Analyzing carnivore community along a human intervention gradient at the southern temperate forest of Exploradores Bay

Analyse de la communauté de carnivore le long d'un gradient d'intervention humaine dans la forêt tempérée méridionale de Bahía Exploradores (Aysén, Chili)

P Zucolillo (1, 2) , Felipe Jorquera (2)

1 Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability
2 UC - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

The incipient incorporation of human settlements in isolated spaces, has generated modifications in the relationships between the native fauna incorporating new species in the ecosystem and driving changes in local abundance of introduced species, which is negatively related to native biodiversity. This study aims to describe and understand how human intervention affects the carnivore assemblage at Bahia Exploradores comparing it with a pristine temperate forest area represented by Estacion Patagonia UC. Because of human presence, habitat use and its structure are expected to be modified causing changes of species occupancy and its activity patterns. To study these phenomena camera traps were placed in different sites in this area during 2019- 2021 and complemented with an active search of indirect signs such as footprints and feces to confirm the presence of different species of carnivores in the area. This data set was used to assess the co-occurrence effect of domestic species (e.g. livestock, poultry, dogs and cats) accounting for habitat structure and landscape features as co-variables and how this influence the local carnivore assemblages from temperate forests of South America such as: kodkod, mountain lion, lesser grison, river otter and foxes. Preliminary results suggest that poor management practices such as free roaming domestic species resulted in dogs and cats are acting as an invasive species at intervened sites and neighbouring natural habitats, affecting native animal populations either directly or through indirect effects by disrupting local interaction webs and disease transmission to native wildlife. Further, deforestation and activity of introduced species are being considered in the analysis to obtain a more comprehensive diagnosis of how a global change process (e.g. land use, rural customs, tourism, invasive species) has affected the native carnivore assemblage at Bahia Exploradores.

Mots clés: Introduction of domestic species; Carnivore endemic species; OHMi Bahia Exploradores; Camera traps

Domaines: Biodiversité et Ecologie; Sciences de l'environnement; Biologie animale

P Zucolillo, Felipe Jorquera. Analyzing carnivore community along a human intervention gradient at the southern temperate forest of Exploradores Bay. International Symposium of LabEx DRIIHM, Sep 2021, Toulouse, France. , ⟨10.34972/driihm-33abf4⟩. ⟨hal-03357157⟩