Effects of Fire on the Abundance of Xenarthrans in Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract Fire is an important ecological factor in Cerrado vegetation of central Brazil, and in other savanna ecosystems. The effect of fire on the abundance of some Xenarthran mammal species Priodontes maximus Kerr, 1792 (giant armadillo), Euphractus sexcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 (yellow armadillo) and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Austral ecology 2004-10, Vol.29 (5), p.568-573
Main Authors: Prada, Manrique, Marinho-Filho, Jader
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
anteaters
armadillos
Biological and medical sciences
Cerrado
Ecology
Euphractus sexcinctus
Fires
food resources
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Myrmecophaga tridactyla
Priodontes maximus
tracks
Vegetation
Xavante Indians
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Summary:Abstract Fire is an important ecological factor in Cerrado vegetation of central Brazil, and in other savanna ecosystems. The effect of fire on the abundance of some Xenarthran mammal species Priodontes maximus Kerr, 1792 (giant armadillo), Euphractus sexcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 (yellow armadillo) and Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (giant anteater)) was studied at Reserva Xavante do Rio das Mortes, a 329 000 ha Xavante Indian reserve in the Cerrado of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Track counts were used to compare the abundance of these mammals along seven burned and seven unburned transects, on seven occasions between August 1995 and August 1996. The number of tracks in burned and unburned areas did not differ. Xenarthrans probably use burned areas to obtain food resources, basically termites and ants. Xavante traditional fire hunts may reduce fuel accumulation and function as a mechanism to prevent more destructive fires. Fire management at Reserva Xavante is recommended because the burning system of Brazilian farmers is already influencing the Xavante community. Xavante traditional knowledge about fire could be an important instrument for this management.
ISSN:1442-9985
1442-9993
DOI:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01391.x