Comparison between wildlife-vehicle collisions and fauna recorded by camera traps in highways and fragments of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest in Southern Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2176-94782452Keywords:
highway; Araucaria Forest; vertebrates hit; wild fauna conservation; collisions hotspots.Abstract
Road expansion and the consequent fragmentation of natural habitats pose significant challenges to biodiversity, particularly in endangered biomes such as the Atlantic Forest. This research aimed to inventory the vertebrate species hit along two highways and evaluate the diversity of vertebrate fauna in adjacent forest fragments, recorded by camera traps. It also sought to identify seasonal patterns of wildlife-vehicle collisions and analyze risk factors associated with fauna mortality. The study was conducted on the VRS 873 and ERS 373 highways in the municipalities of Morro Reuter, Santa Maria do Herval, and Gramado, within the Rio Caí Hydrographic Basin, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between September 2023 and August 2024. Complementary methodologies for monitoring fauna were used, including systematic surveys of carcasses on the roads and records of nine camera traps, installed in adjacent fragments of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest. Photographic records and wildlife-vehicle collisions totaled 58 vertebrate species, belonging to four taxonomic classes, distributed in 19 orders and 41 families. Amphibians were the group most impacted by wildlife-vehicle collisions, followed by reptiles and mammals, while birds had the lowest incidence. Seasonality influenced the frequency of collisions, possibly associated with climate variations and reproductive patterns of the species. The comparison between data from the highways and forest fragments revealed significant differences in the composition of the recorded fauna, indicating that some groups—particularly amphibians and reptiles—are more vulnerable to wildlife-vehicle collisions due to factors such as displacement behavior and habitat availability. The identification of wildlife-vehicle collisions hotspotshighlights the need for mitigating strategies, such as wildlife passages and road signs, to reduce the impacts on biodiversity and subsidize conservation policies in the region.
Downloads
References
Abrahms, B.; Carter, N.H.; Clark-Wolf, T.J.; Gaynor, K.M.; Johansson, E.; McInturff, A.; Nisi, A.C.; Rafiq, K.; West, L., 2023. Climate change as a global amplifier of human–wildlife conflict. Nature Climate Change, v. 13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01608-5.
Abreu, E.F.; Casali, D.; Costa-Araújo, R.; Garbino, G.S.T.; Libardi, G.S.; Loretto, D.; Loss, A.C.; Marmontel, M.; Moras, L.M.; Nascimento, M.C.; Oliveira, M.L.; Pavan, S. E.; Tirelli, F.P., 2024. Lista de Mamíferos do Brasil (2024-1) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14536925.
Alvares, C.A.; Stape, J.L.; Sentelhas, P.C.; De Moraes Gonçalves, J.L.; Sparovek, G., 2014. Köppen’s climate classification map for Brazil. Meteorologische Zeitschrift, v. 22 (6), 711-728. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507.
Assis, W.O.; Santos, F.M.; Nascimento, L.F.; Barreto, W.T.G.; Nantes, W.A.G.; Fonseca, C.; Herrera, H.M.; Porfirio, G.E.O., 2022. Medium- and large-sized mammals at the Urucum Massif in the Brazilian Pantanal: camera trap as an effective sampling method to estimate species richness, relative abundance, and activity patterns. Oecologia Australis, v. 26 (1), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2022.2601.03.
Benítez-López, A., 2018. Animals feel safer from humans in the dark. Science, v. 359 (6377), 244-245. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau1311.
Cavallet, I.C.R.; Diele-Viegas, L.M.; Mariotto, P.B.; Lange, R.R.., 2023. Vertebrates’ roadkill in the southern region of the Atlantic Forest, Paraná coast – Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, v. 83, e263311. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.263311.
Corrêa, L.L.C.; Silva, D.E.; Oliveira, S.V.; Finger, J.V.G.; Santos, C.R.; Petry, M.V., 2017. Vertebrate road kill survey on a highway in southern Brazil. Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences, v. 39 (2), 219-225. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascibiolsci.v39i2.33788.
Departamento Autônomo de Estradas de Rodagem (DAER), 2024. Mapa rodoviário do Rio Grande do Sul (Accessed July 25, 2024) at:. https://mapa.daer.rs.gov.br/i3geo/interface/ol.htm.
Dias, T.C.; Silveira, L.F.; Francisco, M.R., 2023. Spatiotemporal dynamics reveals forest rejuvenation, fragmentation, and edge effects in an Atlantic Forest hotspot, the Pernambuco Endemism Center, northeastern Brazil. PLoS ONE, v. 18 (9), e0291234. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291234.
