Padrões de diversidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte na mata atlântica subtropical brasileira

Abstract

Fragmentation and degradation affect a large part of the Atlantic Forest landscape, making it essential to understand the patterns of medium- and large-bodied mammal communities in these environments. The subtropical portion of the biome presents high rates of defaunation, which cause changes in the structure of the communities. This study aimed to analyze the distribution patterns of richness, diversity, and species composition of medium- and large-bodied mammals in the Brazilian subtropical Atlantic Forest. The study addresses four main questions: (1) How do richness, diversity, and species composition vary among medium- and large-bodied mammal communities in the subtropical Atlantic Forest? (2) How do rare, common, and dominant species contribute to community structure (3) Does the size of the area influence species richness, diversity, composition, number of species by feeding habit, and number of threatened species? (4) Does the type of habitat use by species influence the proportion of threatened species? A total of 57 communities and 39 medium- and large-bodied mammal species were analyzed. The results indicate that the structure of the communities varies in the occurrence of rare, common, and dominant species. Area size influenced species richness, the number of threatened species at the national level, and the number of species with carnivorous and herbivorous/frugivorous diets. Furthermore, the proportion of threatened species was higher in forest habitats, while smaller areas harbored more distinct species compositions compared to medium and large areas. In general, communities vary primarily in species composition, indicating that area size influences which species are present, resulting in the maintenance or exclusion of species with different habitat uses, feeding habits, and threat levels. These patterns highlight the need for management strategies directed at communities with low richness and diversity, often characterized by the dominance of a few species.