Abundance of some mesopredator preys in the Sierra del Abra Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve and adjacent areas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Food availability is an important factor in animal populations. Thus, understanding ecological parameters such as abundance and availability results indispensable in establishing appropriate management and conservation strategies of the species. The aims of this study were to determine the abundance...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Martínez-Hernández, Abraham, Rosas-Rosas, Octavio C., Tarango-Arámbula, Luis A., Benitez-Alemán, Héctor E.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:México
Institución:UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA CHAPINGO
Repositorio:Revista Chapingo Serie Zonas Áridas
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs2.revistas.chapingo.mx:article/957
Acceso en línea:https://revistas.chapingo.mx/zonas_aridas/article/view/r.rchsza.2017.10.005
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:abundancia relativa
conservación
factores
foto–trampeo
manejo
Relative abundance
conservation
factors
camera–trapping
management
Descripción
Sumario:Food availability is an important factor in animal populations. Thus, understanding ecological parameters such as abundance and availability results indispensable in establishing appropriate management and conservation strategies of the species. The aims of this study were to determine the abundance of 10 potential preys of three different mesopredators (Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii and Puma yagouaroundi) found in the Sierra del Abra Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve and to identify changes in relation to the sampling season by means of camera-trapping. The relative abundance index was calculated from independent photographic events. The cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus f loridanus), great curassow (Crax rubra), and the plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) showed significant changes in their abundance. The cottontail rabbit was the most abundant species throughout the sampling period. This investigation is the first attempt in evaluating prey abundance in this region; thus, sampling should be continued in order to identify the tendency of the prey’s population and to determine the factors that intervene in its availability.