity over the lakes were higher in the dry than in the rainy season. Foraging activity was also greater over the lakes than within the forest in both seasons. Moreover , both variables were positively correlated with lake size, although the effect on activity was species-specific. Climate change-driven shrinking of lakes may have detrimental consequences for aerial insectivorous bats, especially for the most water-dependent species. Compared to permanent water bodies of other regions, the value of tropical lakes for functionally important taxa, such as bats, has been understudied. Higher bat activity levels over lakes than in forest in both seasons and comprising the whole ensemble of aerial insectivorous bats of the study region, indicate that lakes embedded in Amazonian terra firme forests deserve special attention for future bat conservation.
Research Interests: Aquatic Ecology, Conservation Biology, Conservation, Wildlife Biology, Wildlife Ecology And Management, and 20 moreGreat Lakes, Bats (Mammalogy), Human-wildlife conflicts, Wildlife Conservation, Animal Behaviour (Bats), Lakes, Bats, Wildlife, Wildlife Management, Limnology of tropical lakes, Bats, Chiroptera, Neotropical Bats, Morcegos, Aquatic science, Acoustic Species Identification in Bats, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Tropical forest loss and fragmentation are due to increase in coming decades. Understanding how matrix dynamics, especially secondary forest regrowth, can lessen fragmentation impacts is key to understanding species persistence in... more
Tropical forest loss and fragmentation are due to increase in coming decades. Understanding how matrix dynamics, especially secondary forest regrowth, can lessen fragmentation impacts is key to understanding species persistence in modified landscapes. Here, we use a whole-ecosystem fragmentation experiment to investigate how bat assemblages are influenced by the regeneration of the secondary forest matrix. We surveyed bats in continuous forest, forest fragments and secondary forest matrix habitats, ~15 and ~30 years after forest clearance, to investigate temporal changes in the occupancy and abundance of old-growth specialist and habitat generalist species. The regeneration of the second growth matrix had overall positive effects on the occupancy and abundance of specialists across all sampled habitats. Conversely, effects on generalist species were negligible for forest fragments and negative for secondary forest. Our results show that the conservation potential of secondary forests for reverting faunal declines in fragmented tropical landscapes increases with secondary forest age and that old-growth specialists, which are often of most conservation concern, are the greatest beneficiaries of secondary forest maturation. Our findings emphasize that the transposition of patterns of biodiversity persistence in island ecosystems to fragmented terrestrial settings can be hampered by the dynamic nature of human-dominated landscapes. Humanity's global footprint is so ubiquitous and far-reaching that many argue that we now live in a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene 1. Habitat loss and fragmentation are pervasive and conspicuous features of this new historical context, which, in combination with other human-related threats, are compelling the planet into a " sixth wave of extinction " 2,3. The scars of the Anthropocene defaunation are being carved deep into the planet's biodiversity strongholds, the tropical forests 4. As large swaths of old-growth forest give way to expanding humanized landscapes, species persisting in forest remnants are left to endure the pervasive consequences of increased isolation and decreased area 5. Landscape-wide assemblage dynamics in fragments created in the aftermath of deforestation are dependent , to a large extent, on the nature of the matrix within which forest patches are embedded 6. Conservation science has traditionally conceived the modified matrix as a " sea " of hostile habitat, in which fragments act as " islands " and this analogy has guided much of the theory and practice of the field 6,7. However, equating forest fragments with island ecosystems, while appropriate in some situations, fails to accommodate the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of most present-day modified landscapes 8,9. Vertebrate assemblage dynamics in tropical land-bridge islands have painted a dire portrait of the consequences of forest fragmentation in true island systems 10–12. Mainland studies that also construed fragments as
Research Interests: Forestry, Conservation Biology, Conservation, Forest Ecology And Management, Forest Ecology, and 19 moreBats (Mammalogy), Wildlife Conservation, Biodiversity Conservation, Bats, Tropical forest, Community Forestry, Tropical secondary forests, Bats, Chiroptera, Bats Peru diversity Tumbes Amotape, Morcegos Do Brasil: Biologia, Sistemática, Morcegos, Ciências florestais, Forestry Science, Ecologia De Morcegos, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Despite conservation discourses in Madagascar increasingly emphasizing the role of customary institutions for wildlife management, we know relatively little about their effectiveness. Here, we used semi-structured interviews with ... more
Despite conservation discourses in Madagascar increasingly emphasizing the role of customary institutions for wildlife management, we know relatively little about their effectiveness. Here, we used semi-structured interviews with adults in eight villages to investigate whether sacred caves and taboos offer conservation benefits for cave-dwelling bats in and around Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, southwest Madagascar. Although some caves were described as sites of spiritual significance for the local communities, most inter-viewees (c. %) did not recognize their present-day sacred status. Similarly, only % of the interviewees recognized taboos inhibiting bat hunting and consumption. Legal protection of bats and caves through protected areas was often more widely acknowledged than customary regulations, although up to % of the interviewees reported consumption of bats within their communities. Guano extraction was often tolerated in sacred caves in exchange for economic compensation. This may benefit bat conservation by creating incentives for bat protection, although extraction is often performed through destructive and exploitative practices with little benefit for local communities. In view of these results our study questions the extent to which sacred sites, taboos and protected areas offer protection for bats in Madagascar. These results support previous studies documenting the erosion of customary institutions in Madagascar, including the loss of the spiritual values underpinning sacred sites. Given that many Malagasy bats are cave-dwelling species and that most depend on the customary protection of these sites, it is important to obtain a better understanding of the complex interactions between spiritual practices, taboos and protected areas in sustaining bat diversity.
Research Interests: Conservation Biology, Conservation, Bats (Mammalogy), Wildlife Conservation, Bats, and 10 moreMadagascar, Social Sciences in Madagascar, Bats, Chiroptera, Cave Bats, Environmental Justice in Madagascar, Ethnology and Madagascar, Morcegos, Murciélagos, Ecologia De Morcegos, and Conservación De Murciélagos
Regenerating forests occupy large areas in the tropics, mostly as a result of deforestation for livestock and agriculture, followed by land abandonment. Despite the importance of regenerating secondary forests for tropical biodiversity... more
Regenerating forests occupy large areas in the tropics, mostly as a result of deforestation for livestock and agriculture, followed by land abandonment. Despite the importance of regenerating secondary forests for tropical biodiversity conservation, studies of temporal effects of matrix regeneration on species responses in fragmented landscapes are scarce. Here, we used an Amazonian whole-ecosystem fragmentation experiment to investigate how changes in matrix quality over time through secondary forest regeneration affect bat assemblages from a functional perspective. We found that forest regeneration in the matrix positively affected functional α diversity, as well as species-and community-level functional uniqueness, reflecting an increase of species that perform different ecological functions in secondary forest over time. According to functional trait composition, animalivorous species showed the clearest signs of recovery associated with matrix regeneration. Consequently, between-period differences in functional β-diversity were highest in secondary forest compared to fragments and continuous forest, determined mainly by trait gains. However, ~30 years of secondary forest regeneration were not sufficient for the functional recovery of bat assemblages to levels observed in continuous forest. Restoring degraded habitats while protecting primary forest will be an important strategy for safeguarding high functional diversity of bats and their vital contributions to ecosystem functioning in fragmented tropical landscapes.
