Structural differences in mammal assemblages between savanna ecosystems of the Colombian Llanos

Abstract

The Colombian Orinoquia region is characterized by a high diversity of mammals, which is associated with complex ecosystems that include large extensions of Neotropical savannas (known locally as “Llanos Orientales”). Despite accelerated anthropogenic transformations in savanna ecosystems, the knowledge to design effective conservation strategies, such as the distribution of mammal assemblages, is still lacking for this region. In this paper, we evaluate if assemblages of medium and large mammals (i.e., species richness, relative abundance and the contribution of the different trophic guilds) are homogeneous across the Colombian Llanos by comparing three savanna ecosystems: floodplains savannas associated with an Andean river, aeolian floodplains savannas and highland savannas. After a sampling effort of 3,150 camera trap/days, we recorded 16 mammal species from the three savanna ecosystems. We compared the three assemblages and their constituent trophic guilds by ANOSIM and SIMPER non-parametric permutation tests. The three assemblages differed in composition, structure and trophic guilds. The floodplains savannas, associated to an Andean river, present the highest diversity, contrastingly, the high-plain associated with the Guyanese Shield presents the lowest diversity. This pattern could be explained due to the greatest floristic diversity, complex vegetation structure and more fertile soils present in the riparian forests of the floodplains savannas, despite being the most anthropogenically transformed. The carnivores were the most variable category and herbivores were the most abundant. Our results show that the diversity of medium and large mammals is heterogeneously distributed in the Colombian Llanos. Therefore, it is necessary to implement targeted conservation strategies according to the characteristics, local fragility of each ecosystem in the territory and each species response by local conditions.

Bat Assemblage in an Oil Palm Plantation from the Colombian Llanos Foothills

“…Due to the increase in oil palm plantations in the coming years in Colombia ( Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural 2006 ), it is fundamental to improve the management practices of this productive system to avoid profound negative impacts on biodiversity ( Pardo & Campbell 2019 ). Considering the few protected areas recognised by the government in the Orinoquía region of Colombia, the conservation mechanisms of the native forest should also be supported by landowners ( Castillo-Figueroa et al 2019 ; Pardo et al 2018a : Pardo & Campbell 2019 ). For example, polyculture farming in oil palm smallholdings provides roosting sites for frugivorous bats because of the additional plantations (e.g., Musa spp., Manihot esculenta, Zea mays, Mangifera indica ) and trees planted alongside the oil palm plantations ( Syafiq et al 2016 ).…”

El reto de conservar y producir: biodiversidad y sistemas productivos en la cuenca media y baja del río Cravo Sur

“…En la actualidad, se ha evidenciado un creciente interés en generar conocimiento científico acerca de la ecología y diversidad de las especies de mamíferos, asociados a los ecosistemas de la Orinoquía colombiana, reflejada en diferentes publicaciones en los departamentos que la conforman. Arauca: Alviz y Pérez (2015), Alviz (2017) y Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2019, 2019a); Casanare: Trujillo et al, (2010a, Alviz y Pérez (2015), García-Londoño y Trujillo (2015), Rojano et al, (2015a), Calderón-Capote et al, (2018), Morales-Martínez et al, (2018), Castillo-Figueroa et al, (2019), Matilla-Meluk y Herrera-Collazos ( 2019 ), Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2015, Muñoz-Saba et al, (2015), ), Casallas-Pabón et al, (2017, Sánchez (2017), Calderón-Capote (2018), Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2018a, Aya-Cuero et al, (2019), Mantilla-Meluk y Herrera-Collazos ( 2019) y Pardo et al, (2019); y Vichada: Defler (1982, 1986), Valbuena-Vargas (1999, Botello-Castillo (2001), Carrasquilla (2002), Bermúdez-Romero et al, (2004, Carrasquilla y Trujillo (2004), Gómez-Serrano (2004), Velasco-Gómez (2004), Patiño et al, (2005), Trujillo et al, (2008, Castelblanco et al, (2009), Gómez-Camelo (2009), Corporinoquía et al,(2015), Alviz y Pérez (2015), Garrote (2015), Trujillo y Mosquera-Guerra (2016), Gómez et al, (2016), Mosquera-Guerra et al,…”

Mamíferos de la cuenca del río Cravo Sur: estado de conocimiento y conservación

“…En la actualidad, se ha evidenciado un creciente interés en generar conocimiento científico acerca de la ecología y diversidad de las especies de mamíferos, asociados a los ecosistemas de la Orinoquía colombiana, reflejada en diferentes publicaciones en los departamentos que la conforman. Arauca: Alviz y Pérez (2015), Alviz (2017, 2019a; Casanare: Trujillo et al, (2010a), Suárez-Castro et al, (2013, Alviz y Pérez (2015), García-Londoño y , Rojano et al, (2015a), Calderón-Capote et al, (2018), Morales-Martínez et al, (2018), Castillo-Figueroa et al, (2019, Matilla-Meluk y Herrera-Collazos (2019) y Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2019a); Meta: Diazgranados y Trujillo (2004), Calvo-Roa y Muñoz-Saba (2012), Morales-Martínez (2013), Trujillo y Superina (2013), Trujillo y Duque (2013), Rodríguez-Bolaños et al, (2014), Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2015, Muñoz-Saba et al, (2015), Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2016), Casallas-Pabón et al, (2017, Sánchez (2017), Mosquera-Guerra et al, (2018a, 2019a, Aya-Cuero et al, (2019), Mantilla-Meluk y Herrera-Collazos (2019) y Pardo et al, (2019); y Vichada: Defler (1982Defler ( , 1986, Valbuena-Vargas (1999), Botello-Castillo (2001), Carrasquilla (2002), Bermúdez-Romero et al, (2004, Carrasquilla y Trujillo (2004), Gómez-Serrano (2004), Velasco-Gómez (2004), Patiño et al, (2005), Trujill...…”