Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest
ABSTRACT Extensive grazing carried out freely by exotic goats represents an important source of anthropogenic degradation in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil. The presence of these herbivores may negatively impact the local fauna through the reduction of habitat complexity. In this study, w...
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70804 |
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| author | Thayna Rhayane Brito‐Almeida Stênio Ítalo Araújo Foerster José Rivaldo Lima Meykson Alexandre daSilva Geraldo Jorge Barbosa deMoura André Felipe deAraujo Lira |
| author_facet | Thayna Rhayane Brito‐Almeida Stênio Ítalo Araújo Foerster José Rivaldo Lima Meykson Alexandre daSilva Geraldo Jorge Barbosa deMoura André Felipe deAraujo Lira |
| author_sort | Thayna Rhayane Brito‐Almeida |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Extensive grazing carried out freely by exotic goats represents an important source of anthropogenic degradation in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil. The presence of these herbivores may negatively impact the local fauna through the reduction of habitat complexity. In this study, we investigate the effect of goat farming in scorpion assemblage from Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest. Scorpions were sampled in 36 areas (18 disturbed and 18 undisturbed) distributed in three sites in the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil. At each location, we recorded a set of local variables such as litter depth, diameter at breast height of trees, vegetation density (trees and shrubs), and detritus (stones and fallen logs). In total, 396 scorpions were collected, distributed across six species and two families. Our results showed that scorpion diversity was negatively affected, with species richness and abundance reduced in areas influenced by goats. Furthermore, in these sites, the composition of the species was also affected, with habitat‐generalist species favoring habitat‐specialist species. Finally, sites with free pasture of goats presented scorpions with reduced body condition (body mass and size) than sites without goats. Furthermore, habitat degradation caused by free pasture of goats negatively affects the assemblage of scorpions in terms of their diversity and body condition the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d050ceeb227c412c8eba1802374fa9f8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-d050ceeb227c412c8eba1802374fa9f82025-01-29T05:08:41ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-01-01151n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70804Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical ForestThayna Rhayane Brito‐Almeida0Stênio Ítalo Araújo Foerster1José Rivaldo Lima2Meykson Alexandre daSilva3Geraldo Jorge Barbosa deMoura4André Felipe deAraujo Lira5Programa de Pós‐Graduação Em Biodiversidade Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco Recife BrazilDepartament of Zoology University of Tartu Tartu EstoniaPrograma de Pós‐Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Pernambuco BrazilPrograma de Pós‐Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Pernambuco BrazilPrograma de Pós‐Graduação Em Biodiversidade Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco Recife BrazilColección Nacional de Arácnidos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City MexicoABSTRACT Extensive grazing carried out freely by exotic goats represents an important source of anthropogenic degradation in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil. The presence of these herbivores may negatively impact the local fauna through the reduction of habitat complexity. In this study, we investigate the effect of goat farming in scorpion assemblage from Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest. Scorpions were sampled in 36 areas (18 disturbed and 18 undisturbed) distributed in three sites in the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil. At each location, we recorded a set of local variables such as litter depth, diameter at breast height of trees, vegetation density (trees and shrubs), and detritus (stones and fallen logs). In total, 396 scorpions were collected, distributed across six species and two families. Our results showed that scorpion diversity was negatively affected, with species richness and abundance reduced in areas influenced by goats. Furthermore, in these sites, the composition of the species was also affected, with habitat‐generalist species favoring habitat‐specialist species. Finally, sites with free pasture of goats presented scorpions with reduced body condition (body mass and size) than sites without goats. Furthermore, habitat degradation caused by free pasture of goats negatively affects the assemblage of scorpions in terms of their diversity and body condition the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70804arachnidscommunity ecologyintroduced herbivoressemiarid |
| spellingShingle | Thayna Rhayane Brito‐Almeida Stênio Ítalo Araújo Foerster José Rivaldo Lima Meykson Alexandre daSilva Geraldo Jorge Barbosa deMoura André Felipe deAraujo Lira Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest Ecology and Evolution arachnids community ecology introduced herbivores semiarid |
| title | Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest |
| title_full | Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest |
| title_fullStr | Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest |
| title_short | Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest |
| title_sort | free pasture of exotic goats reduces diversity and negatively affects body condition in scorpions arachnida scorpiones assemblage from brazilian seasonal dry tropical forest |
| topic | arachnids community ecology introduced herbivores semiarid |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70804 |
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