Research Interests: Forestry, Forest Ecology And Management, Forest Ecology, Bats (Mammalogy), Sustainable forestry management, and 14 moreBats, Tropical Forest Ecology, Tropical forest, Community Forestry, Bats, Chiroptera, Morcegos Do Brasil: Biologia, Sistemática, Neotropical Bats, Conservação, Sistemática de Morcegos, Ecologia De Morcegos, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Understanding the consequences of habitat modification on wildlife communities is central to the development of conservation strategies. However, albeit male and female individuals of numerous species are known to exhibit differences in... more
Understanding the consequences of habitat modification on wildlife communities is central to the development of conservation strategies. However, albeit male and female individuals of numerous species are known to exhibit differences in habitat use, sex-specific responses to habitat modification remain little explored. Here, we used a landscape-scale fragmentation experiment to assess, separately for males and females, the effects of fragmentation on the abundance of Carollia perspicillata and Rhinophylla pumilio, two widespread Neotropical frugivorous bats. We predicted that sex-specific responses would arise from higher energetic requirements from pregnancy and lactation in females. Analyses were conducted independently for each season, and we further investigated the joint responses to local and landscape-scale metrics of habitat quality, composition, and configuration. Although males and females responded similarly to a fragmentation gradient composed by continuous forest, fragment interiors, edges, and matrix habitats, we found marked differences between sexes in habitat use for at least one of the seasons. Whereas the sex ratio varied little in continuous forest and fragment interiors , females were found to be more abundant than males in edge and matrix habitats. This difference was more prominent in the dry season, the reproductive season of both species. For both species, abundance responses to local-and landscape-scale predictors differed between sexes and again, differences were more pronounced in the dry season. The results suggest considerable sex-mediated responses to forest disruption and degradation in tropical bats and complement our understanding of the impacts of fragmentation on tropical forest vertebrate communities. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Research Interests: Forestry, Wildlife Biology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function, Wildlife Ecology And Management, Forest Ecology And Management, and 13 moreBiodiversity, Forest Ecology, Bats (Mammalogy), Wildlife Conservation, Biodiversity Conservation, Biodiversity Research, Bats, Tropical forest, Community Forestry, Bats, Chiroptera, Forestry Science, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Eumops maurus and Eumops hansae are rarely captured Neotropical molossid bats for which information on taxonomy, natural history, and spatial distribution are scarce. This translates into a poor understanding of their ecology and limits... more
Eumops maurus and Eumops hansae are rarely captured Neotropical molossid bats for which information on taxonomy, natural history, and spatial distribution are scarce. This translates into a poor understanding of their ecology and limits the delimitation of useful characters for their identification. Here, we describe records of these two molossids from the Central Brazilian Amazon, providing data on their external and craniodental morphology, DNA barcode (COI) sequences complemented by acoustic data for the species. Morphological characters, DNA sequence data and phylogenetic relationships within the genus Eumops were consistent with those previously described for both species. Echolocation call characteristics did not differ significantly so as to be useful for separating E. maurus and E. hansae from other congeners. Our records are, respectively the first and the second for Central Amazonia as one individual previously attributed to Eumops amazonicus from Manaus may be considered a junior synonym for E. hansae. These new records increase the extent of the species’ known ranges, partially filling in previous existing gaps in their distribution in central South America. Our data further suggest that these molossid bats forage in a wider range of habitats than previously thought.
Research Interests: Acoustics, Phylogenetics, ULTRASOUND/ACOUSTICS, Bats (Mammalogy), Bats, and 11 moreEcholocation, Bats, Chiroptera, Morcegos Do Brasil: Biologia, Sistemática, Morcegos, Bats, Echolocation, Evolution of Echolocation, Morcegos Do Brasil, Lista De Morcegos, Distribuição De Morcegos Brasileiros, Brazilian Bats Distribution, and Especially Bats and Small Mammals
Context Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are widespread drivers of biodiversity decline. Understanding how habitat quality interacts with landscape context, and how they jointly affect species in human-modified landscapes, is... more
Context Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are widespread drivers of biodiversity decline. Understanding how habitat quality interacts with landscape context, and how they jointly affect species in human-modified landscapes, is of great importance for informing conservation and management. Objectives We used a whole-ecosystem manipulation experiment in the Brazilian Amazon to investigate the relative roles of local and landscape attributes in affecting bat assemblages at an interior-edge-matrix disturbance gradient. Methods We surveyed bats in 39 sites, comprising continuous forest (CF), fragments, forest edges and intervening secondary regrowth. For each site, we assessed vegetation structure (local-scale variable) and, for five focal scales, quantified habitat amount and four landscape configuration metrics. Results Smaller fragments, edges and regrowth sites had fewer species and higher levels of dominance than CF. Regardless of the landscape scale analysed, species richness and evenness were mostly related to the amount of forest cover. Vegetation structure and configurational metrics were important predictors of abundance, whereby the magnitude and direction of response to configurational metrics were scale
Research Interests:
Increasing global human population and per-capita food consumption are expected to exacerbate the already massive agricultural footprint in tropical ecosystems. Madagascar is home to exceptional levels of biodiversity and is in the midst... more
Increasing global human population and per-capita food consumption are expected to exacerbate the already massive agricultural footprint in tropical ecosystems. Madagascar is home to exceptional levels of biodiversity and is in the midst of severe land-use change, mostly driven by slash-and-burn, smallholder agriculture. Understanding the consequences of these agricultural practices for Malagasy native species is therefore of the foremost importance for the conservation of the nation's biodiversity. We surveyed bird assemblages inside and surrounding Ranomafana National Park, southeastern Madagascar, obtaining nearly 1,000 records of more than 60 species. At each study point, habitat structure was characterized by its vegetation complexity, and forest cover was quantified within circles of radii of 100, 500 and 750 m. We found that species richness was higher in forest than in agricultural areas, and responses to land-use change were found to be guild-specific, with frugivores being especially depleted outside forest areas, whereas granivores had higher species richness in the agricultural matrix. The number of recorded species with forest affinities was highly associated with landscape-scale forest cover, while open area and generalist species responded mainly to site-scale habitat structure. Our results demonstrate a turnover from forest-associated species to open area and habitat generalist species in Madagascar's smallholder agricultural areas. Our study underscores the conservation value of landscape-scale forest cover and of site-scale vegetation complexity. A double-stranded conservation approach, in which both landscape-scale forest cover and vegetation complexity are preserved would benefit conservation of the island's forest avifauna.
Research Interests:
1. Understanding how interspecific variation in functional traits influences species' capacity to persist in fragments and use patches in fragmented landscapes is fundamental for the creation of effective conservation plans. This study... more
1. Understanding how interspecific variation in functional traits influences species' capacity to persist in fragments and use patches in fragmented landscapes is fundamental for the creation of effective conservation plans. This study uses phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate which functional traits of bat species are correlated with their vulnerability to fragmentation in a tropical landscape with low fragment–matrix contrast. 2. Bats were captured over two years in eight forest fragments, nine control sites in continuous forest, and in the secondary forest matrix at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between species functional traits, environmental gradients (continuous forest and fragment interiors, edges and matrix) and patterns of species distribution using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) models, as well as a combination of RLQ and fourth-corner analyses. 3. Mobility, body mass, wing morphology, and trophic level were the most important traits linked to fragmentation sensitivity based on the PGLS analysis, while body mass and trophic level emerged as the best predictors in the fourth-corner analysis. These last two traits were correlated with the loss of continuous forest characteristics, such as high-stature trees and forest cover. 4. Many animalivorous bat species rarely persist in small fragments (<100 ha) and in the secondary forest matrix, reflecting strong effects of trait-mediated environmental filters that selectively benefit the smaller and phytophagous species. 5. Synthesis and applications. Functional traits of species and environmental variables jointly predict local variation in patterns of bat occupancy and abundance in fragmented tropical landscapes. To minimize local extinctions, we recommend increasing habitat availability and enhancing structural and functional connectivity at the landscape scale through the creation, restoration and maintenance of corridors and stepping stones. These measures should be coupled with improving matrix quality by promoting secondary forest regeneration and persistence to effectively reduce fragment–matrix contrast.
