Use of camera-traps in natural trails and shelters for the mammalian survey in the Atlantic Forest

• Main Author: Melo,Geruza L.
• Publication Date: 2012
• Other Authors: Sponchiado,Jonas, Cáceres,Nilton C.
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Iheringia. Série Zoologia
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0073-47212012000100012
• topic: Combined sampling; diversity evaluation; forest interior; trapping effort

In order to evaluate the efficiency of different mammalian survey methods, we compared traditional sampling techniques (use of camera-traps on roads and artificial trails, track censuses, and direct field visualization) with an alternative sampling design (camera-traps positioned in natural areas such as natural trails and shelters). We conducted the study in a deciduous Atlantic-Forest park in southern Brazil, and additionally compared our results with a previous intensive study carried out in the same area. Our considerably smaller sampling effort (example: 336 trap.day for our camera-traps versus 2,154 trap.day for the earlier study) registered the presence of 85% of the local known species, with camera-traps being 68% efficient. Moreover, shelter camera-traps revealed a different species composition regarding most of other sampling methods. This sampling strategy involving natural forest sites was therefore able to effectively optimize the chances of evaluating species composition in a shorter period, especially with respect to lower-density and cryptic species, as well as to detect species that avoid open, disturbed sites such as roads and man-made forest trails.