Drivers of geophagy by red brocket deer (Mazama americana) at Amazonian interior forest mineral licks

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Mineral licks are key ecological components of the Amazon rainforest, providing critical dietary functions for herbivorous and frugivorous mammals birds, which help maintain structure function forest itself through seed nutrient dispersal. One most frequent visitors interior mineral in is red brocket deer (

Language: Английский

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Mineral Licks: An Overlooked Model System for Species Interactions

Biotropica, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 57(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Mineral licks are deposits of minerals, salts, and/or clays that attract animals and serve as keystone resources in terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Previous research on natural mineral has focused largely characterizing the soil properties describing species consume minerals. Yet also hubs interactions, where predators hunt prey, diseases spread, social information is transferred. Here, we argue an overlooked model system with massive potential for both biodiversity studying interactions. We review current state knowledge identify gaps related to predator–prey disease transfer, information, population dynamics licks. In each area, propose future directions, including how leverage emerging technologies more fully understand ecology highlight new conservation may be particularly powerful at licks, telemetry tracking, LiDAR, environmental DNA, camera traps. note experimental approaches currently severely underutilized around world offer enormous understanding interactions our four highlighted areas. This synthesis provides a framework testing hypotheses about ecological importance resource shifts focus include emphasis gaps.

Language: Английский

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Perceived Predation Risk Affects Mammal Behavior at Amazonian Mineral Licks

Biotropica, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 57(2)

Published: Feb. 6, 2025

ABSTRACT Mineral licks are critical resources for herbivores in Amazonia and other tropical regions which may be deficient dietary minerals or consuming alkaloid‐laced leaves cause gastrointestinal issues. However, mineral also important locations predators, including human hunters. Animals visiting must balance the benefits of relief physiological stressors with risk predation, they employ behavioral adaptations to do so. We used camera trap data on six large‐bodied mammal species at 52 same watershed Peruvian Amazon assess how contribute species' perception risk. tested effects a range covariates direct indirect measures risk, habitat characteristics, soil properties visit duration, adaptation use mitigate generalized linear mixed‐effects modeling framework. Tapirs, collared peccaries, paca minimized duration risky licks, while howler monkeys, red brocket deer, black agoutis had higher potentially due increased vigilance reduced feeding efficiency. The strong relationships between behavior across demonstrates ecological value both predators prey, as prey seek but great cost. Conserving landscapes component conservation carnivores Amazonia, food security local people.

Language: Английский

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Drivers of geophagy of large-bodied amazonian herbivorous and frugivorous mammals

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: Nov. 29, 2024

Mineral licks, critical for the survival of many large-bodied mammals in Amazon, serve as keystone resources that influence behavior and ecological dynamics these species. This study presents most comprehensive analysis to date on drivers geophagy—the consumption soil by animals—at mineral licks Peruvian Amazon. Using a combination camera traps analyses from 52 we examined visitation patterns six mammals: black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa), paca (Cuniculus paca), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), Brazilian porcupine (Coendou prehensilis), lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Our results reveal provide essential nutrients, particularly sodium (Na), which may be deficient diets frugivorous species such agouti, paca, monkey, supporting supplementation hypothesis. Conversely, toxin adsorption hypothesis, posits animals consume mitigate dietary toxins, was strongly supported herbivorous porcupine. The omnivorous mixed-diet exhibited complex interactions between characteristics, suggesting both play roles their geophagy. highlights importance conservation Amazonian mammals, emphasizing role biodiversity providing nutritional enhance fitness resilience. findings underscore need protection sites, are integral not only individual but also health broader ecosystem.

Language: Английский

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Through the eyes of the Andean bear: Camera collar insights into the life of a threatened South American Ursid

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(12)

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Abstract Due to Andean bears' propensity for inhabiting challenging environments and terrain, their wild ecology remains poorly understood, especially when compared other members of the Ursidae family. In one steepest, wettest regions Andes, Kosñipata Valley southeastern Peru, we attached retrieved camera‐borne collars on three free‐ranging bears. From just longer term camera collar deployed a single individual over period 4 months, observed variety rare or previously undocumented natural history observations. These include courtship mating behaviors, social interactions with conspecifics, novel dietary items unrecorded fruit consumption, cannibalism, potential infanticide, sole documented case primate evidence geophagy. The wealth insights gained from months data this studied species has elucidated numerous avenues warranting further investigation.

Language: Английский

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