Recursos alimentares de primatas da Mata Atlântica e um olhar sobre os maiores primatas deste bioma: mudanças climáticas, principais recursos de plantas e habitat

Primates are arboreal and semi-arboreal species, and are among the most threatened mammals, mainly due to habitat loss and climate change. Historical deforestation and fragmentation, combined with the high primate richness and vulnerability to climate change, characterize the Atlantic Forest as essential for their conservation. This thesis comprises three chapters. In the first one, we reviewed the diet of Atlantic Forest primates. Among the records, 96% were plants, 50% fruits, 31% leaves, and 14% flowers. Each primate was classified in a trophic guild based on the consumption frequency of these items. A few plant species concentrated most records, mainly those from the Myrtaceae and Fabaceae families. Data are scarce and geographically limited, raising particular concerns for threatened primates such as Callithrix aurita, Leontopithecus caissara, and Sapajus robustus. This chapter was published in Mammal Review (https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12378). In the second chapter, we assessed the overlap between climatically suitable areas (current and future) for Brachyteles arachnoides and B. hypoxanthus and their main food plants. Brachyteles is endemic to the Atlantic Forest, Critically Endangered, frugivorous/folivore, and depends on large and diverse forest habitats to meet its ecological needs. Climatic suitability values for B. arachnoides are projected to decrease, but there will be no significant reductions in climatically suitable areas in the future. Notably, B. hypoxanthus climatic suitability values and areas are projected to decline, with a reduction of up to 91% of its climatically suitable area in the most extreme scenario. For this species, overlap with food resources is also expected to decline. The connection of forest fragments with key dietary plants is crucial for conserving these primates, mainly in the face of climate change and habitat fragmentation. This strategy can expand suitable microhabitats, facilitate the dispersal of reproductive females, and increase species resilience (viability) to extreme climatic events. In the third chapter, we developed a quality index combining climate suitability (current and future), potential resource availability (current and future), and forest cover to classify landscapes with Brachyteles occurrence into four categories: Very Low, Low, Moderate, and High. Brachyteles arachnoides had a higher proportion of landscapes classified as High and Moderate Quality under current conditions that persist in future projections. Brachyteles hypoxanthus also had a greater proportion of High and Moderate Quality landscapes under the current climate, but the quality of these landscapes is projected to decrease in future scenarios, with an increase in Low Quality landscapes. The most critical regions require urgent restoration, connectivity improvement, and population monitoring/management.

Grantor dc:publisher

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Vasquez, Vagner Lacerda

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Pinto, Miriam Plaza

• Brachyteles arachnoides
• Brachyteles hypoxanthus
• Cobertura florestal
• Dieta
• Modelagem de adequabilidade climática

Statement dc:rights

• Acesso Aberto

Language dc:language.iso

pt_BR

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/65303

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositorio.ufrn.br:123456789/65303