Christine Steiner São Bernardo

Densidade e tamanho populacional de primatas em um fragmento florestal no sudeste do Brasil

Foram realizadas transeccoes lineares em um pequeno fragmento de Floresta Atlântica semidecidua, a fim de se estimar densidade e tamanho populacional de primatas. A Mata Sao Jose possui uma area de 230 ha e esta localizada entre Rio Claro e Araras (Estado de Sao Paulo, sudeste do Brasil). Este fragmento florestal abriga 23 especies de mamiferos nao - voadores, distribuidos em sete ordens e 13 familias. De julho de 1999 a janeiro de 2001, foram percorridos 125 km e tres especies de primatas foram registradas. As densidades populacionais foram estimadas com base no software Distance. A especie de primata que apresentou maior densidade foi o macaco-prego Cebus nigritus (Goldfuss, 1809) (Cebidae) (24,5 individuos/ km2, variando entre 19,6 e 32,6 individuos/ km2). Para o saua Callicebus nigrifrons (Spix, 1823) (Pitheciidae) e o sagui-da-serra-escuro Callithrix aurita (E. Geoffroy, 1812) (Callitrichidae) foi calculada uma densidade de 3,5 individuos/ km2 (variando entre 2,8 e 4,6 individuos/ km2). A populacao total de macaco - prego estimada foi de 56 individuos (variando de 45 a 75 individuos), bem como a populacao total de saua e sagui-da-serra-escuro foi de oito individuos (variando de seis a 10 individuos). O saua e o sagui-da-serra-escuro estao inclusos na lista nacional das especies da fauna brasileira ameacadas de extincao no Brasil, considerados vulneraveis a extincao, mas esses dois primatas ainda persistem na Mata Sao Jose, ainda que em baixa densidade populacional. Estas especies estao correndo risco de extincao local, pois o pequeno tamanho das populacoes as torna mais suscetiveis a efeitos estocasticos, depressao genetica por endocruzamento e variacoes ambientais. A translocacao destas especies de primatas e a unica medida de manejo plausivel que pode evitar a extincao local destas populacoes de primatas.

After the epidemic: Zika virus projections for Latin America and the Caribbean

Background Zika is one of the most challenging emergent vector-borne diseases, yet its future public health impact remains unclear. Zika was of little public health concern until recent reports of its association with congenital syndromes. By 3 August 2017 ∼217,000 Zika cases and ∼3,400 cases of associated congenital syndrome were reported in Latin America and the Caribbean. Some modelling exercises suggest that Zika virus infection could become endemic in agreement with recent declarations from the The World Health Organisation. Methodology/Principal findings We produced high-resolution spatially-explicit projections of Zika cases, associated congenital syndromes and monetary costs for Latin America and the Caribbean now that the epidemic phase of the disease appears to be over. In contrast to previous studies which have adopted a modelling approach to map Zika potential, we project case numbers using a statistical approach based upon reported dengue case data as a Zika surrogate. Our results indicate that ∼12.3 (0.7–162.3) million Zika cases could be expected across Latin America and the Caribbean every year, leading to ∼64.4 (0.2–5159.3) thousand cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and ∼4.7 (0.0–116.3) thousand cases of microcephaly. The economic burden of these neurological sequelae are estimated to be USD ∼2.3 (USD 0–159.3) billion per annum. Conclusions/Significance Zika is likely to have significant public health consequences across Latin America and the Caribbean in years to come. Our projections inform regional and federal health authorities, offering an opportunity to adapt to this public health challenge.

DENSITY ESTIMATES OF THE BLACK-FRONTED PIPING GUAN IN THE BRAZILIAN ATLANTIC RAINFOREST

Abstract We studied the Black-fronted Piping Guan (Pipile jacutinga), a medium-sized cracid (1.5 kg), endemic of Atlantic rainforest and considered endangered. We present density estimates of Black-fronted Piping Guans derived from line-transect surveys (total effort  =  2,246 km) across 11 protected areas (6 continuous mainland areas, 3 non-connected mainland areas, and 2 inshore islands) in São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Both islands and the continuous mainland forests of Paranapiacaba massif had the highest density estimates of the species. The largest continuous mainland Atlantic Forest (Serra do Mar massif) had the lowest density estimates and the species was absent in some regions of this mountain range. All non-connected mainland forests also had low density estimates or absence of the species. Our data indicate the Black-fronted Piping Guan is not extremely sensitive to habitat disturbance and the major threat to its conservation is most likely from illegal hunting. The absence or low density estimates of the species in three survey sites is of special concern, because it is known guans are important in seed dispersal, which may have long-term consequences for forest regeneration.