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The Selvagens gecko (Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi Joger, 1984) is a medium sized gecko endemic to the Sel-vagens archipelago, Madeira, Portugal. The biology of this gecko is poorly known and in this study we present the first evidence... more
The Selvagens gecko (Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi Joger, 1984) is a medium sized gecko endemic to the Sel-vagens archipelago, Madeira, Portugal. The biology of this gecko is poorly known and in this study we present the first evidence regarding its habitat use. In 2010 (spring and autumn) and 2011 (spring), we collected data on the characteristics of the habitat surrounding 168 rocks used by these geckos as retreat sites, as well as on 75 randomly selected rocks. We also recorded body measurements of the individuals caught under each rock. In both seasons retreat site occupancy was found to be related to rock area, with geckos being found mainly under large rocks. Interestingly, we found that in spring heavier males, in better body condition, occupied the largest rocks and larger geckos occupied rocks closer to creek beds. Our results shed some light upon the behavioural ecology of this nocturnally active ecto-therm, that spends the day under a retreat site: i) intraspecific competition may be an ecological factor prevalent in this species, since larger individuals occupy larger rocks, located in a presumably high quality micro-habitat; ii) the possibility of spring territoriality in males, that compete for good quality shelters.
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Social media has deeply transformed the way people communicate ideas and information, shifting from traditional media forms (e.g. newspapers, television and magazines) to digital media; of which, Facebook and Twitter stand out in terms of... more
Social media has deeply transformed the way people communicate ideas and information, shifting from traditional media forms (e.g. newspapers, television and magazines) to digital media; of which, Facebook and Twitter stand out in terms of disseminating academic information and conservation outreach. Broad scientific communication and outreach have been highlighted as one of the most efficient methods to tailor people's behaviour towards environmentally-friendly practices. However, some concerns about the use of social media have been raised, particularly: the potential misinterpretation of inherently brief messages; the fast analysis of complex problems, situations or concepts; the fact that they can trigger misinformation cascades due to the time-sensitive and political nature of some conservation issues; an overestimation of potential outreach due to the homophilic effect; or the likelihood to suffer from information fatigue syndrome (IFS). We evaluated the presence of the scientific journal Barbastella-published by the Spanish Society for Bat Research and Conservation (SECEMU)-on Facebook and Twitter during a period of almost two years and its Twitter outreach performance during the Spanish Bat Research and Conservation Conference (SBRCC) in 2014. Since the launch of its Facebook and Twitter accounts, Barbastella has respectively gathered 1,935 and 931 followers. Several posts have potentially reached between 5,000-17,000 (Facebook) and 3,000-5,500 (Twitter) users and whereas the Facebook account presented an audience mostly composed by local researchers and bat enthusiasts from Spain and Portugal, the Twitter account had a much more international audience. During the SBRCC, there were more online (Twitter and Facebook) followers of the conference than in situ conference attendants, even though conference tweets were almost exclusively posted by the Journal committee. Our analyses reveal the large potential of Facebook and Twitter to disseminate information far beyond more classical tools and highlights that social media can potentially play an important role in conservation science, while serious consideration on its usage must be taken into account to reduce possible social media inherent weaknesses. Both social media platforms were found to be complementary suggesting that cross-posting on multiple networks can considerably improve visibility. In order to disseminate research without compromising time commitment towards other scientific tasks, it is essential to have a targeted strategy for using social media with an accurate and reasonable planning of online time commitment, addressing all public target time-zones, selecting the most appropriate platform, publishing understandable brief and visual posts with reliable information amongst other optimizing strategies.
Research Interests: Zoology, Conservation Biology, Social Networking, Conservation, Biology, and 27 moreSocial Media, Bats (Mammalogy), Chiroptera, Animal Behaviour (Bats), Bats, Leptospirosis, bats zoonotic disease, Birds and Bats, Murcielagos, Rabies in bats, Bats, Chiroptera, Yucatan bats, Cave Bats, Evolution of bats, Bats Peru diversity Tumbes Amotape, Neotropical Bats, Murciélagos, Biogeography of fruit bats, Bats Research, Ecología de murciélagos, Conservación De Murciélagos, Acoustic Species Identification in Bats, Ecology of Bats, Brazilian Bats Distribution, Taxonomy of Brazilian Bats, Paleoecology of Fossil Chiroptera (Bats) and Erinaceomorpha and Soricomorpha (Insectivores), Especially Bats and Small Mammals, and Cave Dwelling Bats
Chiropteran diversity peaks in the Neotropics where more than 100 bat species can be found living sympatrically. Although Neotropical bats are widely recognized to explore a diverse array of food resources, information regarding their... more
Chiropteran diversity peaks in the Neotropics where more than 100 bat species can be found living sympatrically. Although Neotropical bats are widely recognized to explore a diverse array of food resources, information regarding their trophic ecology is scarce. To contribute to a better understanding of tropic interactions between Neotropical bats and their vertebrate prey we report the predation of two treefrog species of the genus Scinax by the fringe-lipped bat Trachops cirrhosus. These constitute the second and third amphibian species to be added to the diet of T. cirrhosus in Central Amazon.
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This note reports the predation of a threatened Madeira pipistrelle bat by a domestic house cat. This represents the first confirmed record of cat predation upon a Macaronesian bat and adds to an increasing body of evidence suggesting... more
This note reports the predation of a threatened Madeira pipistrelle bat by a domestic house cat. This represents the first confirmed record of cat predation upon a Macaronesian bat and adds to an increasing body of evidence suggesting that free-ranging cats pose a strong negative impact to native insular vertebrate populations.
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Amphibians constitute important items in the diet of many predators. Giant water bugs have been reported to feed on several species of amphibians; however, there is still a poor understanding of the complexity of their food webs. Here, we... more
Amphibians constitute important items in the diet of many predators. Giant water bugs have been reported to feed on several species of amphibians; however, there is still a poor understanding of the complexity of their food webs. Here, we report a predation event of a Lethocerus sp. (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) nymph upon an adult Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae), in Central Amazon, Brazil. This represents the first observation of thropic interaction between Lethocerus sp. and D. minuta and the first report of a neotropical Lethocerus sp. nymph preying upon an adult vertebrate.
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Lasiurus egregius (Peters, 1870) is a rare neotropical vespertilionid bat and virtually no data on its ecology and echolocation calls are currently available. We report the capture of 4 individuals in Central Amazon, representing the... more
Lasiurus egregius (Peters, 1870) is a rare neotropical vespertilionid bat and virtually no data on its ecology and echolocation calls are currently available. We report the capture of 4 individuals in Central Amazon, representing the first record for the region and a significant (> 800 km) expansion of the species’ known range. Echolocation calls, recorded for the first time under natural conditions were 1.5-8 ms in duration, and characterized by high mean bandwidth (18 kHz) and a mean frequency of maximum energy of 30 kHz.
