University of Kent

Moacir Tinoco PhD Student
E-mail: mst8

CV

PhD research entitled "Habitat change and the distribution and abundance of herpetofauna in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil"

The northeastern coastal ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest in Bahia, Brazil, houses over 150 amphibian and reptile species. It is suffering from severe habitat loss. These impacts over biodiversity, including herpetofauna, represent important threats. This project intends to evaluate the effects of habitat loss on diversity, through the understanding of how landscape pattern of habitat change impacts on the distribution and abundance of herpetofauna within the region.

The methodology consists of selecting ten independent habitat changed sites, and measure herpetofauna distribution and abundance, using occupancy modelling and detection estimation methods. Distance, mark-recapture techniques, using VIFE bioelastomer, and statistical analyses is applied to assess how the habitat loss influences resources availability, such as microclimate and habitat structure, demonstrating how these changes work over actual detected amphibian and reptile species’ presence and abundance, along the proposed timeframe.

The project will draw attention to the progressive loss of biodiversity in a region, along 220 km line coast, where national and international tourism plays an important role on habitat loss, and therefore asks for urgent mitigation and development public and private policies, in order to maintain its diversity.

This PhD project will address four fundamental questions:

1. What are the patterns of habitat change that are important to understand the diversity, distribution, abundance, site occupancy and detection rates of herpetofauna within the region?
2. Is the herpetofaunal diversity at the sites, representative of this overall fauna along the whole of the north coast region?
3. How much of the studied herpetofaunal biodiversity falls within the current proposed protected area network plan, on both, national and state layers?
4. Can the distribution, abundance, site occupancy and detection rates of those of herpetofauna be used to propose the creation of new protected areas in the region and also to reinforce regional environmental policies?
5. What are the herpetofauna diversity priority areas for conservation on the north coast of Bahia?

OUTCOMES: One of the major goals of this project is to protect species habitats. The project will be directed to national and state legislation protected species. The development and testing of monitoring and conservation strategy for these taxa is of special need, since the knowledge on the conservation status of them is relatively small.  Therefore the major national interest may emerge from the implementation of the proposed protected areas and the capacity building and a newly reinforced knowledge on the effects of habitat change, site occupancy and detection on local biodiversity.

Funding and Support

ECOA – UCSAL – Universidade Católica do Salvador – Local Base, Laboratory Facilities and field team.
LACERTA AMBIENTAL – Salvador – Bahia – Brazil – Logistics, and field equipment .
Further funding is needed to cover field research costs, satellite imaging, and maintain field equipment.

Selected publications

TINOCO, M. S., BROWNE-RIBEIRO, H.C., DIAS, M.A. 2010. The Bahian Sand Dunes Whiptail Lizard Cnemidophorus abaetensis Dias, Rocha & Vrcibradic 2002 (Reptilia, Scleroglossa, Teiidae), geographic distribution and habitat use in Bahia, Brazil. Herpetological Bulletin, 111, 19-24

TINOCO, M.S.; BROWNE RIBEIRO, H.C.; MENEZES, C.M.; TRAVASSOS, M.L.; SANTOS, R.C.. 2010. “Herpetofauna of Bahia’s North Coast Restinga’” (Portuguese). EGBA. Salvador.

TINOCO, M.S.; BROWNE RIBEIRO, H.C.; DIAS, M.A.; SANTOS, R.C.; NASCIMENTO, I.A. 2008. Habitat change and amphibian conservation in the Atlantic Forest of Bahia - Brazil – FROGLOG - IUCN 89.

TINOCO, M.S.; BROWNE RIBEIRO; ALVES, J.P. 2007. Snakes communities and Atlantic Forest conservation – DWCT - SOLITAIRE 18 -  JERSEY - UK.

MENEZES, C.M.; TINOCO, M.S.; BROWNE RIBEIRO, H.C.; SANCHO, V. 2007. “The implementation of Ecological corridors on the North coast of Bahia – Brazil” (Portuguese). Biociências. v. 5, supl. 1, p. 201-203.

Related Links

Local University Webpage: ECOA-UCSAL:  http://www.ucsal.br/pesquisa/ecoa/pesq_apresentacao.asp
Personal Webpage:  http://sites.google.com/site/moacirtinoco/