Habitat selection by, and carrying capacity for, the Critically Endangered black-faced lion tamarinLeontopithecus caissara(Primates: Callitrichidae)

Abstract

The Critically Endangered black-faced lion tamarin Leontopithecus caissara has a restricted distribution consisting of small mainland and island populations each with distinct habitats in coastal south-eastern Brazil. The conservation action plan for the species recommends translocation to increase population size and promote genetic exchange among threatened isolated populations, measures that require an understanding of habitat and resource requirements. We investigated habitat selection by the black-faced lion tamarin, comparing habitats and examining frequency of use by two insular groups and two mainland groups. Using this understanding of habitat preferences we were able to refine current estimates of the carrying capacity (K) for this species. Habitats preferred by mainland groups were swamps and inundated areas and secondary forest. Submontane forest was avoided, as were hydromorphic lowland forest and urbanized areas. Island groups used mainly tall lowland forest and arboreal restinga (forest on sandy soil). The finding that L. caissara avoids montane forest sheds light on its restricted distribution to low elevation coastal plains. An estimate of K indicated c. 700 individuals, which could be increased to c. 1,500 with appropriate conservation management measures. Findings agree with the supposition that lion tamarins are typical of mature Atlantic forest, with little altitudinal variation but flexible in their use of successional stages. Future conservation management measures should account for differences in habitat use, selection and differences between island and mainland habitats.

Assessing the exposure of lion tamarins (Leontopithecusspp.) to future climate change

“…However, terrestrial island vertebrates are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise [Wetzel et al, 2013] and, in this sense, it is noteworthy that the largest population of L. caissara occurs at the Superagui island [Lorini & Persson, 1994;. Additionally, the remaining mainland population occurs in flat valleys mostly encircled by mountains and given that evidence suggests that the species avoids submontane forests above 40 m altitude, its range becomes practically restricted to low elevation coastal plains [Nascimento & Schmidlin, 2011]. These factors, therefore, lead L. caissara to be potentially threatened by direct loss of habitat due to sea level rise and, although not explicitly investigated here, one should not overlook such impact in the long-term.…”

Evaluation of habitat use and ecological carrying capacity for the reintroduced Eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) in Ruma National Park, Kenya

“…Habitat types not present within the home range were excluded from the individual analysis. Data on habitat selection, area of each habitat type and home range overlap enabled us to calculate carrying capacity following a modified version of Nascimento and Schmidlin (); the two modifications were that we used a 50% KHR and we factored in a group size of 1 which is more appropriate for a solitary species such as black rhinoceros:…”

Dispersal, Group Formation and Kinship in the Black-Faced Lion Tamarin <b><i>(Leontopithecus caissara)</i></b>

“…1 ). The 4 populations are restricted to lowland mature and continuous forest [Lorini and Persson, 1994;Schmidlin, 2004;Nascimento and Schmidlin, 2011;Nascimento et al, 2011b].…”

“…Despite recent advances in our understanding of the behaviour, ecology and genetics of L. caissara [Moro-Rios, 2009;Ludwig, 2011;Martins et al, 2011;Nascimento et al, 2011a, b;Nascimento and Schmidlin, 2011;Barriento, 2013], the mechanisms of dispersal and new group formation, an understanding of which is important for conservation management, are still unknown. Dispersal is an important component of population and demographic dynamics -immigration and emigration directly influence population size and structure.…”