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This note reports two opportunistic predation incidents of Seba's short-tailed bats Carollia perspicillata (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) by an immature Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata (Strigiformes: Strigidae), in Central Amazonia, Brazil.... more
This note reports two opportunistic predation incidents of Seba's short-tailed bats Carollia perspicillata (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) by an immature Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata (Strigiformes: Strigidae), in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Both predation events took place while bats were strangled in the mist-net; however, given the abundance of C. perspicillata in the study area we argue that this bat species is likely to constitute a natural prey of L. cristata.
Erratum: As shown in figure 1a and b, the owl identified as a Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata (Daudin, 1800) in Rocha & López-Baucells (2014) is indeed a Mottled Owl Strix virgata (Cassin, 1849). Therefore, all results and conclusions in the paper pertaining to L. cristata refer in fact to S. virgata.
Erratum: As shown in figure 1a and b, the owl identified as a Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata (Daudin, 1800) in Rocha & López-Baucells (2014) is indeed a Mottled Owl Strix virgata (Cassin, 1849). Therefore, all results and conclusions in the paper pertaining to L. cristata refer in fact to S. virgata.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Anurans have evolved a wide array of defensive strategies to augment their survival probability when attacked by predators. Herein, we report a predation attempt of Helicops angulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Dipsadidae: Xenodontinae) upon... more
Anurans have evolved a wide array of defensive strategies to augment their survival probability when attacked by predators. Herein, we report a predation attempt of Helicops angulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Dipsadidae: Xenodontinae) upon Hypsiboas boans (Linnaeus, 1824) (Anura: Hylidae), in Central Amazon, Brazil and present details on the defensive behavior exhibit by the attacked frog. This note reports the first observed trophic interaction between both species and the first evidence of distress calls emitted by H. boans upon attack by a natural predator.
Gekkonid field studies are hampered by the difficulty to individually recognize individuals. In this study we assess the feasibility of using their variegated iris pattern to photo-identify Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi, a threatened... more
Gekkonid field studies are hampered by the difficulty to individually recognize individuals. In this study we assess the feasibility of using their variegated iris pattern to photo-identify Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi, a threatened Macaronesian endemic. Using a library of 924 photos taken over a 9-month period we also evaluate the use of the pattern matching software Interactive Individual Identification System (I3S) to match photos of known specimens. Individuals were clearly recognized by their iris pattern with no misidentifications, and using I3S lead to a correct identification of 95% of the recaptures in a shorter time than the same process when conducted visually by an observer. The method’s feasibility was improved by increasing the number of images of each animal in the library and hindered by photos that deviate from a horizontal angle.
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This note reports the first record of Micronycteris sanborni in Amazonas State, Brazil. It extends the species’ known range >2000 km northwestward and represents the first record of M. sanborni in a humid tropical ecosystem, suggesting... more
This note reports the first record of Micronycteris sanborni in Amazonas State, Brazil. It extends the species’ known range >2000 km northwestward and represents the first record of M. sanborni in a humid tropical ecosystem, suggesting that the species might not be exclusive to dry areas, as previously thought. The individual was captured in Vismia-dominated secondary forest within the fragmented landscape of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project. We present morphometric data and provide the first description of the echolocation calls of this poorly known species.
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Aberrant coloration resulting from colour pigment deficiencies is commonly described in the bat literature. In this study we report the first leucistic piebald of Phyllostomus discolor (Wagner, 1843) by describing an individual captured... more
Aberrant coloration resulting from colour pigment deficiencies is commonly described in the bat literature. In this study we report the first leucistic piebald of Phyllostomus discolor (Wagner, 1843) by describing an individual captured in Central Amazonia, Brazil, that presented a distinct white patch on its body but normally pigmented eyes. This is the first report of hypo-pigmentism in the species, but also in the genus.
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An adult Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) was recorded in Deserta Grande Island, Desertas Islands Nature Reserve, Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. This represents the first record of the species for the archipelago and... more
An adult Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) was recorded in Deserta Grande Island, Desertas Islands Nature Reserve, Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. This represents the first record of the species for the archipelago and the third confirmed record of S. senegalensis in Portugal.
We report a predation event of the fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) upon the slender-legged tree frog (Osteocephalus oophagus) (Anura: Hylidae), in Central Amazonia, Brazil. This observation adds a new... more
We report a predation event of the fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) upon the slender-legged tree frog (Osteocephalus oophagus) (Anura: Hylidae), in Central Amazonia, Brazil. This observation adds a new prey item to the T. cirrhosus diet and shines some light on the scarce ecological knowledge of both predator and prey species.
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The authors describe seven isolated cases of haemadipsid leech parasitism in anuran amphibians in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Boophis madagascariensis, Boophis roseipalmatus, Gephyromantis luteus and Mantidactylus grandidieri... more
The authors describe seven isolated cases of haemadipsid leech parasitism in anuran amphibians in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Boophis madagascariensis, Boophis roseipalmatus, Gephyromantis luteus and Mantidactylus grandidieri were found to be new hosts for Malagabdella species and this study represents the first description of amphibian-leech interactions in Madagascar, the second report of leeches as ectoparasites of Malagasy vertebrates and the forth reference of haemadipsid as amphibian parasites.
Here we present the first photographic evidence of opportunistic predation of a small passerine, the Berthelot’s pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis, on the Madeiran endemic lizard Teira dugesii mauli. The behaviour was observed in... more
Here we present the first photographic evidence of opportunistic predation of a small passerine, the Berthelot’s pipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis, on the Madeiran endemic lizard Teira dugesii mauli. The behaviour was observed in Deserta Grande, Madeira, and represents the second record of lizard predation by A. berthelotii and the first time this species is observed preying upon T. dugesii.
Main aim: Assessing how the replacement of agroforestry systems, by more open agricultural practices affects bird São Tomé’s birds abundance, diversity and distribution. Location: Agricultural matrix and montane rainforest in the... more
Main aim: Assessing how the replacement of agroforestry systems, by more open agricultural practices affects bird São Tomé’s birds abundance, diversity and distribution.
Location: Agricultural matrix and montane rainforest in the northeast end of Obo Natural Park in the mountainous centre of the island of São Tomé.
Methods: Within the study landscape four different land-use types were selected: primary forest, shade coffee plantations, shade coffee polyculture and annual agriculture representing a gradient of agricultural intensity and a total of 105 count stations was spread across the landscape. Data on bird species was collected from May-July 2008 using different day repeated point counts and vegetation structure around each point count was recorded. Species composition among different sites was explored using non-metric multidimensional scaling and linear models were used to assess the relationship between community composition, diversity, similarity to forest and abundance of different bird group to landscape and local habitat variables.
Results: Species abundance and diversity change varied according to land use, with shade polyculture being the most species rich land-use type whereas the rainforest had the lower number of species. Abundance of most guilds also varied according to land-use type and the same was true for endemic and non-native species. Bird community composition of annual agriculture was found to be more distinct from native forest than any of the shade plantations and edge effects, local variables and landscape variables were found to impact upon bird distribution and abundance across the landscape.
