Aprimorando custos e benefícios em protocolos com armadilhas-fotográficas para inferências ecológicas e de conservação

Abstract

Wildlife, mainly terrestrial mammals are object of curiosity and research of various researchers over time. The use of cameras-trap is an efficient and indispensable tool for studies with this objective. There are several monitoring protocols and use of diversified methodologies for different groups of mammals. However, the lack of standardization of protocols may lead to obstacles to replicability and comparisons ofstudies, mainly in local and globalscale. Thereby, we evaluate whether the use of different efforts, both sampling effort and spatial, influence ecology inferences basics. In the period from January to June 2017, we distribute cameras-trap at 43 points in the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (CGNP), Mato Grosso, Brazil. We used three cameras-trap per point, one of them being an installation so that there was no obstruction of its detection zone. In order to evaluate the rate of records, species richness and probability of detection of focal species, we randomized a number of cameras per point and compared to standardized camera use. To evaluate a spatial effort, the points in relation the ecology inferences, separated CGNP at distances of 8, 16 and 24 km. For all 1000 values obtained in the randomizations, we took the mean and confidence interval in 95%. The main camera, with a standardized position responding more efficiently or equivalent to all points per point, in addition to presenting more reliable results than cameras installed at random. The same happens for the distance of the sampling points, for some inferences like rate of registers and probability of detection of focal species, a sampling in a smaller area can present results equivalent to the totality of the study area. Cameras-traps are expensive equipment, especially in underdeveloped countries where they are imported. Our results suggest that spending on the equipment can be reduced. Know the platforms for installing the equipment, bringing the benefit to our results as the cost can be used in other projects bias. As well, both sampling and spatial effort can be minimal and rely on reliable results without studies of terrestrial mammals, especially in monitoring protocols.