A ocorrência de predadores está associada a maior presença de presas nas diferentes fitofisionomias do cerrado?

Abstract

Interactions between prey species and predators are important for structuring communities and for the distribution of species in space. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the occurrence of predators is correlated with the presence of prey. We expect that sites with a greater number of prey will have a greater number of potential predators due to the greater availability of food. Alternatively, prey could avoid areas with a high abundance of predators. Thus, in the Serra Azul State (PESA), 10 sampling plots were used to carry out inventories of: small mammals using live traps; medium and large mammals using camera traps and birds using the observation and listening point method. All the small mammals recorded were considered potential prey and potential predators were mammals belonging to the Canidae and Felidae families and all the predatory birds observed in the inventories. µ = 5.3 prey per plot were recorded, with Trichomys laurentius being the most common species. The plot with the highest prey abundance had 14 individuals, while the plot with the lowest had one. The average number of predators per plot was µ = 8.7. The most frequently observed predator species was Cerdocyon thous, and the plot with the highest predator abundance had 32 individuals, while the plot with the lowest had one. The number of predators was negatively correlated with the number of preys, r = -0.12. Although the correlation is not very strong, our data suggests that prey might avoid areas frequently visited by predators.