This study offers new insights into how Brazil’s wild cats respond to human-modified landscapes, using over 14,000 open-access records and a scalable analytical framework. We grouped nine felid species into generalists, flexible specialists, and strict specialists, revealing varied habitat preferences and road sensitivities. While some species, such as Puma concolor, showed tolerance to altered environments, others, including Leopardus geoffroyi and the Colocola complex, remained strongly tied to their native habitats and avoided roads. These findings challenge the assumption of uniform responses to habitat loss and highlight the need for species-specific conservation strategies. Our approach demonstrates the value of open biodiversity data to guide national conservation planning, especially in tropical regions where ecological knowledge remains limited.

© Alegre, V. B., Sepulvida, R., de Faria Oshima, J. E., de Azevedo, F. C., Kanda, C. Z., Morato, R. G., & Ribeiro, M. C. (2025). Ecological traits explain wild felid responses to human-modified landscapes in Brazil: an open-data approach for conservation. EcoEvoRxiv

Preprint

This paper emphasizes the importance of understanding and predicting animal movements and distributions in the Anthropocene, where rapid environmental changes driven by human activities pose challenges to ecosystems. We highlight the need for predictive models that integrate mechanistic insights, moving beyond correlative approaches, to address novel environmental conditions. We stress the value of targeted data collection, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the use of adaptive management frameworks to refine predictions and inform conservation strategies. The study underlines the transformative potential of movement ecology to shift from descriptive science to predictive tools essential for evidence-based policy and conservation in dynamic, human-altered landscapes​

© Sara Gomez, Holly English, Vanesa B Alegre, et al. (2025) Understanding and predicting animal movements and distributions in the Anthropocene. Journal of Animal Ecology.

Scientific paper

This study explores the movement patterns of jaguars in human-modified landscapes, focusing on their interactions with forests, agriculture, roads, and drainage areas. The findings reveal that jaguars frequently revisit the edges of these structures, with larger forest patches serving as critical refuges and agricultural areas being largely avoided except for their edges. Jaguars tend to move faster near roads and slower near drainage areas, underscoring the complexity of their spatial behavior in fragmented habitats. These results highlight the importance of conserving large, contiguous forest patches and implementing buffer zones to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and ensure jaguar survival in dynamic landscapes​.

© Alegre, V. B., Kanda, C. Z., de Faria Oshima, J. E., Niebuhr, B. B., Morato, R. G., Thompson, J. J., … & Ribeiro, M. C. (2024). Jaguar at the Edge: movement patterns in human-altered landscapes. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, 22(4), 358-366.

Scientific paper  | GitHub

Journal report (Portuguese) | Blog post

ECO-Reporter (Audio track)

This study investigates how jaguars adapt their habitat selection in landscapes dominated by human activities, focusing on sex and circadian differences. The findings reveal that while jaguars generally prefer areas with high tree cover and water availability, their interaction with anthropogenic features like croplands, urban areas, and roads varies by gender and time of day. Males tend to use croplands more at night, while females are more likely to be found near urban areas, particularly during nocturnal hours. Both sexes show a notable use of roads despite associated risks, highlighting the importance of these structures in jaguar movement. The research underscores the necessity of preserving natural habitats and implementing effective management strategies for anthropogenic features to ensure coexistence between humans and jaguars across their range.

© Alegre, V. B., Rio-Maior, H., de Faria Oshima, J. E., Niebuhr, B. B., Morato, R. G., & Ribeiro, M. C. (2023). The effect of anthropogenic features on the habitat selection of a large carnivore is conditional on sex and circadian period, suggesting a landscape of coexistence. Journal for Nature Conservation, 73, 126412.

Scientific paper  | GitHub

Journal report (Portuguese) | Blog post

This data paper presents a dataset on alien mammals in the Neotropics, including records of their occurrence and abundance. This work is the result of a multinational collaborative effort involving researchers from various institutions across Latin America and the Caribbean. The dataset provides valuable information for conservation, invasive species management, and the assessment of their impacts on local ecosystems, addressing biogeographical, ecological, and management aspects. Additionally, the document highlights the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in tackling complex environmental challenges.