Main conclusions: Agroforestry systems were found to support bird communities closer to ones in native forest than annual agriculture did. However, several species were simply absent from the agricultural matrix, highlighting that their conservation can only be achieved by the preservation of large tracks on native vegetation.
Location: Agricultural matrix and montane rainforest in the northeast end of Obo Natural Park in the mountainous centre of the island of São Tomé.
Methods: Within the study landscape four different land-use types were selected: primary forest, shade coffee plantations, shade coffee polyculture and annual agriculture representing a gradient of agricultural intensity and a total of 105 count stations was spread across the landscape. Data on bird species was collected from May-July 2008 using different day repeated point counts and vegetation structure around each point count was recorded. Species composition among different sites was explored using non-metric multidimensional scaling and linear models were used to assess the relationship between community composition, diversity, similarity to forest and abundance of different bird group to landscape and local habitat variables.
Results: Species abundance and diversity change varied according to land use, with shade polyculture being the most species rich land-use type whereas the rainforest had the lower number of species. Abundance of most guilds also varied according to land-use type and the same was true for endemic and non-native species. Bird community composition of annual agriculture was found to be more distinct from native forest than any of the shade plantations and edge effects, local variables and landscape variables were found to impact upon bird distribution and abundance across the landscape.
Main conclusions: Agroforestry systems were found to support bird communities closer to ones in native forest than annual agriculture did. However, several species were simply absent from the agricultural matrix, highlighting that their conservation can only be achieved by the preservation of large tracks on native vegetation.
Brazil holds nearly 15% of world’s bat diversity and with nearly 150 recorded species the Amazonian rainforest is the country’s richness biome in terms of chiropteran species richness. The Brazilian Amazon is the largest tropical... more
Brazil holds nearly 15% of world’s bat diversity and with nearly 150 recorded species the Amazonian rainforest is the country’s richness biome in terms of chiropteran species richness. The Brazilian Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world and with annual deforestation averages of 0.5%/year it presents the highest area of cleared forest worldwide. This massive deforestation has tremendous impacts on the biome’s biodiversity and the understanding of the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation is of the outmost importance for the long-term conservation of the rich Amazonian biota.
The need to assess the impacts of deforestation on the Amazon’s biodiversity lead to the start of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project (BDFFP). The project, located near the city of Manaus, Brazil, is the world’s largest and longest-running experimental study of forest fragmentation and over the last 34 years has contributed a wealth of knowledge on the topic.
Amazonian bats, particularly the dominant family Phyllostomidae, constitute a highly diverse and mobile group, responsible for pivotal forest ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal and insect suppression. Their potential to move over extensive areas of fragmented landscapes combined with their local abundance and diversity qualifies them as a well-suited indicator group to examine the effects of fragmentation upon tropical forest communities.
Over the last two years we have surveyed bat assemblages in eight forest fragments (three of 1-ha, three of 10-ha and two of 100-ha) and nine control plots in continuous forest across the BDFFP landscape. Additional sampling was conducted at fragment and continuous forest edges and in the surrounding secondary forest matrix. Continuous forest sites and 100-ha fragments showed similar patterns of species richness, composition and abundance whereas strong area-related effects on bat assemblages were found in the smaller (< 100-ha) fragments, with 1- and 10-ha fragments presenting more species-poor and less even bat assemblages.
Fragments, edge, and matrix habitats were found to accommodate a significant proportion of the BDFFP chiropteran diversity, however, several species (e.g. Phyllostomus elongatus and Phylloderma stenops) have been found to be nearly exclusive to continuous forest, highlighting that their conservation can only be achieved by the preservation of large expanses of primary forest.
The need to assess the impacts of deforestation on the Amazon’s biodiversity lead to the start of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project (BDFFP). The project, located near the city of Manaus, Brazil, is the world’s largest and longest-running experimental study of forest fragmentation and over the last 34 years has contributed a wealth of knowledge on the topic.
Amazonian bats, particularly the dominant family Phyllostomidae, constitute a highly diverse and mobile group, responsible for pivotal forest ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal and insect suppression. Their potential to move over extensive areas of fragmented landscapes combined with their local abundance and diversity qualifies them as a well-suited indicator group to examine the effects of fragmentation upon tropical forest communities.
Over the last two years we have surveyed bat assemblages in eight forest fragments (three of 1-ha, three of 10-ha and two of 100-ha) and nine control plots in continuous forest across the BDFFP landscape. Additional sampling was conducted at fragment and continuous forest edges and in the surrounding secondary forest matrix. Continuous forest sites and 100-ha fragments showed similar patterns of species richness, composition and abundance whereas strong area-related effects on bat assemblages were found in the smaller (< 100-ha) fragments, with 1- and 10-ha fragments presenting more species-poor and less even bat assemblages.
Fragments, edge, and matrix habitats were found to accommodate a significant proportion of the BDFFP chiropteran diversity, however, several species (e.g. Phyllostomus elongatus and Phylloderma stenops) have been found to be nearly exclusive to continuous forest, highlighting that their conservation can only be achieved by the preservation of large expanses of primary forest.
Neotropical bats constitute a highly diverse and mobile group responsible for pivotal ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and insect suppression. They have developed a wide range of sensory and morphological... more
Neotropical bats constitute a highly diverse and mobile group responsible for pivotal ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and insect suppression. They have developed a wide range of sensory and morphological adaptations that allow them to exploit a large variety of habitats and food resources leading to high levels of alpha (local) diversity, especially in tropical regions where more than 100 species may coexist in a given area. Their potential to move over extensive areas of fragmented landscapes combined with their local abundance and both taxonomical and ecological diversity qualifies them as a well-suited indicator group to examine the effects of fragmentation on tropical forest biota. This talk will introduce the audience to the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, the world’s largest-scale and longest-running experimental study on the effects of habitat fragmentation conducted to date, and to preliminary results on the spatial and temporal dynamics of the megadiverse bat assemblage of this experimental landscape.
Over the last decades a great deal of research has been devoted to studying the consequences of habitat fragmentation. For most taxa, however, fragmentation effects have essentially been studied as static phenomena, and we still know... more
Over the last decades a great deal of research has been devoted to studying the consequences of habitat fragmentation. For most taxa, however, fragmentation effects have essentially been studied as static phenomena, and we still know little about the dynamics of fragmented tropical ecosystems and how taxa respond to habitat fragmentation over longer timescales. In the Neotropics, bats represent important components of biodiversity from taxonomic and functional perspectives, and provide vital ecosystem services. Because of their local abundance, richness, and ecological diversity, bats are considered a promising indicator group for studying responses to landscape fragmentation in the Neotropics. Although a growing number of studies have addressed the effects of forest fragmentation on tropical bats, these were generally rather short-term, “snapshot” investigations, and consequently we are still lacking a clear understanding of temporal variation in response patterns of bats to fragmentation and how species responses are mediated by matrix dynamics over the longer term. We will present preliminary results from an ongoing project that is being conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) in the Brazilian Amazon and which aims to contribute towards filling this knowledge gap. Using data from a previous bat inventory (1996-99) as baseline for our comparison, we have resampled the same sites (different-sized forest fragments and control plots in continuous forest) starting in 2011 using identical methods in order to assess temporal changes in the BDFFP bat fauna over the last ~15 years in response to vegetation development in the matrix. Preliminary results suggest greater within-site differences in species richness in fragments than in continuous forest in both study periods, indicating that fragment assemblages tend to be hyperdynamic compared to those in unfragmented habitat. The negative impacts of patch size on species richness, diversity, and abundance that were observed during the first study period seem to have faded or to be less marked, e.g. for certain groups such as gleaning animalivorous bats. These findings are most likely related to the mitigating impacts of the relatively mature secondary forest vegetation that now dominates the matrix. This change in matrix composition appears to be a main factor shaping the composition of the fragment bat assemblages, linked to the turnover of certain shrub-frugivores and the relative increase of some gleaning animalivorous species. These findings underscore the important role of matrix management in conservation efforts.
