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<p>Declines in mammal abundance or biomass in forest fragments may be even more pronounced than species losses but have been scarcely quantified throughout tropical forests. Based on camera-trapping data, we performed a Bayesian multispecies occupancy model to estimate and compare patterns of species richness, relative abundance and biomass of medium and large-sized mammal assemblages across 14 fragments in private rural landholdings and three protected areas in the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. We further assessed defaunation levels and evaluate their influence, in combination to landscape forest loss, to our response variables through linear regressions. We recorded 22 forest-dwelling terrestrial mammals, and most sites presented low species richness and aggregate relative abundances along with high defaunation levels, except one protected area. In private areas, <i>Nasua nasua</i>,<i> D. novemcinctus</i> and <i>Guerlinguetus brasiliensis</i> were the most abundant species, whereas <i>T. terrestris</i>, <i>D. leporina</i> and cervids presented the highest relative abundances in protected areas. Although species richness and aggregate relative abundance did not significantly differ among private and protected areas, the unprotected ones retained substantially lower aggregate biomass and exhibited higher defaunation levels. Contrary to our expectations, the aggregate relative abundance moderately per site decreased as forest cover increased, with this pattern being mirrored by five species. Finally, species richness and relative abundance were not significantly affected by defaunation, but aggregated biomass significantly decreased as defaunation increased. Our results demonstrate a pervasive defaunation scenario in Atlantic Forest fragments marked by severe biomass declines in unprotected private areas. In this region, conservation strategies should focus on enhancing and restoring connectivity among forest fragments, but policy makers should also discuss reintroduction programs to bring back extirpated species and restore ecosystem services, particularly the large-sized and those sensitive to habitat loss.</p>

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Half-empty forests: defaunation of medium and large-sized mammals in a global biodiversity hotspot

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月15日

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  • Maíra Benchimol,
  • Carolina Nobre,
  • Elaine Rios,
  • Marcelo Magioli

摘要

Declines in mammal abundance or biomass in forest fragments may be even more pronounced than species losses but have been scarcely quantified throughout tropical forests. Based on camera-trapping data, we performed a Bayesian multispecies occupancy model to estimate and compare patterns of species richness, relative abundance and biomass of medium and large-sized mammal assemblages across 14 fragments in private rural landholdings and three protected areas in the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. We further assessed defaunation levels and evaluate their influence, in combination to landscape forest loss, to our response variables through linear regressions. We recorded 22 forest-dwelling terrestrial mammals, and most sites presented low species richness and aggregate relative abundances along with high defaunation levels, except one protected area. In private areas, Nasua nasua, D. novemcinctus and Guerlinguetus brasiliensis were the most abundant species, whereas T. terrestris, D. leporina and cervids presented the highest relative abundances in protected areas. Although species richness and aggregate relative abundance did not significantly differ among private and protected areas, the unprotected ones retained substantially lower aggregate biomass and exhibited higher defaunation levels. Contrary to our expectations, the aggregate relative abundance moderately per site decreased as forest cover increased, with this pattern being mirrored by five species. Finally, species richness and relative abundance were not significantly affected by defaunation, but aggregated biomass significantly decreased as defaunation increased. Our results demonstrate a pervasive defaunation scenario in Atlantic Forest fragments marked by severe biomass declines in unprotected private areas. In this region, conservation strategies should focus on enhancing and restoring connectivity among forest fragments, but policy makers should also discuss reintroduction programs to bring back extirpated species and restore ecosystem services, particularly the large-sized and those sensitive to habitat loss.