© Rosa, C. A., Ribeiro, B. R., Bejarano, V., Puertas, F. H., Bocchiglieri, A., & Santos, A. L. B. (2020). Neotropical alien mammals: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics. Ecology, 101(11).

Data paper

The “ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS” dataset provides extensive information on 44 morphological traits of 711 bird species from the Atlantic Forest of South America. It includes over 67,000 individual records collected between 1820 and 2018, featuring measurements such as body weight, bill length, wing length, and more, along with data on age, sex, reproductive stage, and molt. This resource enables researchers to study how morphological traits vary at individual, species, and community levels in response to environmental and anthropogenic factors. It also provides a robust foundation for studies on functional evolution, phenotypic diversity, and ecological adaptations in one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots.

© Rodrigues, R. C., Hasui, É., Assis, J. C., Pena, J. C. C., Muylaert, R. L., Tonetti, V. R., … Bejarano Alegre, V., et al. (2018). ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS: a dataset of bird morphological traits from the Atlantic forests of South America. Ecology, 99, 1-18.

Data paper

The study investigates the relationship between feather molt and breeding in New World Tyrannus flycatchers, focusing on potential trade-offs between these energetically costly activities. Analyzing 219 individuals, the study found that only one bird molted flight feathers while breeding, suggesting that simultaneous molt and reproduction are highly energy-intensive. However, some flycatchers molted body feathers during breeding, with clutch size and sex significantly influencing molt intensity. Larger clutch sizes were associated with lower molt intensity in males but not in females. These findings highlight latitudinal differences, as males at higher latitudes showed reduced body molt during breeding due to larger clutch sizes. The study emphasizes the need for further research on sex-specific trade-offs and how environmental and physiological factors influence these critical life history strategies.

© Jahn, A. E., Bejarano, V., Guzmán, M. B., Brown, L. M., Carvalho Provinciato, I. C., Cereghetti, J., … & Tuero, D. T. (2017). Molting while breeding? Lessons from new world Tyrannus flycatchers. Journal of Ornithology, 158, 1061-1072.

Scientific paper

The article focuses on the movement ecology of South America’s grassland migratory birds, emphasizing their critical role in grassland ecosystems. It highlights how rapid habitat changes—driven by agriculture, urbanization, and climate change—threaten these species. The study underscores the lack of basic biological data on these birds, such as migration routes, population dynamics, and wintering areas, which hinders effective conservation efforts. The authors propose leveraging modern movement ecology theories and technologies to understand these species’ full annual cycles, enabling targeted conservation and management strategies to address threats at local and regional scales.

© Jahn, A. E., Bejarano, V., Cueto, V. R., Di Giacomo, A. S., & Fontana, C. S. (2017). Movement ecology research to advance conservation of South America’s grassland migratory birds. Perspect. Ecol. Conserv. 15, 209–215.

Scientific paper

This study examines how the clutch size of the Fork-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) varies between temperate and tropical latitudes in South America. Results show that birds in temperate regions have larger clutches than those in tropical areas. This difference is attributed to lower predation rates, greater resource availability, and favourable environmental conditions in temperate zones. In contrast, tropical regions with higher predation pressure and resource limitations lead birds to invest less in each reproductive event. The study highlights how avian reproductive strategies adapt to environmental and latitudinal gradients, providing valuable insights into the ecological influences shaping species’ life-history traits.

© Jahn, A. E., Tuero, D. T., Mamani, A. M., Bejarano, V., Masson, D. A., & Aguilar, E. (2014). Drivers of clutch-size in Fork-tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus savana) at temperate and tropical latitudes in South America. Emu-Austral Ornithology, 114(4), 337-342.

Scientific paper

This article documents the first record of Tachuris rubrigastra in the Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia, specifically in the Parque Regional Lomas de Arena. It describes the sighting and capture of an individual on July 10 and 18, 2008, respectively, in a habitat of Schoenoplectus californicus reeds. This record is significant as it represents the lowest altitude reported for the species in Bolivia and may be attributed to erratic movement, as previous studies in the area had not reported its presence.

© Aponte, M. A., Bejarano, V., Conde, L., Delgadillo, W., & Angel, M. 2009. Registro de Tachuris rubigastra en el departamento de Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

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