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Ecology of Carnivorous Species in Urban Ecosystems

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Ecology of Carnivorous Species in Urban Ecosystems Stefan Martins Ribeiro Ecology of carnivorous species in urban ecosystems: Are they adapted? Dissertação de mestrado, orientada pelo Professor Doutor José Paulo Sousa e pela Doutora Joana Silva Alves e apresentada ao Departamento Ciências da Vida da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade de Coimbra 2016 1 2 DEPARTAMENTO DE CIÊNCIAS DA VIDA FACULDADE DE CIÊNCIAS E TECNOLOGIA UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA Ecology of carnivorous species in urban ecosystems: Are they adapted? Dissertação apresentada à Universidade de Coimbra para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau Mestre em Ecologia, realizada sob a orientação científica do Professor Doutor José Paulo Sousa e Doutora Joana Silva Alves (Universidade de Coimbra) Stefan Martins Ribeiro 2016 1 Agradecimentos Em primeiro lugar gostaria de agradecer ao Professor Doutor José Paulo Sousa pela oportunidade que me deu de realizar este projecto. Gostaria também de agradecer à Doutora Joana Alves por tudo o que fez por mim nestes últimos dois anos, não se limitou a orientar-me neste projecto, fazendo-me crescer a nível profissional, mas principalmente a nível pessoal. Pelas palavras de apoio e de força nos momentos difíceis e por nunca ter desistido de mim um especial obrigado. Agradeço ao Mestre António Alves da Silva por todo o apoio em todas as etapas do projecto durante estes dois anos e ao Luís Pascoal da Silva por me ter passado todos os ensinamentos acerca de trabalho de campo e laboratorial. Quero também deixar um especial agradecimento aos meus companheiros de trabalho de campo, Pedro Selas e Sandra Simões, que me acompanharam tantas vezes nas difíceis jornadas à chuva. Aos meus amigos para a vida David, Bu, Ruben e Gonca por me terem apoiado desde sempre, por todos estes anos, todos os momentos passados, por todos os concelhos, por tudo. Aos meus parceiros em toda esta caminhada, Xavier, Filipe e Bruno, pelo todo o apoio dado desde o inicio do curso, desde pequenos bebés caloiros a estudar Fisica até aos grandes homens que passaram meses fechados a escrever a tese. Obrigado por nunca terem desistido de mim, mesmo quando estava mais em baixo vocês levantaram-me. Um obrigado especial à Joaninha que apareceu de paraquedas em Coimbra, mas aterrou no local certo! 3 Um enorme agradecimento a todas as pessoas que fizeram parte desta minha caminhada por Coimbra, ao Valdemar, Soneca, Joni, Luís, Marujo, Nelson, Pedro, Cátia, Ana, Ivo, David, e a todas muitas outras que fizeram com que esta aventura fosse inesquecível. Às minhas meninas da Benetton, que tanto aturam comigo e que tanto me ouviram falar da tese. Colegas de trabalho que se tornaram amigas. Um muito obrigado do vosso menino! À Catarina Pinto que vai ser preciso muito mais que esta mensagem para lhe agradecer, encontraste-me numa fase difícil e viraste completamente o “jogo”. Para além da ajuda no trabalho (que foi mais que muito), ajudaste-me a voltar a acreditar em mim, a não querer desistir mesmo quando as coisas pareciam impossíveis, a ter um objectivo e algo por que lutar. Fizeste-me perceber que eu era capaz e que tinha valor. Por tudo o que já fizeste e que tens feito por mim, pela pessoa que demonstraste ser, pela tua companhia, pelos teus risos e “piadas”, pelo teu amor. Um eterno obrigado! Por fim aos mais importantes de toda esta jornada de 23 anos, aos meus pais e irmãos. Começando pelo “mai” novo, o Cristiano, o miúdo la da casa, o nosso “puto”, muito obrigado. Ao mais velho, o Ivan, por todo o apoio e por nunca se esquecer do irmão de Coimbra. À Ana Isabel, que é mãe, amiga, confidente, que apesar de longe nunca deixa de pensar nos seus 3 meninos. Por fim ao homem da casa, o Hélder, por todo o esforço e dedicação que sempre teve para que pudéssemos ter tudo e todas as oportunidades. Muito obrigado aos 4 que estão em todos os momentos no meu coração! 4 Index CHAPTER 1- General Introduction ........................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Urban ecology ...................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.1 Why urban ecology? ..................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.2 Work done so far ........................................................................................................................... 13 1.1.3. What is urban ecology? ................................................................................................................ 14 1.1.4. Complex urban areas .................................................................................................................... 15 1.1.5. Wildlife corridor and “Hot-spots” ................................................................................................ 17 1.1.6 Comparison between urban and rural populations ........................................................................ 18 1.2 Study species ........................................................................................................................................ 19 1.2.1 Ecology and Behaviour of carnivorous ........................................................................................ 19 1.2.2. Main preys ................................................................................................................................... 22 1.3. Concepts in ecology of carnivorous .................................................................................................... 23 1.3.1 Ecological niche ............................................................................................................................ 23 1.3.2 Predator-prey models .................................................................................................................... 24 1.4 Study sites ............................................................................................................................................ 25 1.4.1 Location, climate, topography ....................................................................................................... 25 1.4.2. Land cover and Fauna .................................................................................................................. 25 1.5 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................. 26 CHAPTER 2 - Carnivore species in urban ecosystems: Are small urban parks capable of maintain carnivore populations? ............................................................................................................................... 29 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 30 2.2 Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 32 2.2.1 Study area ...................................................................................................................................... 32 2.2.2 Data collection .............................................................................................................................. 34 2.2.2.1 Camera-trapping surveys ....................................................................................................... 34 2.2.2.2 Live-trapping surveys ............................................................................................................ 35 2.2.2.3 Scats surveys .......................................................................................................................... 35 2.2.3 Data analysis ................................................................................................................................. 36 2.3. Results ................................................................................................................................................. 39 2.3.1. Captured species .......................................................................................................................... 39 2.4.2. Population estimate: size, density ................................................................................................ 40 2.3.3 Biodiversity of mammal species ................................................................................................... 44 2.3.4. Niche overlap ............................................................................................................................... 46 2.3.5. Circadian rhythms ........................................................................................................................ 47 2.4. Discussion ........................................................................................................................................... 49 CHAPTER 3 – General Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 57 3. General Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 58 4. References .............................................................................................................................................. 61 5 6 Resumo Com o atual crescimento das populações humanas, principalmente em zonas urbanas, o crescimento das áreas
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