Evaluation of the experimental exclusion of vertebrates on the decomposition of three species of plants under different land uses in Atlantic Forest

Abstract

The diversity of the Atlantic Forest is threatened constantly due to habitat loss caused by the destruction and alteration of natural environments. The speed of degradation is very worrying, as many forest fragments are already small or the remaining habitat is highly disturbed and unsuitable for the existing fauna like mammals and birds.Many studies have shown that specialist mammals and birds (e.g. insectivores) are very sensitive to fragmentation of the environment and tend to disappear in open areas. The loss of these animals is likely to cause an increase in the density of arthropods and rates of herbivory, causing a top-down effect that may even influence the cycling of nutrients. This project aims to investigate how decomposition rates are modified by the experimental exclusion of insectivorous vertebrates in an area with different land coverage in the Atlantic Forest. Vertebrate exclusion plots and control plots will be allocated in areas with different land coverage to evaluate how the top-down effect and associated changes in nutrient cycling occur.Thus, it is intended to generate knowledge about the repercussions of forest fragmentation on ecosystem functions such as decomposition, and provide information that may assist in conservation practices and management.