Exploring mammalian diversity in a human-modified landscape: insights from a small Cerrado fragment surrounded by silviculture

Abstract

Natural environments have undergone significant alteration and devastation, often becoming immersed in a matrix of anthropogenic activities. Therefore, it is imperative to ascertain whether mammals inhabit these modified areas. We present the composition of medium and large-sized terrestrial mammal species in a Cerrado area surrounded by a eucalyptus matrix. Our study area comprises a 363 ha Cerrado fragment. Surveys were conducted using 10 camera traps from December 2015 to April 2017, totaling 125 sampling stations and a sampling effort of 3,018 trap-days. We identified 19 mammal species, seven of them regionally threatened (37 %), representing 61 % of the potential species pool in the region. Omnivores and insectivores accounted for most of the recorded species. Notably, records include the Priodontes maximus, Tapirus terrestris, and Ozotoceros bezoarticus, cubs and a predation record. Given that T. terrestris was recorded only in our study and P. maximus in a single other study in the region, our findings suggest that these species can inhabit small vegetation fragments. Additionally, we include O. bezoarticus in the list of mammals inhabiting the region. Our study underscores the capacity of Cerrado fragments surrounded by silviculture to harbor a rich diversity of medium and large-sized mammals, especially considering those threatened with extinction.