Vlamir José Rocha’s research while affiliated with Federal University of São Carlos and other places

Global Roadkill Data: a dataset on terrestrial vertebrate mortality caused by collision with vehicles (Supplementary information)

Roadkill is widely recognized as one of the primary negative effects of roads on many wildlife species and also has socioeconomic impacts when they result in accidents. A comprehensive dataset of roadkill locations is essential to evaluate the factors contributing to roadkill risk and to enhance our comprehension of its impact on wildlife populations and socioeconomic dimensions. We undertook a compilation of roadkill records, encompassing both published and unpublished data gathered from road surveys or opportunistic sources. GLOBAL ROADKILL DATA includes 208,570 roadkill records of terrestrial vertebrates from 54 countries across six continents, encompassing data collected between 1971 and 2024. This dataset serves to minimise the collection of redundant data and acts as a valuable resource for local and macro scale analysis regarding rates of roadkill, road-and landscape-related features associated with risk of roadkill, vulnerability of species to road traffic, and populations at risk of local extinction. The objective of this dataset is to promote scientific progress in infrastructure ecology and terrestrial vertebrate conservation while limiting the socioeconomic costs.

Os morcegos são mamíferos voadores envoltos em vários mitos, sendo o mais conhecido o vampirismo. Neste segundo volume, continuamos a tratar dos mitos e buscamos ir além, pois são animais que têm papéis importantes nos ecossistemas, tanto naturais, quanto urbanos. Os morcegos se alimentam de diferentes tipos de alimentos, como insetos, frutos, néctar, pequenos mamíferos, peixes e, em três espécies de um universo de mais de 1.470 espécies, sangue. A importância dos morcegos é a realização de serviços ecossistêmicos, conhecidos também como serviços ambientais ou da natureza e são associados à qualidade de vida e bem-estar das sociedades. Os serviços ecossistêmicos são processos naturais, como os ciclos biogeoquímicos, e são indispensáveis a nossa sobrevivência, como da biodiversidade de forma geral. Entre os serviços ecossistêmicos que os morcegos desempenham estão: o consumo de insetos e o consequente controle de pragas e vetores de doenças; a dispersão de sementes, relacionada ao consumo de frutos; e a polinização, decorrente do hábito de consumo do néctar em flores de algumas espécies vegetais. O nosso objetivo foi o de organizar uma obra que contribuísse para dar visibilidade à diversidade e importância ecológica dos morcegos, assim como abordar os mitos, como o vampirismo, e riscos à saúde. Além disto, queremos que os textos e propostas didáticas aqui apresentados cheguem até professores de educação básica para serem usadas durantes suas aulas. Através deste livro, buscamos aproximar pesquisadores e um público mais amplo, por meio de textos simples, didáticos e interessantes. Este processo começou em 2018, com uma chamada pública que possibilitou a edição e publicação de 19 capítulos. Com o objetivo de lançar novos olhares sobre os morcegos, lançamos uma nova chamada em 2024, a partir da qual recebemos 15 textos (um deles foi desmembrado em dois capítulos). Depois, tivemos um longo processo de leitura, análise e reescrita, de forma a adequar os textos ao público pretendido. Os textos recebidos, e que passaram a compor este segundo volume do livro, trazem discussão sobre a diversidade de espécies de morcegos na natureza e em áreas urbanas, seus hábitos alimentares (sobretudo o consumo de frutas e sua relação com a dispersão de sementes), sua importância de reservas ecológicas para a conservação das espécies, bioindicação e o que as pessoas pensam destes animais, incluindo os diversos mitos sobre que transitam em nossa cultura. Deste esforço coletivo, nasceu a obra Morcegos: além dos mitos Volume II, o qual esperamos que seja de agradável leitura e útil para ações educativas.

The Atlantic Forest is a highly diverse biome due to its significant geographical variation in latitude, longitude, and altitude. Mammals are particularly susceptible to habitat fragmentation. Surveys of these group in forest fragments essential for conservation efforts. Surveys of non-flying mamals provide critical data on biodiversity, aiding in the protection and management of species and their habitats. To assess the richness of non-flying mammals in the São Francisco Forest Conservation Unit, we used direct observation methods and camera traps. The study began in early 2022 and was concluded in September 2023. We recorded 24 native species and two exotic species. Four species found are vulnerable to extinction: Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Leopardus guttulus, Leopardus wiedii, and Alouatta guariba clamitans. Notably, the most frequently recorded species was the exotic Sus scrofa (37% of records), followed by native species Dicotyles tajacu (18%), Didelphis albiventris, and Nasua nasua (both around 7%). The low richness can be attributed to factors like habitat fragmentation, historical anthropogenic impacts and the size and degree of isolation of the Conservation Unit. These findings include significant new records for the region, such as Dicotyles tajacu, which had not been documented in this fragment previously. However, the high frequency of the invasive species Sus scrofa poses a concerning impact on local biodiversity. This study highlights the fragment’s critical importance for maintaining the biodiversity of non-flying mammals in the Atlantic Forest biome.

Camera traps became the main observational method of a myriad of species over large areas. Data sets from camera traps can be used to describe the patterns and monitor the occupancy, abundance, and richness of wildlife, essential information for conservation in times of rapid climate and land‐cover changes. Habitat loss and poaching are responsible for historical population losses of mammals in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, especially for medium to large‐sized species. Here we present a data set from camera trap surveys of medium to large‐sized native mammals (>1 kg) across the Atlantic Forest. We compiled data from 5380 ground‐level camera trap deployments in 3046 locations, from 2004 to 2020, resulting in 43,068 records of 58 species. These data add to existing data sets of mammals in the Atlantic Forest by including dates of camera operation needed for analyses dealing with imperfect detection. We also included, when available, information on important predictors of detection, namely the camera brand and model, use of bait, and obstruction of camera viewshed that can be measured from example pictures at each camera location. Besides its application in studies on the patterns and mechanisms behind occupancy, relative abundance, richness, and detection, the data set presented here can be used to study species' daily activity patterns, activity levels, and spatiotemporal interactions between species. Moreover, data can be used combined with other data sources in the multiple and expanding uses of integrated population modeling. An R script is available to view summaries of the data set. We expect that this data set will be used to advance the knowledge of mammal assemblages and to inform evidence‐based solutions for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest. The data are not copyright restricted; please cite this paper when using the data.

The Serra do Divisor National Park is one of the richest regions in biodiversity and, despite its importance, it is still an understudied area. Here we report new records of mammals in this locality and insights into the natural history of the olingo Bassaricyon alleni Thomas, 1880, bushy-tailed opossum Glironia venusta Thomas, 1912, and greater grison Galictis vittata (Schreber, 1776). We contribute to the distribution of small mammals with limited and unknown distribution in the state of Acre and provide point observations on their behavior.