Influência de queimadas na densidade populacional de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no Parque Nacional de Maputo

Abstract

The frequency of fires affects the structure and composition of vegetation in savannas and forests, causing changes in the quantity and quality of forage, thus affecting the habitat choice and use by mammals. Understanding these responses can assist in developing wildlife management and conservation strategies. Node However, there are few studies on the effect of fire frequency on abundance and density of medium and large mammals. In the present study the frequency of fires in the PNAM was mapped from 2011 to 2021, the map of fires was superimposed on the vegetation map. It was considered low frequency (n< 4), medium (n> 3 and <7) and high (n> 6) times burned during the 10 years. Compared- whether the abundance and density of medium and large mammals between areas of forest and non-forest vegetation and between areas under different fire frequencies. To collect data from medium and large mammals, the method of direct observation on pre-existing trails through a vehicle. Using the number of observations of the species, the relative abundance was estimated as the sighting rate at every 10 km and density in the DISTANCE program. 132.23 km were covered trails, with 38.25 km for the forest stratum and 93.98 km for the non-forest stratum distributed at each fire frequency. Around 74% of the PNAM extension was affected by burned during the 10 years. A total of 16 species were recorded throughout the area. study. The results showed that there are significant differences in the abundance relative as well as the density of medium and large mammals between the areas of forest and non-forest vegetation, with a large part of the species being more abundant in the non-forest stratum than in the forest. The species common between the areas of low, medium and high frequency of fires in both the forest and non-forest strata forest differed significantly in their abundance, having shown preference for medium frequency areas than high and low frequency areas, with the exception of impala which showed a preference for areas with a high frequency of fires. The results show that different fire frequencies cause different fire responses medium and large mammals, and that although the theory of intermediate disturbance is generally related to species richness or diversity, it can also explain the abundance and density of medium and large mammals. (TRADUÇAO NOSSA)