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1 December 2015 Density, Occupancy, and Activity Pattern of Two Sympatric Deer (Mazama) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil
Átilla C. Ferreguetti, Walfrido M. Tomás, Helena G. Bergallo
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Abstract

The red brocket (Mazama americana) and gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) are sympatric in the Atlantic Forest and present a number of ecological similarities in their diet and habitat use, although interspecific competition in these species is poorly understood. This study aimed to compare abundance and produce evidence of niche partitioning between these species. We estimated population density, activity patterns, habitat occupancy, and detection probabilities for the 2 species in a large remnant of the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Abundance was estimated using the distance sampling technique, and occupancy, detectability, and activity patterns were assessed using camera-trap monitoring at 39 sample sites over a 1-year period. During surveys, we obtained 44 sightings of M. americana and 74 of M. gouazoubira, with 199 records in which the species was not discriminated. We applied a correction for the unidentified sightings to avoid underestimating density. The corrected population size estimates were 3,668 individuals (confidence interval [CI] 95%: 2,989–4,601) for M. americana and 6,701 (CI 95%: 5,857–7,667) for M. gouazoubira. Occupancy probability for M. americana was best described by the large trees density (diameter at breast height > 50 cm) and the edge forest distance, while M. gouazoubira did not present any habitat preferences based on the covariates used for modeling. M. americana was mostly nocturnal, whereas M. gouazoubira was active mainly during the day. We conclude that, despite the abundance of these sympatric species, and their occupation of the same habitats, they may avoid competing for habitat and feeding resources through differences in their activity patterns.

© 2015 American Society of Mammalogists, www.mammalogy.org
Átilla C. Ferreguetti, Walfrido M. Tomás, and Helena G. Bergallo "Density, Occupancy, and Activity Pattern of Two Sympatric Deer (Mazama) in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil," Journal of Mammalogy 96(6), 1245-1254, (1 December 2015). https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyv132
Received: 30 January 2015; Accepted: 14 July 2015; Published: 1 December 2015
KEYWORDS
abundance
Atlantic forest
border effect
Cervidae
competition
habitat selection
poaching
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