Daily and Seasonal Activity Patterns of the Solitary Tinamou (Tinamus solitarius) in the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT The Solitary Tinamou (Tinamus solitarius) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Little information is available about this bird species because of its low conservation priority and cryptic habits. Hunting and habitat loss are the main threats to the species, which is regionally threatened in southern and southeastern Brazil. We used camera traps installed along unpaved roads, at edges with roads, and in the forest interior in one of the last large remnants of the lowland Brazilian Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil to determine daily and seasonal activity patterns of the Solitary Tinamou. We obtained 256 records between June 2005 and December 2013 (sampling effort = 14,316 cameras-day). Solitary Tinamous were mainly observed away from roads, confirming the tendency of the species to occur more frequently in areas with greater canopy cover. Our data confirmed that photoperiod may influence daily activity patterns of the Solitary Tinamou, as the duration of daylight differs among the seasons. The species showed a total of 16 hrs of daily activity during the wet season with two main activity peaks during the day (0500 and 1800) and an intervening smaller peak (1300). During the dry season, the species showed a shorter duration of daily activity (13 hrs), and the activity peaks occurred either 2 hrs later or 1 hr earlier. Despite the difference in daily activity patterns between seasons, the number of records obtained was proportional to the sampling effort at each season, and the records were not correlated with climatic variables. The species was most often recorded between August and January, a time span that coincided with its reproductive period. It was less often recorded between March and May, a finding that could be related to the timing of the post-nuptial molting period. Our data serve to enhance current knowledge of activity patterns of T. solitarius and may be used in future studies relating temporal niche partitioning by the Solitary Tinamou with other frugivores or between the species and its predators.

Predator-prey interaction between two threatened species in a Brazilian hotspot

Conflicts in conservation may arise if two or more threatened species are involved in prey-predator interaction. Predators may have a profound effect on small prey populations, thus conservation actions must consider inter-specific interactions involving threatened species. Here we report nest predation events on a wild population of the Endangered red-billed curassow Crax blumenbachii Spix, 1825 by a group of the Critically Endangered yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys Sapajus xanthosternosWied-Neuwied, 1820 in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This is the first study to report egg predation of an threatened gamebird by an threatened primate. We recommend that systematic conservation planning for these threatened species consider interactions, especially considering upcoming reintroduction programs indicated in the National Action Plans for these species conservation.

Seed Dispersal of Threatened Tree Species by a Critically Endangered Primate in a Brazilian Hotspot.

In the northern Atlantic Forest, hunting and habitat loss have eliminated most large mammals that disperse zoochoric fruits. Due to the decrease in populations of large seed dispersers, yellow-breasted capuchins (Sapajusxanthosternos) are currently one of the largest arboreal fruit-eating mammals in the region. During 26 months, we followed 14-25 capuchins aiming to (1) present data on their dietary ecology, (2) verify the conservation status of plants in the diet, and (3) determine distance and habitat of seed deposition based on gut retention time. Capuchins showed a preference for feeding in old secondary forests in spite of the greater availability of primary forests. They fed on 109 species of fruits (42.7% of feeding frequency) and swallowed 85 species of seeds (mean width: 0.73 ± 0.57 cm; mean length: 1.17 ± 0.83 cm). Capuchins consumed mostly oil palm and manilkara fruits. We observed long distances of seed deposition (median 300-360 m); 36.8-41.7% of these events occurred in a distinct habitat, and seeds of 12 late-stage trees swallowed in the primary forest were deposited in old secondary forests. S. xanthosternos has an important role in the first phase of seed dispersal (seed removal from the parent tree and seed deposition), particularly for 23 endemic and 3 endangered plants.

Limiting global-mean temperature increase to 1.5–2 °C could reduce the incidence and spatial spread of dengue fever in Latin America

Significance This study is a multigeneral circulation model, multiscenario modeling exercise developed to quantify the dengue-related health benefits of limiting global warming to 1.5–2.0 °C above preindustrial levels in Latin America and the Caribbean. We estimate the impact of future climate change and population growth on the additional number of dengue cases and provide insights about the regions and periods most likely affected by changes in the length of the transmission season. Here, we show that future climate change may amplify dengue transmission and that significant impacts could be avoided by constraining global warming to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. Our work could be a starting point for future risk assessments incorporating other important drivers of disease such as urbanization and international traveling. The Paris Climate Agreement aims to hold global-mean temperature well below 2 °C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. While it is recognized that there are benefits for human health in limiting global warming to 1.5 °C, the magnitude with which those societal benefits will be accrued remains unquantified. Crucial to public health preparedness and response is the understanding and quantification of such impacts at different levels of warming. Using dengue in Latin America as a study case, a climate-driven dengue generalized additive mixed model was developed to predict global warming impacts using five different global circulation models, all scaled to represent multiple global-mean temperature assumptions. We show that policies to limit global warming to 2 °C could reduce dengue cases by about 2.8 (0.8–7.4) million cases per year by the end of the century compared with a no-policy scenario that warms by 3.7 °C. Limiting warming further to 1.5 °C produces an additional drop in cases of about 0.5 (0.2–1.1) million per year. Furthermore, we found that by limiting global warming we can limit the expansion of the disease toward areas where incidence is currently low. We anticipate our study to be a starting point for more comprehensive studies incorporating socioeconomic scenarios and how they may further impact dengue incidence. Our results demonstrate that although future climate change may amplify dengue transmission in the region, impacts may be avoided by constraining the level of warming.