Banca de DEFESA: VAGNER LACERDA VASQUEZ

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : VAGNER LACERDA VASQUEZ
DATE: 23/05/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: SALA DE REUNIÕES DO DECOL/CB/UFRN (https://conferenciaweb.rnp.br/sala/vagnerlv)
TITLE:

FOOD RESOURCES OF ATLANTIC FOREST PRIMATES AND A FOCUS ON THIS BIOME'S LARGEST PRIMATES: CLIMATE CHANGE, KEY PLANT RESOURCES, AND HABITAT

KEY WORDS:

Brachyteles arachnoides; Brachyteles hypoxanthus; Diet; Fabaceae; Hotspot; MaxEnt; Habitat suitability modeling; Mono-cavoeiro; Myrtaceae; Species distribution modeling.

PAGES: 183
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUBÁREA: Ecologia Aplicada
SUMMARY:

Primates are arboreal and semi-arboreal species, depend on vascular plants to meet their ecological needs. Proportionally, they are the most threatened mammals with extinction, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation, which may be exacerbated by climate change. The history of deforestation and fragmentation in the Atlantic Forest, combined with its high primate species richness and projected climate changes for this region, makes it a critical area for primate conservation efforts. This thesis is divided into three chapters. In the first chapter, we synthesize the knowledge about food resources of primate species in the Atlantic Forest. We investigate the temporal and spatial distribution of studies with published dietary information, the main taxa recorded as food resources, and the most frequently consumed plant parts by these primates. 96% of food records were from plants, primarily fruits (50%), leaves (31%), and flowers (14%). Most plant species, genera, and families had few records. The most frequently recorded families were Myrtaceae (n=440) and Fabaceae (n=392), and the most common genera were Eugenia (n=123), Inga (n=113), Ficus (n=109), and Myrcia (n=102). Some primate species with long-term conservation programs or population monitoring had the highest number of food resource records. Study sites generally covered only a small portion of the primates’ geographic distribution, indicating a geographic bias. Our results highlight the scarcity of research on the diet of Atlantic Forest primates, which is especially concerning for endangered species such as Callithrix aurita and Leontopithecus caissara, which had only occasional natural history notes on food resources, and Sapajus robustus, which had no records. We emphasize the need for further research on the diet of Atlantic Forest primates, as this knowledge can contribute to understanding organism plasticity and physiology. In the second chapter, we assess the effects of climate change on the distribution of Brachyteles (B. arachnoides and B. hypoxanthus), endemic Atlantic Forest primates, and their key food resources. We modeled their current and future (2060 and 2100) distributions, along with 46 plant species frequently associated with their diet in literature (26 for B. arachnoides; 20 for B. hypoxanthus). Within their geographic ranges, under different climate scenarios (current and four future scenarios), we analyzed the suitability and distribution of Brachyteles and their food resources, the overlap between their distributions (primates and plants), and the number of plant species per pixel. The climatic suitability of Brachyteles decreased in future scenarios, with a more pronounced decline for B. hypoxanthus. The distribution of B. arachnoides is projected to increase by 15% by 2100 under the highest greenhouse gas emissions scenario, while B. hypoxanthus is expected to decline by up to 91% under the same scenario and time interval. Both climatic suitability and the number of food resources were higher under current climate conditions compared to future projections. The overlap between Brachyteles and their food resources also tended to decrease in future scenarios, especially the most severe ones, as did the number of plant species per pixel, with more pronounced declines for B. hypoxanthus. Previous studies have also indicated potential reductions in the future distributions of Brachyteles and tree species within the Atlantic Forest, with more severe impacts on B. hypoxanthus. The projected declines in Brachyteles’ suitability and their key food resources, combined with habitat loss in the Atlantic Forest, threaten the survival of this Critically Endangered genus. Enriching and connecting forest fragments with key food resource species for Brachyteles is vital to support population viability and dispersal as suitable habitats diminish. In the third chapter, we assess the current and future (2060 and 2100) state of landscapes inhabited by Brachyteles, combining climate suitability models with landscape metrics. We identified 39 landscapes where Brachyteles occur (B. arachnoides=25; B. hypoxanthus=14). In these landscapes, we evaluated the projected impacts of climate change on the suitability and distribution of these primates and their key food resources, along with forest cover and the proportion of landscapes overlapping protected areas (Nature Reserves). Finally, we classified landscape quality status into four categories: High, Moderate, Low, and Very Low. Climatic suitability in landscapes with Brachyteles was generally higher under current climate projections than future ones, especially for B. hypoxanthus. Similarly, the number of food resources projected under current climate conditions was higher than in future scenarios for both Brachyteles species, though the difference was small. Landscapes with B. arachnoides had higher forest cover (76%) and lower overlap with protected areas (76%), while those with B. hypoxanthus had lower forest cover (48%) and higher overlap with protected areas (86%). Brachyteles arachnoides maintained a stable proportion of High-Quality landscapes, even under high greenhouse gas emission scenarios (Current=62%, 2060=65%, 2100=54%). In contrast, B. hypoxanthus had a reduction in High-Quality landscapes (Current=3 landscapes, 2060=2, 2100=1) and an increase in Very Low-Quality landscapes (Current=20%, 2060=47%, 2100=60%). The lowest-quality landscapes for B. arachnoides were in the southern part of its geographic range and the disjunct northwestern portion, while for B. hypoxanthus, critical regions extended from the northern limit (disjunct portion) of its geographic range to the southwest. These areas require immediate conservation actions, such as landscape enrichment, increased connectivity, and population monitoring, to ensure the long-term survival of these species.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - BRUNA MARTINS BEZERRA - UFPE
Interno - 1718346 - EDUARDO MARTINS VENTICINQUE
Interno - 2319234 - GUILHERME ORTIGARA LONGO
Presidente - 1914239 - MIRIAM PLAZA PINTO
Externo à Instituição - RAONE BELTRÃO MENDES