Efficiency of hair snares and camera traps to survey mesocarnivore populations

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2014

Autores

Pedro Monterroso (Autor) Outra; Lindsey N Rich (Autor) Outra; Ana Serronha (Autor) Outra; Pablo Ferreras (Autor) Outra; Paulo Celio Alves (Autor) FCUP

Revista

A Revista está pendente de validação pelos Serviços Administrativos.

Título: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Vol. 60

Páginas: 279-289

ISSN: 1612-4642

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 27 Citações

Scopus - 32 Citações

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências exactas e naturais > Ciências biológicas

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-009-KGT

DOI: 10.1007/s10344-013-0780-1

Abstract (EN): Mammalian carnivore communities affect entire ecosystem functioning and structure. However, their large spatial requirements, preferred habitats, low densities, and elusive behavior deem them difficult to study. In recent years, noninvasive techniques have become much more common as they can be used to monitor multiple carnivore species across large areas at a relatively modest cost. Hair snares have the potential to fulfill such requirements, but have rarely been tested in Europe. Our objective was to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of hair snares for surveying mesocarnivores in the Iberian Peninsula (Southwestern Europe), by comparison with camera-trapping. We used an occupancy modeling framework to assess method-specific detectability and occupancy estimates and hypothesized that detection probabilities would be influenced by season, sampling method, and habitat-related variables. A total of 163 hair samples were collected, of which 136 potentially belonged to mesocarnivores. Genetic identification success varied with diagnostic method: 25.2 % using mitochondrial CR, and 9.9 % using the IRBP nuclear gene. Naive occupancy estimates were, in average, 5.3 +/- 1.2 times higher with camera-trapping than with hair-snaring, and method-specific detection probabilities revealed that camera traps were, in average, 6.7 +/- 1.1 times more effective in detecting target species. Overall, few site-specific covariates revealed significant effects on mesocarnivore detectability. Camera traps were a more efficient method for detecting mesocarnivores and estimating their occurrence when compared to hair snares. To improve hair snares' low detection probabilities, we suggest increasing the number of sampling occasions and the frequency at which hair snares are checked. With some refinements to increase detection rates and the success of genetic identification, hair-snaring methods may be valuable for providing deeper insights into population parameters, attained through adequate analysis of genetic information, that is not possible with camera traps.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 11