Padrões de ocupação e detectabilidade de primatas em uma reserva no cerrado, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

Primates play an important ecological role in ecosystems; however, due to human activities responsible for habitat loss and fragmentation, many species are currently classified as threatened with extinction. Therefore, identifying factors that influence their occurrence and detectability becomes important to support conservation and management strategies and to optimize fieldwork efforts. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the occupancy and detectability patterns of primate in a protected area in Cerrado, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study was conducted in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Galheiro, evaluating three species: Callicebus nigrifrons, Callithrix penicillata, and Sapajus libidinosus. Presence-absence data for the species were collected using playback method, with six visits per site across a total of 27 sites, and were analyzed using single-season occupancy models. The results showed distinct patterns among species, reflecting their ecological differences. In general, variables related to vegetation structure were relevant for species occurrence and detectability. In addition, detectability varied among species and, for Callicebus nigrifrons, according to sampling period, reinforcing the importance of considering it in studies involving these species. Overall, the results demonstrate that primate occurrence in the studies area is mainly influenced by habitat structure, indicating that the maintenance and conservation of environments with greater structural complexity are key elements for the persistence of these species in the RPPN Galheiro.