Dib, V.; Nalon, M.A.; Amazonas, N.T.; Vidal, C.Y.; Ortiz-Rodríguez, I.A.; Daněk, J.; Oliveira, M.F.; Alberti, P.; Silva, R.A.; Precinoto, R.S.; Gomes, T.F., 2020. Drivers of change in biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Cantareira System Protected Area: A prospective analysis of the implementation of public policies. Biota Neotropica, v. 20 (Suppl. 1), e20190915. https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-BN-2019-0915.
Franceschi, T.; Gomes, S.S.; Pereira, R.S.; Almeida, R.F.; Souza, L.L., 2024. Camera trap survey of mammals in the Atlantic Forest of Southern Brazil: species richness and activity patterns. Journal of Tropical Ecology, v. 40, 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4298.
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), 2024. Tabela de Estações Meteorológicas – Dados de precipitação e temperatura (Accessed October 31, 2024) at:. https://tempo.inmet.gov.br/TabelaEstacoes/A001.
González-Suárez, M., Zanchetta, F.; Grilo, C., 2018. Spatial and species-level predictions of road mortality risk using trait data. Global Ecology and Biogeography, v. 27 (9) 1093-1105. http://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12769.
Guedes, T.B.; Entiauspe-Neto, O.M.; Costa, H.C., 2023. Lista de répteis do Brasil: atualização de 2022. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7829013.
Google LLC, 2023. Google Earth Pro. Versão 7.3.6.9345 (Accessed January 20, 2025) at:. https://www.google.com.br/earth/about/versions/.
Grilo, C.; Coimbra, M.R.; Cerqueira, R.C.; Barbosa, P.; Dornas, R.A.P.; Gonçalves, L.O.; Teixeira, F.Z.; Coelho, I.P.; Schmidt, B.R.; Pacheco, D.L.K.; Schuck, G.; Esperando, I.B.; Anza, J.A.; Beduschi, J.; Oliveira, N.R.; Pinheiro, P.F.; Bager, A.; Secco, H.; Guerreiro, M.; Carvalho, C.F.; Veloso, A.C.; Custódio, A.E.I.; Marçal, O. Jr.; Ciocheti, G.; Assis, J.; Ribeiro, M.C.; Francisco, B.S.S.; Cherem, J.J.; Trigo, T.C.; Jardim, M.M.A.; Franceschi, I.C.; Espinosa, C.; Tirelli, F.P.; Rocha, V.J.; Sekiama, M.L.; Barbosa, G.P.; Rossi, H.R.; Moreira, T.C.; Cervini, M.; Rosa, C.A.; Silva, L.G.; Ferreira, C.M.M.; César, A.; Casella, J.; Mendes, S.L.; Zina, J.; Bastos, D.F.O.; Souza, R.A.T.; Hartmann, P.A.; Deffaci, A.C.G.; Mulinari, J.; Luzzi, S.C.; Rezzadori, T.; Kolcenti, C.; Reis, T.X.; Fonseca, V.S.C.; Giorgi, C.F.; Migliorini, R.P.; Kasper, C.B.; Bueno, C.; Sobanski, M.; Pereira, A.P.F.G.; Andrade, F.A.G.; Fernandes, M.E.B.; Corrêa, L.L.C.; Nepomuceno, A.; Banhos, A.; Hannibal, W.; Fonseca, R.; Costa, L.A.; Medici, E.P.; Croce, A.; Werther, K.; Oliveira, J.P.; Ribeiro, J.M.; de Santi, M.; Kawanami, A.E.; Perles, L.; Couto, C.; Figueiró, D.S.; Eizirik, E.; Correia, A.A. Jr.; Corrêa, F.M.; Queirolo, D.; Quagliatto, A.L.; Saranholi, B.H.; Galetti Jr, P.M.; Rodriguez-Castro, K.G.; Braz, V.S.; França, F.G.R.; Buss, G.; Rezini, J.A.; Lion, M.B.; Cheida, C.C.; Lacerda, A.C.R.; Freitas, C.H.; Venâncio, F.; Adania, C.H.; Batisteli, A.F.; Hegel, C.G.Z.; Mantovani, J.A.; Rodrigues, F.H.G.; Bagatini, T.; Curi, N.H.A.; Emmert, L.; Erdmann, R.H.; Costa, R.R.G.F.; Martinelli, A.; Santos, C.V.F.; Kindel, A., 2018. BRAZIL ROAD-KILL: a data set of wildlife terrestrial vertebrate road-kills. Ecology, v. 99 (11), 2625-2640. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1420508.
