Estimando a sensibilidade de Xenarthra ao fogo no Brasil

Abstract

The effects of climate change and the loss of native vegetation they are becoming increasingly evident in the natural systems. The consequences of the interaction of these factors is a change in fire regime, with more frequent and intense fire. The factors create a need to understand with biodiversity responds to this. The mammals Xenarthra have limited mobility and refuge use behavior, causing are group that is sensitive to the impact of fire. We expect sloths and anteaters to be the group most negatively affected by fire due to their mobility difficulties. In addition, their thick fur increases the likelihood that exposure to fire will lead to death. Armadillos have large litters and use burrows as shelter, and can become intoxicated by smoke, reflecting the negative impact of fire. There are few studies that allow us to predict the sensitivity of Brazilian species to fire. To understand this sensitivity, an imputation was performed to estimate the size of the effect of fire on 12 species of Xenarthra that are distributed in Brazil. The results showed that fires negatively affect all species studied, while prescribed burns positively affect Xenarthra species. Fires with shorter intervals negatively impact populations, while prescribed burns with shorter intervals positively affect populations. Species with a higher number of offspring per year showed a higher estimated sensitivity to fire.