Ecological and genetics parameters of a red-brocket-deer (Mazama americana) population by non invasive methodology

Abstract

The red-brocket-deer (Mazama americana) is a specie spread through out the primaries forests and have been very affected by the deforestation, specially in São Paulo state where it occurs in the seasonal semidecidual forest. The only huge protected area of this habitat in the state is on the Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo, being the other areas so small. Very few areas, excepting the protected ones, are in the original condition what suggest a substantial population decrease of the red-brocket-deer in the state. Aware about this problem, this project proposes to study some ecological and genetics parameters from a reduced red-brocket-deer population. For this study will be used methodologies of DNA extraction, amplification, and identification from faeces samples. The faeces will be found in the field by a detection dog. The samples will be stored on ethanol, and took to the laboratory where the DNA will be extracted. For the specie identification will be studied a region of the citocrome b, to find out the sex the chromosome Y and for individual identification and to estimate the genetic variability the microsatellites makers. With our results we expect to estimate the area's population, sex ratio and genetics variability. (AU)