Agricultural induced habitat loss and the numerous undesirable environmental impacts associated with agricultural practices has led conservation scientists to identify agriculture as one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss. The... more
Agricultural induced habitat loss and the numerous undesirable environmental impacts associated with agricultural practices has led conservation scientists to identify agriculture as one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss. The island of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea island system is known as being an exceptional centre of endemism and has a five century long history of agricultural induced habitat modification with much of it being steered by cocoa and coffee shade plantations. Despite this, many of the endemics have been able to adapt to the agricultural landscapes with considerable tree cover associated with shade plantations. In the last decades however, a shift from agroforestry systems to more open agricultural practices involving less tree cover has started to take place and the impacts of this land-use transformation on the island’s native species is still largely unknown.
This work focussed on São Tomé’s bird species’ response to different types of agricultural land-use. In order to do so, bird communities were sampled along a gradient of agricultural intensity, going from primary forest to shade coffee plantations to shade polyculture plantations and finally annual agriculture. The study was carried out in and around the northeast end of Obo Natural Park, in the mountainous centre of São Tomé. A total of 105 count stations were spread across the landscape and data on bird species was collected from May-July 2008 using different day repeated point counts. Vegetation structure around each point count was also recorded.
More species were recorded among the agricultural matrix than within the forest. The overall number of recorded species was higher in shade polyculture, followed by shade coffee and annual agriculture and lastly by montane rainforest. Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were significantly higher for shade coffee whereas the Berger-Parker index was higher for montane rainforest and annual agriculture. Montane rainforest was the only habitat where only native species where recorded and a large turn-over from forest-type species to more open-habitat species has been found. NMDS showed that count stations in both plantation types clustered closer to rainforest than rainforest to agricultural stations, thereby suggesting a more similar community structure and indicating that São Tomé’s native species will be negatively impacted upon by the replacement of shade plantations by more open agricultural areas.
This work focussed on São Tomé’s bird species’ response to different types of agricultural land-use. In order to do so, bird communities were sampled along a gradient of agricultural intensity, going from primary forest to shade coffee plantations to shade polyculture plantations and finally annual agriculture. The study was carried out in and around the northeast end of Obo Natural Park, in the mountainous centre of São Tomé. A total of 105 count stations were spread across the landscape and data on bird species was collected from May-July 2008 using different day repeated point counts. Vegetation structure around each point count was also recorded.
More species were recorded among the agricultural matrix than within the forest. The overall number of recorded species was higher in shade polyculture, followed by shade coffee and annual agriculture and lastly by montane rainforest. Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were significantly higher for shade coffee whereas the Berger-Parker index was higher for montane rainforest and annual agriculture. Montane rainforest was the only habitat where only native species where recorded and a large turn-over from forest-type species to more open-habitat species has been found. NMDS showed that count stations in both plantation types clustered closer to rainforest than rainforest to agricultural stations, thereby suggesting a more similar community structure and indicating that São Tomé’s native species will be negatively impacted upon by the replacement of shade plantations by more open agricultural areas.
Research Interests: Zoology, Animal Science, Conservation Biology, Animal Behavior, Animal Studies, and 20 moreMigration, Biology, Brazil, Ecology, Amazonia, Migration Studies, Bats (Mammalogy), Chiroptera, Biological Sciences, Bats, Conservación De Fauna Silvestre, Biologia, Ecologia, Fauna, Amazon, Bats, Chiroptera, Ecología, Murciélagos, Conservación De Murciélagos, and Brazilian Bats Distribution
In the presence of naturally occurring variegated markings allowing individual identification, photo-identification (photo-ID) can be used as a non-intrusive and relatively inexpensive methodological alternative to artificial marking... more
In the presence of naturally occurring variegated markings allowing individual identification, photo-identification (photo-ID) can be used as a non-intrusive and relatively inexpensive methodological alternative to artificial marking techniques commonly applied in mark-recapture-studies. Yet, for a large number of species of the most diverse group of lizards, the geckos, individual identification based on photographs was not possible because no such naturally occurring markings had yet been identified. Recently however, a study demonstrated the possibility of using the individual iris pattern to photo-identify nocturnal geckos of the genus Tarentola, using the freely available pattern matching software Interactive Individual Identification System (I³S). Our study was aimed at assessing the feasibility of using I³S for the iris photo-ID of gecko species with a more complex iris patterns than the genus Tarentola and, to compare the efficiency of the I³S Classic and the recently released I³S Contour in matching photos of known specimens.
Our study species was the Amazonian Turnip-tailed gecko Thecadactylus rapicauda, the largest Neotropical gekkonid, and fieldwork was conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. Using a library of 59 photos from 29 individuals we have found that, contingent to minor adjustments to the previously described methodology, both I³S Classic and I³S Contour can be used for the iris photo-ID of T. rapicauda. The matching efficiency, assessed by comparing the matching rank of photos of known specimens, differed between I³S Classic and I³S Contour softwares (Wilcoxon signed-rank test W = 1278.5; P < 0.01) and whereas I³S Classic correctly matched 92% of the photos in the 1st rank, for I³S Contour this figure was only 68%. Also, when using I³S Classic the worse ranked photo of a known specimen occupied the 5th position, contrasting to the 21st occupied by the worse ranked photo of a known specimen using I³S Contour.
Iris photo-ID can therefore be used in gecko species with relatively complex iris patterns and we argue that this technique is more ethically acceptable and circumvents several ecological and logistical constraints associated with artificial marking techniques available for the study of gekkonid lizards.
Our study species was the Amazonian Turnip-tailed gecko Thecadactylus rapicauda, the largest Neotropical gekkonid, and fieldwork was conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. Using a library of 59 photos from 29 individuals we have found that, contingent to minor adjustments to the previously described methodology, both I³S Classic and I³S Contour can be used for the iris photo-ID of T. rapicauda. The matching efficiency, assessed by comparing the matching rank of photos of known specimens, differed between I³S Classic and I³S Contour softwares (Wilcoxon signed-rank test W = 1278.5; P < 0.01) and whereas I³S Classic correctly matched 92% of the photos in the 1st rank, for I³S Contour this figure was only 68%. Also, when using I³S Classic the worse ranked photo of a known specimen occupied the 5th position, contrasting to the 21st occupied by the worse ranked photo of a known specimen using I³S Contour.
Iris photo-ID can therefore be used in gecko species with relatively complex iris patterns and we argue that this technique is more ethically acceptable and circumvents several ecological and logistical constraints associated with artificial marking techniques available for the study of gekkonid lizards.
