Binturong ecology and conservation in pristine, fragmented and degraded tropical forests

Honda，Arata1,6,7; Amir，Zachary2; Mendes，Calebe P.3; Moore，Jonathan H.4,5; Luskin，Matthew Scott2

2023

10.1017/S0030605322001491

ORYX   Impact Factor & Quartile

0030-6053

1365-3008

The persistence of seed-dispersing animals in degraded habitats could be critical for ensuring the long-term conservation value and restoration of forests. This is particularly important in Southeast Asia, where > 70% of the remaining forest areas are within 1 km of a forest edge, and many are degraded (e.g. logged). We synthesized information on the habitat associations of the binturong Arctictis binturong, a large, semi-arboreal, frugivorous civet and one of the most important seed dispersers in the region, especially for figs (Ficus spp). We adopted a multiscale approach by employing ensemble species distribution modelling from presence-only records, assessing landscape-scale variation in detection rates in published camera-trap studies and using hierarchical occupancy modelling to assess local (i.e. within-landscape) patterns observed from 20 new camera-trap surveys. Contrary to prior reports that binturongs are strongly associated with intact forests, the species was equally present in degraded forests and near forest edges where sufficient forest cover was maintained (> 40% forest cover within a 20-km radius). The species also tolerates moderate incursions of oil palm plantations (< 20% of the area within a 20-km radius covered by oil palm plantations). The relative resilience of binturongs to habitat degradation could be in part because of behavioural adaptations towards increased nocturnal activity. These results support the notion that key seed dispersers can persist and maintain their ecological function in degraded forests.

Arctictis binturong camera trap civet conservation habitat associations occupancy modelling seed dispersal Southeast Asia Viverridae

SCI

English

Others

ForestGEO programme of the Smithsonian Institution, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore[9384-13] ; National Geographic Society[DE210101440]

Biodiversity & Conservation ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Biodiversity Conservation ; Ecology

WOS:001074504700001

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

2-s2.0-85164922307

Scopus

1.Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,Yale University,New Haven,United States
2.School of Biological Sciences,University of Queensland,St Lucia,534 Goddard Hall,Australia
3.Asian School of the Environment,Nanyang Technological University,Singapore
4.School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
5.School of Environmental Sciences,University of East Anglia,Norwich,United Kingdom
6.School of Earth and Environmental Sciences,University of Queensland,St Lucia,Australia
7.Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science,University of Queensland,St Lucia,Australia

Honda，Arata,Amir，Zachary,Mendes，Calebe P.,et al. Binturong ecology and conservation in pristine, fragmented and degraded tropical forests[J]. ORYX,2023.

Honda，Arata,Amir，Zachary,Mendes，Calebe P.,Moore，Jonathan H.,&Luskin，Matthew Scott.(2023).Binturong ecology and conservation in pristine, fragmented and degraded tropical forests.ORYX.

Honda，Arata,et al."Binturong ecology and conservation in pristine, fragmented and degraded tropical forests".ORYX (2023).