Grilo, C.; Neves, T.; Bates, J.; Le Roux, A.; Medrano-Vizcaíno, P.; Quaranta, M.; Silva, I.; Soanes, K.; Wang, Y.; Data Collection Consortium, 2025. Global Roadkill Data: a dataset on terrestrial vertebrate mortality caused by collision with vehicles. Scientific Data, v. 12 (505), 2-14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04207-x.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), 2012. Manual técnico da vegetação brasileira: sistema fitogeográfico, inventário das formações florestais e campestres, técnicas e manejo de coleções botânicas, procedimentos para mapeamentos. 2. ed. rev. e ampl. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE. 271 p. (Manuais Técnicos em Geociências, n. 1).
Johovic, I.; Gama, M.; Banha, F.; Tricarico, E.; Anastácio, P.M., 2020. A potential threat to amphibians in the European Natura 2000 network: Forecasting the distribution of the American bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus. Biological Conservation, v. 245, 108551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108551.
Konzen, M.Q.; Rodrigues, D.P.; Hartmann, M.; Galiano, D.; Hartmann, P., 2024. Inhabiting nearby roads: an analysis of the relationship between the roadkilled mammals and their occurrence close to a highway in Southern Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais (RBCIAMB), v. 59, e1810. https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2176-94781810.
Lessa, I.; Guimarães, T.C.S.; Bergallo, H.G.; Cunha, A.; Vieira, E.M., 2016. Domestic dogs in protected areas: a threat to Brazilian mammals? Natureza & Conservação, v. 14 (1), 46-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ncon.2016.05.001.
Lazenby, B.T.; Mooney, N.J.; Dickman, C.R., 2021. Raiders of the last ark: the impacts of feral cats on small mammals in Tasmanian forest ecosystems. Ecological Applications, v. 31 (8), e2362. https://doi.org/10.1002/EAP.2362.
Lima, D.C.V.; Pedrosa, C.M.; Melo, R.P.B.; Almeida, J.C.; Magalhães, F.J.R.; Morais, E.G.F.; Lima Filho, C.D.F.; Mota, R.A., 2024. Strobilocercus fasciolaris (Eucestoda: Taeniidae) in black rats (Rattus Ratos) at Fernando de Noronha Island, Brazil. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, v. 76 (3), e13103. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-13103.
Lima, K.C.B.; Passamani, M.; Rosa, C., 2020. Daily tayra (Eira barbara, Linnaeus 1758) activity patterns and habitat use in high montane tropical forests. Acta Oecologica, v. 108, 103624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2020.103624.
Lion M. B.; Garda A. A.; Santana D. J.; Fonseca C. R. 2016. The Conservation Valueof Small Fragments For Atlantic ForestReptiles. Biotropica, v. 48, 265-275. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12277.
Myers, N.; Mittermeier, R.A.; Mittermeier, C.G.; Da Fonseca, G.A.B.; Kent, J., 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, v. 403 (6772), 853-858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501.
Pacheco, J.F.; Silveira, L.F.; Aleixo, A.; Agne, C.E.; Bencke, G.A.; Bravo, G.A.; Brito, G.R.R.; Cohn-Haft, M.; Maurício, G.N.; Naka, L.N.; Olmos, F.; Posso, S.R.; Lees, A.C.; Figueiredo, L.F.A.; Carrano, E.; Guedes, R.C.; Cesari, E.; Franz, I.; Schunck, F.; Piacentini, V.Q., 2021. Lista comentada das aves do Brasil pelo Comitê Brasileiro de Registros Ornitológicos – segunda edição. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5138368.
Pessanha, L.A.; Ferreira, M.S.; Bueno, C.; Leandro, F.S.; Gomes, D.F., 2023. Danger under wheels: mammal roadkills in the threatened lowland Atlantic Forest in southeast Brazil. Iheringia, Série Zoologia, v. 113, 8 p. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4766e2023007.
Pinto, F.A.S.; Cirino, D.W; Cerqueira, R.C; Rosa, C.; Freitas, S.R., 2022. How Many Mammals Are Killed on Brazilian Roads? Assessing Impacts and Conservation Implications. Diversity, v. 14, 835. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100835
Piotto, D.; Flesher, K.; Nunes, A. C.P.; Rolim, S.; Ashton, M.; Montagnini, F., 2020. Restoration plantings of non-pioneer tree species in open fields, young secondary forests, and rubber plantations in Bahia, Brazil. Forest Ecology and Management, v. 474, 118389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118389.
