title: Marsupials from space: fluctuating asymmetry, geographical information systems and animal conservation.
abstract: We report the development of a new quantitative method of assessing the effects of anthropogenic impacts on living beings; this method allows us to assess actual impacts and to travel backwards in time to assess impacts. In this method, we have crossed data on fluctuating asymmetry (FA, a measure of environmental or genetic stress), using Didelphis albiventris as a model, with geographical information systems data relating to environmental composition. Our results show that more impacted environments resulted in statistically higher levels of FA. Our method appears to be a useful and flexible conservation tool for assessing anthropogenic impacts.
authors.affiliation: Conservation, Ecology and Animal Behaviour Group, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Pós-graduação em Zoologia de Vertebrados, Prédio 41, Av. Dom José Gaspar, 500, Bairro Coração Eucarístico, 30535-610, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Palhares
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Robert John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D048293:Didelphis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D005843:Geography; D017215:Satellite Communications