Can long-past human-modified landscapes maintain biodiversity to any degree? A case of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals in an Atlantic Forest-Cerrado agroecosystem

Abstract

Abstract Although up to 20% of Brazilian endemic species threatened with extinction lie outside designated protected areas, the mammalian community composition within private lands remains overlooked. This research aims to determine the composition of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals in Pontal Farm, a livestock production farm in southeastern Goiás with a high percentage of native vegetation. The intent was to contrast this private agroecosystem's biodiversity richness with that of its proximate protected area counterpart, the Atlantic Forest State Park (PEMA). Through camera trapping and records from direct and indirect signs, we recorded 25 native mammalian species distributed in eight orders, with an estimated richness of 26 species. Six of these are categorized as vulnerable to extinction by the Brazilian Red List (ICMBio 2022). Notably, Pontal Farm presented a relatively higher mammalian richness when compared to other unprotected areas of Cerrado and surpassed that documented at PEMA. Furthermore, species differences between Pontal and PEMA indicate that some species absent from Pontal are highly sensitive to human-induced changes. Conversely, certain species found in Pontal and not in PEMA may reflect specific habitat preferences. Our findings highlight the biodiversity conservation potential of agroecosystems preserving patches of native vegetation, emphasizing their capacity to sustain certain mammalian diversity, when combining economic production with good management practices.