Prefeitura Municipal de Gramado (PMG), 2024. Saiba mais sobre Gramado – Economia; Turismo; Eventos; Inovação e Projeto Gramado Inteligente (Accessed July 25, 2024) at:. https://gramado.atende.net/cidadao/pagina/saiba-mais-sobre-gramado.
Prefeitura Municipal de Morro Reuter (PMMR), 2024. A Cidade – Dados Gerais (Accessed July 25, 2024) at:. https://www.morroreuter.rs.gov.br/web/dados-gerais.
Prefeitura Municipal de Santa Maria do Herval (PMSMH), 2024. Dados Gerais (Accessed July 25, 2024) at:. https://www.santamariadoherval.rs.gov.br/pagina/dados-gerais.
Rio Grande do Sul, 2014. Decreto nº 51.797, de 8 de setembro de 2014. Declara as espécies da fauna silvestre ameaçadas de extinção no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Diário Oficial do Estado, Porto Alegre, 09 set. 2014 (Accessed January 22, 2025) at:. http://www.al.rs.gov.br/legis/normas.asp?tipo=DEC&norma=51797.
Rio Grande do Sul, 2020. Secretaria de Planejamento, Governança e Gestão. Departamento de Planejamento Governamental. Atlas Socioeconômico do Rio Grande do Sul. 5. ed. Porto Alegre. 125 p.
Rocha, L.M.; Rosa, C.; Secco, H.; Lopes, E.V., 2023. Hotspots and hotmoments of wildlife roadkill along a main highway in a high biodiversity area in Brazilian Amazonia. Acta Amazonica, v. 53 (1), p. 42-52. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202201871.
Segalla, M.V.; Berneck, B.; Canedo, C.; Caramaschi, U.; Cruz, C.A.G.; Garcia, P.C.A.; Grant, T.; Haddad, C.F.B.; Lourenço, A.C.C.; Mângia, S.; Mott, T.; Nascimento, L.B.; Toledo, L.F.; Werneck, F.P.; Langone, J.A., 2021. Lista de Anfíbios do Brasil. Herpetologia Brasileira, v. 10 (1), 121-158. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4716176.
Secretaria Estadual de Meio Ambiente (SEMA), 2024. G030 – Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Caí – 204 (Accessed July 25, 2024) at.: https://www.sema.rs.gov.br/g030-bh-cai.
Serviço Florestal Brasileiro (SFB), 2018. Inventário Florestal Nacional: principais resultados: Rio Grande do Sul. MMA, Brasília . 83 p. (Série Relatórios Técnicos - IFN).
Silva, L.T.; Souza, A.C.F.F.; Silva, L.A.M., 2020. Ecology, interactions and human perceptions of Cerdocyon thous in rural landscapes in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, v. 92 (3), e20180890. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202020180890.
Srbek-Araujo, A.C.; Alzuguir, L.C., 2024. Use of latrines and territorial marking behaviors by Subulo gouazoubira in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Neotropical Biology and Conservation, v. 19 (3), 367-378. https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.19.e121917.
Steinicke, H.; Peter, G.; Henle, K., 2018. Abundance and survival rates of three leaf-litter frog species in fragments and continuous forest of the Mata Atlântica, Brazil. Nature Conservation, v. 26, 77-96. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.26.25339;
Tres, G.Z.; Pacheco, T.D.; Silva, F.G.C.; Wagner, P.G.C.; Nisa-Castro-Neto, W.; Cruz, C.E.F., 2024. The impact of the RS–040 highway on wildlife roadkill patterns in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ethnobiology Conservation, v. 13 (1), 1-59. https://doi:10.15451/ec2024-01-13.01-1-16.
Trigo, T.C.; Rodrigues, M.L.F.; Kasper, C.B., 2014. Carnívoros tropicais. In: Weber, M.M.; Roman, C. ; Cáceres, N.C. (Orgs.), Mamíferos do Rio Grande do Sul. Santa Maria, pp. 343-346.
Trigo, T.C.; Schneider, A.; Oliveira, T.G.; Lehugeur, L.M.; Silveira, L.; Freitas, T.R.O.; Eizirik, E., 2013. Molecular data reveal complex hybridization and a cryptic species of neotropical wild cat. Current Biology, v. 23 (24), 2528-2533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.046.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