Research Interests:
Invasive species are major drivers of ecological change in many parts of the planet and especially on oceanic islands they constitute one of the greatest threats to the survival of native species. Amongst birds, psittacids are one of the... more
Invasive species are major drivers of ecological change in many parts of the planet and especially on oceanic islands they constitute one of the greatest threats to the survival of native species. Amongst birds, psittacids are one of the most frequently introduced groups with several species known to have successfully established new populations outside their native ranges often with adverse ecological and economic consequences.
The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is a highly gregarious tropical bird native to sub-Saharan Africa and much of southern Asia. The specie’s great popularity as pets, high juvenile and adult survival and a generalist foraging behaviour, has led to it to become the most widely distributed parrot in the world, with naturalized populations in at least 40 countries on 4 continents.
Escaped ring-necked parakeets have been observed in Madeira Island for more than a decade and its breeding has recently been confirmed. Here we describe the recent incursion of ring-necked parakeets in Madeira Island and investigate the ecological and economic consequences of the establishment of this non-native. Given the initial stage of the incursion, we advocate for a “rapid response” intervention aimed at preventing the spread of this potential invader.
The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is a highly gregarious tropical bird native to sub-Saharan Africa and much of southern Asia. The specie’s great popularity as pets, high juvenile and adult survival and a generalist foraging behaviour, has led to it to become the most widely distributed parrot in the world, with naturalized populations in at least 40 countries on 4 continents.
Escaped ring-necked parakeets have been observed in Madeira Island for more than a decade and its breeding has recently been confirmed. Here we describe the recent incursion of ring-necked parakeets in Madeira Island and investigate the ecological and economic consequences of the establishment of this non-native. Given the initial stage of the incursion, we advocate for a “rapid response” intervention aimed at preventing the spread of this potential invader.
Research Interests:
Vertical stratification and the effect of forest fragmentation This project addressed the vertical structural complexity and the effects of habitat fragmentation on bat assemblages in the Amazon rainforest. Bats (order Chiroptera) are... more
Vertical stratification and the effect of forest fragmentation This project addressed the vertical structural complexity and the effects of habitat fragmentation on bat assemblages in the Amazon rainforest. Bats (order Chiroptera) are considered excellent bioindicators due to their taxonomic, ecological and functional diversity. Mist-nets, set at the understory and canopy level, were used to compare bat assemblages in fragments and continuous forest. Results show that diversity and evenness were higher in continuous forest and the canopy, while dominance was higher in fragments and the understory. These findings provide further evidence that, for an adequate inventory of local bat faunas, sampling should encompass all strata of tropical forests.
Despite the recent increase on studies concerning the selection of habitat and retreat sites in reptiles, only a few studies concern geckos. Here we assess habitat use by the endemic Selvagens gecko Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi in the... more
Despite the recent increase on studies concerning the selection of habitat and retreat sites in reptiles, only a few studies concern geckos. Here we assess habitat use by the endemic Selvagens gecko Tarentola boettgeri bischoffi in the arid central plateau of the island of Selvagem Grande. During 2010 and 2011 we collected data on habitat characteristics surrounding 168 rocks that served as retreat site for the geckos, as well 77 randomly selected rocks, and recorded body measurements of the individuals caught under each rock. During the spring months (April/May), geckos were found mainly under large rocks close to brook beds (that form only after strong rains). In the dryer autumn season (September), they continued to use large rocks but near high bushes instead. We also investigated if the choice of large rocks, the main habitat characteristic common to both seasons, was influenced by individual SVL, mass and body condition. In general, individuals with a longer SVL occupied larger rocks and the same pattern was observed with heavier individuals, but only during spring. Interestingly, during spring adult males with a higher body condition index were strongly associated to larger rocks. As the breeding season corresponds to the spring months, we suggest that our results might indicate the existence of spring territoriality in males. Territorial behaviour in geckos seems to be a promising research area; however, it has been overlooked when compared to studies on the remaining squamata.
"In the Neotropics bats constitute a highly diverse and mobile group, responsible for pivotal forest ecosystem services. Their ecological significance and potential to move over extensive areas of fragmented landscapes combined with their... more
"In the Neotropics bats constitute a highly diverse and mobile group, responsible for pivotal forest ecosystem services. Their ecological significance and potential to move over extensive areas of fragmented landscapes combined with their local abundance and diversity makes them a well-suited group to examine the effects of fragmentation.
Although a growing number of studies have examined the response of bat assemblages to fragmentation, these have generally been short-term projects that neglect time-lags, system history, temporal variation in resource quantity and quality and other time-related complexities. Consequently, little is known about bat responses to habitat fragmentation in the longer term.
The objective of this study, conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project in the Brazilian Amazon, is to elucidate temporal changes in the bat fauna in the last 15-years. For this, we surveyed bat assemblages in six forest fragments (three of 1-ha and three of 10-ha) and in six corresponding plots in continuous forest in 1996-99 and have resurveyed the same sites in 2011-2012 employing identical methods. We hypothesize that fragment assemblages should be less stable through time than assemblages in continuous forest sites.
During the first period 3149 bats representing 41 species were captured, whereas in the ongoing survey 587 bats representing 28 species have already been captured. Capture rates have roughly doubled from the first to the second period (0.146 to 0.312 bats/mnh) and in both periods species richness and number of captures were consistently higher in 10-ha fragments than in 1-ha fragments. Differences in species richness and capture rates were more pronounced among fragments than among continuous forest sites. Between both study periods, within-site differences in species richness were greater in fragments than in continuous forest, indicating that when compared with continuous habitat, fragment assemblages tend to be hyperdynamic.
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Although a growing number of studies have examined the response of bat assemblages to fragmentation, these have generally been short-term projects that neglect time-lags, system history, temporal variation in resource quantity and quality and other time-related complexities. Consequently, little is known about bat responses to habitat fragmentation in the longer term.
The objective of this study, conducted at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project in the Brazilian Amazon, is to elucidate temporal changes in the bat fauna in the last 15-years. For this, we surveyed bat assemblages in six forest fragments (three of 1-ha and three of 10-ha) and in six corresponding plots in continuous forest in 1996-99 and have resurveyed the same sites in 2011-2012 employing identical methods. We hypothesize that fragment assemblages should be less stable through time than assemblages in continuous forest sites.
During the first period 3149 bats representing 41 species were captured, whereas in the ongoing survey 587 bats representing 28 species have already been captured. Capture rates have roughly doubled from the first to the second period (0.146 to 0.312 bats/mnh) and in both periods species richness and number of captures were consistently higher in 10-ha fragments than in 1-ha fragments. Differences in species richness and capture rates were more pronounced among fragments than among continuous forest sites. Between both study periods, within-site differences in species richness were greater in fragments than in continuous forest, indicating that when compared with continuous habitat, fragment assemblages tend to be hyperdynamic.
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In tropical forests, bats provide critical ecosystem services regarding pollination, control of arthropod populations and seed dispersal and thus are crucial for the maintenance of healthy forest habitats. This study will be carried out... more
In tropical forests, bats provide critical ecosystem services regarding pollination, control of arthropod populations and seed dispersal and thus are crucial for the maintenance of healthy forest habitats. This study will be carried out in the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Brazil, to study the long-term impacts of forest fragmentation on tropical forest bats. The reassessment of bat communities in forest fragments and control plots in continuous forest first surveyed in 1996-99 allows for a comparative follow- up study that will constitute the first long-term study capable of elucidating temporal changes in responses of tropical forest bats to fragmentation. The re-isolation of forest fragments in late-2012 will enable a pre-and post-reisolation comparison, allowing valuable insights into short-term responses to abrupt changes in matrix structure. The depth of this analysis will be extended by formally addressing the issue of imperfect species detectability, a variable to-date neglected in bat fragmentation studies.
