Context: Urban protected areas (PAs) are the habitat of several Neotropical medium-sized wild mammal (MSWM) species. However, this richness is seriously threatened by the growing populations of free-ranging dogs and cats in these areas. Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of free-ranging dogs and cats on the assemblage structure of MSWM in PAs of Xalapa city, Veracruz, Mexico. Methods: Camera traps were used to assess the effect of abundance and activity of dogs and cats on richness, abundance, dominance and activity of MSWM across two urban and three peri-urban PAs. The effect of plant diversity, vegetation structure and PA on mammal richness, activity and abundance were also evaluated. Key results: The dominance of MSWM was higher in peri-urban areas than urban areas, and the activity of dogs and cats from peri-urban and urban PAs was similar with wildest MSWM. Only inside urban areas did the size of the area and the dogs’ activity have a negative effect on the richness, activity and abundance of MSWM. Moreover, the activity and abundance of cats also had a negative effect on the activity of MSWM in urban PAs. The presence of dogs affected the latency of appearance of MSWM. Conclusions: The presence of free-ranging dogs and cats in urban PAs affects MSWM assemblages and their appearance latency. Implications: The potential harm of free-ranging dogs and cats on the community of MSWM in urban areas is clear, as is the need for increased scientific research to aid in the control of these exotic species in urban landscapes.

Seeds dispersed and deposited by wind, animals and other dispersal agents are a fundamental component of natural forest succession, plant regeneration and population maintenance, aside from increasing a population's genetic pool in tropical ecosystems (Henry & Jouard 2007, Muscarella & Fleming 2007, Wilson & Traveset 2000). Frugivorous bats and birds are ideal vectors for long-distance seed dispersal; therefore, studies of the food habits of frugivores and the specific identities of the dispersers are essential for understanding ecological patterns and processes in tropical environments. Studies related to succession processes, the frequency, number and composition of seeds dispersed by animals are essential in order to generate new data and hypotheses, consequently the method and quality of obtaining data are important.

Bacteria and other types of microbes interact with their hosts in several ways, including metabolic pathways, development, and complex behavioral processes such as mate recognition. During the mating season, adult males of the lesser long-nosed agave pollinator bat Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae) develop a structure called the dorsal patch, which is located in the interscapular region and may play a role in kin recognition and mate selection. Using high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, we identified a total of 2,847 microbial phylotypes in the dorsal patches of eleven specimens. Twenty-six phylotypes were shared among all the patches, accounting for 30 to 75% of their relative abundance. These shared bacteria are distributed among 13 families, 10 orders, 6 classes and 3 phyla. Two of these common bacterial components of the dorsal patch are Lactococcus and Streptococcus. Some of them—Helcococcus, Aggregatibacter, Enterococcus, and Corynebacteriaceae—include bacteria with pathogenic potential. Half of the shared phylotypes belong to Gallicola, Anaerococcus, Peptoniphilus, Proteus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, and Peptostreptococcus and specialize in fatty acid production through fermentative processes. This work lays the basis for future symbiotic microbe studies focused on communication and reproduction strategies in wildlife.

Se estudió la estructura de los rodales de oyamel (Abies religiosa) presentes en el ejido El Conejo, localizado en el Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote, Veracruz. Se evaluó la densidad, diámetro, altura y cobertura del arbolado adulto en 17 parcelas de 625 m2. La regeneración se midió en las 17 parcelas utilizando subcuadrantes de 312.50 m2. El arbolado mostró una estructura de crecimiento de “J” invertida; sin embargo, los individuos se encuentran suprimidos y, aun cuando la regeneración es adecuada, el arbolado requiere de la apertura de claros para su desarrollo. Se encontró una superficie arbolada altamente fragmentada y amenazada de manera permanente por el crecimiento de la frontera agrícola y la extracción de leña para uso doméstico. Los resultados muestran evidencia de que la categoría de parque nacional no contribuye a la conservación del bosque.

Influence of vegetation type and season on rodent assemblage in a Mexican temperate forest mosaic

Aim of study.) Were analyzed patterns and dynamics of forest cover change and land use for the period 1995-2005, and estimated carbon content in biomass in a forest of fir (Abies religiosa).Area of study. Ejido El Conejo in the Cofre de Perote National Park, Veracruz, Mexico.Material and Methods. Spatial data (maps, orthophotographs) were used: (UTM); GRS 80 spheroid; zone 14, datum ITRF92; units: metres. Maps for 1995 and 2005 were constructed and compared. Carbon content in the aboveground biomass of fir (Abies religiosa) was estimated using an equation specific to species.Main results. After one decade, the forested area had increased slightly (0.25%). The main type of land cover change was from shrubland to forest (probability of change 0.41); the change from forestland to shrubland with trees was 0.05%, and from forest to agriculture was 0.02%. Data from 2008 confirmed that the A. religiosa forest located in the ejido is distributed in largely unconnected fragments, of which some have a high density of young trees. Estimated carbon content in the aboveground biomass (163.51 Mg ha-1) was higher than that estimated for other forests of the same species in Mexico.Research highlights. It is recommended that ecological corridors be established throughout the reforested area, in order to connect these fragments (and increase carbon sequestration) and favour faunal and floral conservation. Finally, recognition should be given to the high vulnerability of A. religiosa forests to climate change, given their high degree of fragmentation and critical altitudinal limit.Key words: Aboveground biomass; carbon storage; ecological corridors; fir forest.