Identification of priority conservation areas and potential corridors for jaguars in the Caatinga biome, Brazil.
The jaguar, Panthera onca, is a top predator with the extant population found within the Brazilian Caatinga biome now known to be on the brink of extinction. Designing new conservation units and potential corridors are therefore crucial for the long-term survival of the species within the Caatinga biome. Thus, our aims were: 1) to recognize suitable areas for jaguar occurrence, 2) to delineate areas for jaguar conservation (PJCUs), 3) to design corridors among priority areas, and 4) to prioritize PJCUs. A total of 62 points records of jaguar occurrence and 10 potential predictors were analyzed in a GIS environment. A predictive distributional map was obtained using Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) as performed by the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) algorithm. Areas equal to or higher than the median suitability value of 0.595 were selected as of high suitability for jaguar occurrence and named as Priority Jaguar Conservation Units (PJCU). Ten PJCUs with sizes varying from 23.6 km2 to 4,311.0 km2 were identified. Afterwards, we combined the response curve, as generated by SDM, and expert opinions to create a permeability matrix and to identify least cost corridors and buffer zones between each PJCU pair. Connectivity corridors and buffer zone for jaguar movement included an area of 8.884,26 km2 and the total corridor length is about 160.94 km. Prioritizing criteria indicated the PJCU representing c.a. 68.61% of the total PJCU area (PJCU # 1) as of high priority for conservation and connectivity with others PJCUs (PJCUs # 4, 5 and 7) desirable for the long term survival of the species. In conclusion, by using the jaguar as a focal species and combining SDM and expert opinion we were able to create a valid framework for practical conservation actions at the Caatinga biome. The same approach could be used for the conservation of other carnivores.
Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros - Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade - Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ronaldo Gonçalves
RG
Morato
Instituto para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros
KM
Ferraz
Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros - Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade - Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil.
Rogério Cunha
RC
de Paula
Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros - Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade - Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto para a Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cláudia Bueno
CB
de Campos
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D056727:Endangered Species; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D046009:Panthera / Q000502:physiology*; D011157:Population Dynamics