Due to its unique evolutionary legacy Madagascar is one of the most important areas for conservation worldwide. Currently only 10% of the islands’ original forest cover remains and deforestation and habitat degradation have been... more
Due to its unique evolutionary legacy Madagascar is one of the most important areas for conservation worldwide. Currently only 10% of the islands’ original forest cover remains and deforestation and habitat degradation have been identified as the main threat to its biodiversity. This study was part of RESPECT 2010 fieldcourse and aimed at exploring the consequences of forest loss in Ranomafana’s bird, dung beetle and rodent communities. The different taxa were sampled in rainforest and agricultural areas within and around the national park and 65 bird, 25 dung beetle and 4 rodent species were recorded. Species diversity was found to be higher in rainforest transects and for all 3 taxa, the species composition drastically differed between habitats. In agricultural areas, forest bird species were replaced by farm-bush species, there was marked decrease in dung beetle abundance and no native rodents were found. Our results highlight the negative impacts of deforestation for Malagasy biodiversity and point out some of the more sensitive species.
Geckos (Gekkonidae) are one of most difficult reptile groups to study in the field, in part due to their unfeasibility to be individually marked. Toe-clips are clearly not advisable, and the use of natural markings is hampered by its low... more
Geckos (Gekkonidae) are one of most difficult reptile groups to study in the field, in part due to their unfeasibility to be individually marked. Toe-clips are clearly not advisable, and the use of natural markings is hampered by its low conspicuity. In this work we propose a novel technique for the photo identification of Gekkonidae, based on the recognition of iris patterns by the software I3S, originally proposed for the recognition of spot patterns and already applied to several vertebrate groups. The study species is the Selvagens gecko, Tarentola (boettgeri) bischoffi, an endemism of the Selvagens archipelago, south of Madeira, Portugal, whose population at the island of Selvagem Grande is being monitored since 2005. The geckos were caught by hand in three 1-ha areas and both eyes of almost 1000 specimens were photographed. The application of program I3S included the definition of a reference system and a test on the number of marks to consider. For each unknown individual, the program returns a list of 50 potential matches from the photos in the database. Photo identification was feasible and relatively simple – 48% of the recaptures were identified among the first 3 matches, and 68% among the first 10, in a process that allowed for the identification of a recapture in an average time of 83 seconds (83 ± 58, mean ± SD). We also discuss the potentialities and main limitations of this method.
The main aim of this work was to assess how the replacement of agroforestry systems, by more open agricultural practices affects bird São Tomé’s birds abundance, diversity and distribution. Within the study landscape four different... more
The main aim of this work was to assess how the replacement of agroforestry systems, by more open agricultural practices affects bird São Tomé’s birds abundance, diversity and distribution. Within the study landscape four different land-use types were selected: primary forest, shade coffee, shade polyculture and annual agriculture representing a gradient of agricultural intensity. Agroforestry systems were found to support bird communities closer to ones in native forest than annual agriculture did. However, several species were simply absent from the agricultural matrix, highlighting that their conservation can only be achieved by the preservation of large tracks on native vegetation.
"O aumento acentuado na perda de biodiversidade é actualmente apontada como um dos mais graves problemas ambientais causados pelo Homem. Nos últimos anos os esforços para travar esta perda de biodiversidade têm-se centrado em pequenas... more
"O aumento acentuado na perda de biodiversidade é actualmente apontada como um dos mais graves problemas ambientais causados pelo Homem. Nos últimos anos os esforços para travar esta perda de biodiversidade têm-se centrado em pequenas áreas do globo que concentram grandes percentagens dessa diversidade (hotspots). Em algumas destas regiões, as plantações de sombra, nomeadamente de cacau e café têm vindo a ser reconhecidas como formas de utilização do solo compatíveis com a conservação da natureza, de particular importância para a avifauna.
Consequência do elevado número de espécies e sub-espécies endémicas São Tomé e Príncipe é considerado uma das áreas mais importantes para a conservação de aves em África e como tal as plantações de sombra destas ilhas assumem especial relevância em termos conservacionistas.
Além de efeitos beneficos para a biodiversidade a subsistência das plantações de sombra garante ainda a manutenção de uma série de serviços difíceis de valorização directa no mercado, tais como, protecção contra pragas e doenças, estabilidade microclimática e preservação da fertilidade do solo, que podem constituir uma vantagem competitiva a longo prazo.
A persistência destes sistemas agro-florestais encontra-se, no entanto, ameaçada pela substituição e competição com sistemas de produção intensiva, de menor valor biológico. Para garantir a sobrevivência das plantações de sombra, em especial durante os ciclos económicos desfavoráveis, existem uma série de formas de valorização económica, nomeadamente a exploração de usos secundários (produção e recolecção de produtos alimentares, medicinais, florestais; turismo ecológico e cultural; sequestro de carbono), a certificação das boas práticas sociais e ambientais e o investimento na transformação do produto antes da exportação.
Localizada num hotspot de biodiversidade (Florestas da África Ocidental) e apresentando uma grande dependência económica da produção derivada de plantações de sombra (em especial do cacau), o futuro de São Tomé e Príncipe depende claramente de uma boa gestão deste tipo de sistema agro-florestal e neste contexto a avaliação do papel das plantações de sombra na manutenção da biodiversidade das ilhas é um contributo fulcral para a tomada de decisões benéficas a longo prazo e um passo essencial no processo de certificação ambiental."
Consequência do elevado número de espécies e sub-espécies endémicas São Tomé e Príncipe é considerado uma das áreas mais importantes para a conservação de aves em África e como tal as plantações de sombra destas ilhas assumem especial relevância em termos conservacionistas.
Além de efeitos beneficos para a biodiversidade a subsistência das plantações de sombra garante ainda a manutenção de uma série de serviços difíceis de valorização directa no mercado, tais como, protecção contra pragas e doenças, estabilidade microclimática e preservação da fertilidade do solo, que podem constituir uma vantagem competitiva a longo prazo.
A persistência destes sistemas agro-florestais encontra-se, no entanto, ameaçada pela substituição e competição com sistemas de produção intensiva, de menor valor biológico. Para garantir a sobrevivência das plantações de sombra, em especial durante os ciclos económicos desfavoráveis, existem uma série de formas de valorização económica, nomeadamente a exploração de usos secundários (produção e recolecção de produtos alimentares, medicinais, florestais; turismo ecológico e cultural; sequestro de carbono), a certificação das boas práticas sociais e ambientais e o investimento na transformação do produto antes da exportação.
Localizada num hotspot de biodiversidade (Florestas da África Ocidental) e apresentando uma grande dependência económica da produção derivada de plantações de sombra (em especial do cacau), o futuro de São Tomé e Príncipe depende claramente de uma boa gestão deste tipo de sistema agro-florestal e neste contexto a avaliação do papel das plantações de sombra na manutenção da biodiversidade das ilhas é um contributo fulcral para a tomada de decisões benéficas a longo prazo e um passo essencial no processo de certificação ambiental."