“Vertebrate fauna as perceived by local farmers: Ecosystem service or

PERIAGO, ME; TAMBURINI, D; OJEDA, R.; CÁCERES, D; DÍAZ, S

Columbus, Ohio

Congreso; 4th International EcoSummit.; 2012

Over the past few years, the accelerated expansion of the agriculturalfrontier in Argentina has led toloss in forest cover in the Chaco ecoregion at an annual rate of 2.2%.Coupled with technologicaladvancements and socioeconomic factors, this has resulted in a reduction ofprimary forest withisolated patches of natural and semi-natural habitats, and littleconsideration to long-termsustainability. The remaining habitats present different ecologicalconditions and potentials to provideecosystem services. These include the capacity to sustain native animalpopulations that act asagents of seed dispersal of key plant species or as protein source forlocal subsistence farmers. Ourgoal was to analyze the capacity of different ecosystem configurations tosustain vertebrate fauna assource of ecosystem services, both from an ecological viewpoint and theperspectives of localcommunities, using methods from ecology and the social sciences. Weevaluated intensity of use bytwo native mammals, grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) and grey fox(Lycalopexgymnocercus), in six land use configurations. Our results indicate that thebrocket deer selects siteswithin primary and secondary forest, and avoids sites with mixed and Larreashrublands. The grey foxselects sites within secondary forests, mixed and Larrea shrublands, andavoids sites within primaryforest. Both animals avoided logged pastureland and cultivated crops. Onthe social side, allindividuals interviewed considered the fox as detrimental for damagingdomestic animals, while 85%considered the brocket deer a beneficial animal either for bushmeat or forwildlife-watching. Althoughthe fox is fundamental in the semi-arid Chaco for being a major seeddisperser of native trees, ruralcommunities consider it an “ecosystem dis-service”. Our findings illustratethe need to have an overallview of an ecosystem when assessing which services are provided, how theyare perceived by thecommunity and how they influence decision-making.