Results of the Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska State Museum 12-30-2005 Results of the Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions. XIV. Mammals of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname Burton K. Lim Royal Ontario Museum, [email protected] Mark D. Engstrom Royal Ontario Museum Hugh H. Genoways University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] François M. Catzeflis Université de Montpellier II, [email protected] Kelly A. Fitzgerald United States Fish and Wildlife Service See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Lim, Burton K.; Engstrom, Mark D.; Genoways, Hugh H.; Catzeflis, François M.; Fitzgerald, Kelly A.; Peters, Sandra L.; Djosetro, Marijem; Brandon, Sandra; and Mitro, Sutrisno, "Results of the Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions. XIV. Mammals of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname" (2005). Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum. 234. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy/234 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors Burton K. Lim, Mark D. Engstrom, Hugh H. Genoways, François M. Catzeflis, Kelly A. Fitzgerald, Sandra L. Peters, Marijem Djosetro, Sandra Brandon, and Sutrisno Mitro This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy/ 234 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74, NUMBER 4, PP. 225—274 30 DECEMBER 2005 RESULTS OF THE ALCOA FOUNDATION-SURINAME EXPEDITIONS. XIV. MAMMALS OF BROWNSBERG NATURE PARK, SURINAME BURTON K. LIM Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6 Canada ([email protected]) MARK D. ENGSTROM Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6 Canada HUGH H. GENOWAYS Research Associate, Section of Mammals University of Nebraska State Museum, W436 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0514 FRANÇOIS M. CATZEFLIS Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de L’Evolution, UMR 5554, Université de Montpellier II, Place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France KELLY A. FITZGERALD U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825-1846 SANDRA L. PETERS Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B3 Canada MARIJEM DJOSETRO, SANDRA BRANDON, AND SUTRISNO MITRO Research Department, Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname, Cornelis Jongbawstraat 14, Paramaribo, Suriname ABSTRACT An inventory of mammals in the vicinity of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, incorporated a number of different sampling methods includ- ing examining museum voucher specimens, an animal-rescue operation, transect surveys, camera photo-traps, and interviews with local inhab- itants. We document a total of 125 mammal species present in the Park. These include ten opossums, five pilosans, four armadillos, 58 bats, eight monkeys, 13 carnivores, one tapir, four artiodactyls, and 22 rodents. Nine of these species are reported for the first time from Suriname: one mouse opossum (Marmosops pinheiroi); one naked-backed moustached bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus); four fruit-eating bats (Artibeus bogoten- sis, A. gnomus, A. obscurus, and A. planirostris); two evening bats (Eptesicus chiriquinus and Myotis riparius);and one arboreal rice rat (Oecomys auyantepui). There are 191 indigenous non-marine mammals presently known from Suriname. KEY WORDS:—biodiversity, inventory, Mammalia, Operation Gwamba, new country records, Suriname, transect survey INTRODUCTION From a biological perspective, ascertaining the species demarcated a comprehensive system of protected areas, it diversity of an area is important for several reasons. It has lagged behind its neighboring countries in terms of bio- forms the baseline data for monitoring faunal composition diversity research and lacks a comparably studied field over time, estimating relative abundance, and comparing locality. geographic similarity over regional landscapes. In turn, Brownsberg Nature Park is a good candidate for the these measures of community structure have implications establishment of a long-term study site in Suriname. It is for sustainable management, including the conservation of accessible by road and located approximately 100 km south biodiversity by identifying species vulnerable to extirpa- of the capital city of Paramaribo. Basic infrastructure such as tion, implementation of a national protected areas system, lodgings, permanent park staff, and administrative support is establishment of a research base for detailed study of eco- established. To stimulate further research and facilitate the logical interactions, promotion of public education, and implementation of future management policies, we present a training of local wildlife experts. For the Guianas, mammal summary of the mammalian fauna found at Brownsberg and inventories at Iwokrama Forest in Guyana (Lim et al. 1999; the surrounding area including, where available, information Lim and Engstrom 2001a; 2001b; 2005), and at Nouragues on local abundance, reproductive data, external and cranial (Bongers et al. 2001) and Paracou (Simmons and Voss measurements, identification features, distribution, and taxo- 1998; Voss et al. 2001) in French Guiana, are examples of nomic notes. These baseline data were compiled from six well-surveyed sites that are contributing to our understand- main sources. (1) As the former colony of Dutch Guiana ing of Neotropical ecosystems. Although Suriname has (independence in 1975), specimens resulting from early sci- 226 ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM VOL. 74 entific exploration of Suriname were deposited primarily at ilar to High Forest but has an increased density of palms in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (RMNH) in the understory; 3, High Marsh Forest also is similar to Leiden, including miscellaneous collections from the High Forest except that it is confined to seasonally inun- Brownsberg area, and summarized in Husson (1978). (2) In dated areas associated with water courses on poorly 1964–1965, Walsh and Gannon (1967) compiled a list of ani- drained soils; 4, High Closed Forest is similar to High mals rescued (Operation Gwamba) during the creation of Forest but has a dense understory composed of plants other Brokopondo Lake east of Brownsberg after the completion than palms; 5, Dry Forest has a canopy to 40 m; however, of Afobakka Dam for a hydroelectric project. (3) The the trees are relatively thinner with varying degrees of sea- Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CM) in Pittsburgh sonal defoliation and are on dry, well-drained soils; 6, conducted fieldwork from 1977–1981 in Suriname for a Mountain Savanna Forest has a discontinuous canopy that research project on the mammals of the country and collect- is below 30 m in height with relatively thinner trees and a ed voucher specimens at Brownsberg on two occasions dense understory on exceedingly well-drained soils of the (Genoways and Williams 1979; Williams and Genoways plateau; 7, Moss-covered Mountain Savanna Forest is sim- 1980; Genoways et al. 1981; Genoways and McLaren 2003). ilar to Mountain Savanna Forest except that it has high (4) An ecological monitoring program was established at humidity with an abundance of moss and is restricted to Brownsberg Nature Park in 2000, which included transect the eastern edge of the plateau; 8, Lowland Forest is simi- walking surveys of mammals larger than 1 kg and the estab- lar to Mountain Savanna Forest but with a lower canopy lishment of camera photo-traps. The first 19 months of data (< 20 m) and higher density of lianas on exceedingly well- from this program were analyzed by Fitzgerald (2003). (5) drained lowland soils; 9, Liana Forest is dominated by The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto conducted a lianas and vines below 15 m in height with tall trees small mammal survey at Brownsberg in April–May 2002, sparsely distributed and numerous tree falls situated on reported herein. (6) Interviews were made with eight local dry, shallow soils; 10, Swamp Forest is composed of pri- wildlife experts and hunters during the ROM survey to marily stilt-rooted trees between 10–20 m in height in ascertain species of mammals commonly encountered in the poorly-drained inundated areas; and 11, Secondary Forest surrounding forest. is found in disturbed areas near roads and mines with the canopy reaching 25 m and with a dense understory. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data Sources Study Site Specimens examined by Husson (1978) from the Brownsberg Nature Park was created in 1970 and is the Brownsberg area were included in our checklist (Appendix only national park in Suriname (Fitzgerald et al. 2002). It 1) but we were unable to examine this material to confirm is managed by the Foundation for Nature Conservation in the identifications with current taxonomy. These speci- Suriname, STINASU (Stichting voor Natuurbehoud mens were collected