Dataset Information

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

ABSTRACT: The jaguar is the top predator of the Atlantic Forest (AF), which is a highly threatened biodiversity hotspot that occurs in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. By combining data sets from 14 research groups across the region, we determine the population status of the jaguar and propose a spatial prioritization for conservation actions. About 85% of the jaguar's habitat in the AF has been lost and only 7% remains in good condition. Jaguars persist in around 2.8% of the region, and live in very low densities in most of the areas. The population of jaguars in the AF is probably lower than 300 individuals scattered in small sub-populations. We identified seven Jaguar Conservation Units (JCUs) and seven potential JCUs, and only three of these areas may have ?50 individuals. A connectivity analysis shows that most of the JCUs are isolated. Habitat loss and fragmentation were the major causes for jaguar decline, but human induced mortality is the main threat for the remaining population. We classified areas according to their contribution to jaguar conservation and we recommend management actions for each of them. The methodology in this study could be used for conservation planning of other carnivore species.

SUBMITTER: Paviolo A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5111070 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Paviolo Agustin A De Angelo Carlos C Ferraz Katia M P M B KM Morato Ronaldo G RG Martinez Pardo Julia J Srbek-Araujo Ana C AC Beisiegel Beatriz de Mello BM Lima Fernando F Sana Denis D Xavier da Silva Marina M Velázquez Myriam C MC Cullen Laury L Crawshaw Peter P Jorge María Luisa S P ML Galetti Pedro M PM Di Bitetti Mario S MS de Paula Rogerio Cunha RC Eizirik Eduardo E Aide T Mitchell TM Cruz Paula P Perilli Miriam L L ML Souza Andiara S M C AS Quiroga Verónica V Nakano Eduardo E Ramírez Pinto Fredy F Fernández Sixto S Costa Sebastian S Moraes Edsel A EA Azevedo Fernando F

Scientific reports 20161116

The jaguar is the top predator of the Atlantic Forest (AF), which is a highly threatened biodiversity hotspot that occurs in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. By combining data sets from 14 research groups across the region, we determine the population status of the jaguar and propose a spatial prioritization for conservation actions. About 85% of the jaguar's habitat in the AF has been lost and only 7% remains in good condition. Jaguars persist in around 2.8% of the region, and live in very low d ...[more]

PMID: 27849006

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Project description:Identifying which ecosystem services are relevant to different stakeholders and understanding stakeholders' perceptions of such services is useful for making informed decisions, especially in regions of the world where the achievement of biodiversity conservation goals is threatened by economically productive activities. In this article, we assess social preferences for ecosystem services in a biodiversity hotspot in central Chile. We use a consultative case study to ask local stakeholders (n = 70) from the Campana Peñuelas Biosphere Reserve to identify the most important ecosystem services the area provides for them and inquire about the perceived vulnerability of the services to changes in the future. We also explore the association between the perceived importance of ecosystem services and the sociodemographic and cultural characteristics of the respondents, which allows us to identify contrasting stakeholder perceptions of different ecosystem services. The most important services for local actors were the drinking water, fresh air and climate change control, genetic pool of plant communities in central Chile, and educational value. From the perspective of local actors, the services that could be threatened by negative changes in the future in terms of their provision included the possibilities of developing conservation activities focused on iconic threatened animal and plant species, water regulation, food from agriculture, and drinking water. Contrasting perceptions about the importance of ecosystem services emerged among stakeholders. While small farmers and members of local organizations attributed higher importance values to provisioning services, scientists and rangers and administrators of protected areas as well as teachers, NGO members and local government employees attributed more importance to the regulating and cultural services associated with threatened species. Our results can serve as a source of information for the planning and decision-making processes related to the search for socially and ecologically sustainable solutions for land use management.

Dataset Information

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Publications

A biodiversity hotspot losing its top predator: The challenge of jaguar conservation in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Similar Datasets

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