Potential contributions of mammals to human wellbeing in Argentina

ALONSO ROLDÁN VIRGINIA; MICAELA CAMINO; ANTONELLA ARGOITIA; CLAUDIA M. CAMPOS; NICOLÁS CARUSO; ELENA B. EDER; RICARDO BALDI; DIEGO E. BIROCHIO; FLAVIO M. CAPPA; VICTORIA LASSAGA; M. LUZ OLMEDO; FORMOSO ANAHÍ E.; VALERIA C. D´AGOSTINO; CAMILA S. GONZÁLEZ NOSCHESE; DANIEL E. UDRIZAR SAUTHIER; CECILIA P. JUÁREZ; DEGRATI M.; MARTÍN IGLESIAS; LORENA COELHO; AILIN SOSA DROUVILLE; JOSÉ W. PRIOTTO

MASTOZOOLOGí­A NEOTROPICAL

UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2022 vol. 29

0327-9383

Mammals are key components of biodiversity mediating ecosystem functions, mainly because of this group´s diversity of forms and functions. Understanding and making explicit the role of mammals underpinning Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) or directly contributing to human well-being would help to influence policy formulation towards sustainable development and nature conservation. During a workshop held at XXXII Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología and subsequent collaborative work, we compiled the information related to Mammal’s Contributions to People in Argentina (MCP-Arg) based on the participants’ interpretation of available literature and their field experience. Argentinian mammals contribute to 12 of the 18 NCP defined. We deduced numerous MCP-Arg from studies mainly focused on ecological processes and conservation, showing a gap in information on MCP-Arg description, quantification and mapping. All taxa contribute similarly to total contributions, highlighting the importance of preserving mammal diversity. Conservation should also be framed at a local community scale rather than a regional one, aiming to preserve ecological functioning and the contribution to human well-being, especially within regulation contributions. Our results showed destructive feedback between threats and habitat-related contributions, with habitat degradation being the main threat to mammals´ contributions and habitat maintenance the most threatened one. Our research shows that a substantial amount of knowledge on MCP-Arg is available through narratives and interpretation. Considering the NCP approach to mammalian research, we can make sound contributions both to mammal conservation and human well-being.