The Golden Lion Tamarin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ABSTRACT Title of Thesis: A WILDLIFE CROSSING MODEL FOR THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN Sarah Elizabeth Turner, Master of Landscape Architecture, 2020 Thesis Directed By: Christopher Ellis, Ph.D. Professor and Director of Landscape Architecture Program, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources The golden lion tamarin is an endangered species endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. In the 1970’s, their population was only a few hundred individuals due to anthropogenic reasons, such as fragmentation, deforestation, poaching and hunting. Over time with conservation measures, their population grew, and is currently around 2,516 individuals. This number, however, is not stable. As a major highway, BR-101, continues to widen, populations of golden lion tamarins continue to be isolated, resulting in inbreeding and lack of allele transfer. Golden lion tamarins are known to avoid crossing roads, so an alternate solution must be implemented. That alternate solution is a wildlife crossing. Building a wildlife crossing over BR- 101 to connect currently isolated populations of golden lion tamarins will allow for genetic exchange and will eventually stabilize the golden lion tamarin population. A WILDLIFE CROSSING MODEL FOR THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN by Sarah Elizabeth Turner Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture, 2020 Advisory Committee: Professor Christopher Ellis, Chair Professor Byoung-Suk Kweon Professor Peter May © Copyright by Sarah Elizabeth Turner 2020 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Chris Ellis, chairman of my thesis committee, for his unwavering encouragement and his steadfast support. I would like to thank Dr. Byoung-Suk Kweon, for her uplifting attitude and endless support. I would like to thank Dr. Peter May for his incredible insight into the world of the golden lion tamarin, and for introducing me to such a wonderful project. I would like to thank everyone in the Landscape Architecture Program, especially Studio S, for encouraging me at all the right times. I would like to thank my family, without whom I would have never reached this milestone. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................ v List of Figures .............................................................................................................. vi List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1: Background ................................................................................................. 1 The “Big Picture” ...................................................................................................... 1 Why do we need Wildlife Crossings? ....................................................................... 2 What is a Wildlife Crossing? .................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................ 7 Studies in Banff National Park ................................................................................. 7 Studies in the United States ...................................................................................... 9 Studies in European Countries ................................................................................ 10 Additional Studies ................................................................................................... 11 Design Philosophy .................................................................................................. 11 Criteria .................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3: The Golden Lion Tamarin ......................................................................... 13 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 13 Diet .......................................................................................................................... 15 Habitat ..................................................................................................................... 18 Environment ............................................................................................................ 18 Climate ................................................................................................................ 18 Soil ...................................................................................................................... 19 Range and Travel ................................................................................................ 19 Threats..................................................................................................................... 21 Current Threats ................................................................................................... 21 Yellow Fever ....................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 4: Design ....................................................................................................... 23 Site Characteristics .................................................................................................. 23 Management Units .............................................................................................. 23 Wildlife Crossing in Construction ...................................................................... 24 Construction Information .................................................................................... 25 Site Selection .......................................................................................................... 26 Connecting Management Units ........................................................................... 26 Site 3 ................................................................................................................... 30 Criteria and Goals for the Design ........................................................................... 32 The Golden Lion Tamarin Wildlife Crossing ......................................................... 32 Structure .............................................................................................................. 32 Material Design ................................................................................................... 36 Habitat Design ........................................................................................................ 39 Biotic Material .................................................................................................... 39 Abiotic Material .................................................................................................. 44 Other Species .......................................................................................................... 44 iii Chapter 5: Maintenance, Monitoring and Community Involvement ......................... 48 Maintenance Plan .................................................................................................... 48 Plants ................................................................................................................... 48 Reforestation ....................................................................................................... 48 Cistern ................................................................................................................. 49 Monitoring Plan ...................................................................................................... 49 Radio Telemetry .................................................................................................. 49 Bioacoustic Monitoring Equipment .................................................................... 50 Visual Recording Equipment .............................................................................. 51 Green Roof Sensors ............................................................................................ 52 Technology ......................................................................................................... 53 Community Involvement ........................................................................................ 53 Chapter 6: Discussion ................................................................................................ 55 The “Big Picture” .................................................................................................... 55 Future Studies ......................................................................................................... 55 Lessons Learned ...................................................................................................... 56 Appendices .................................................................................................................. 58 Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 61 iv List