Mortalidad de vertebrados en la carretera Guanare-Guanarito, estado Portuguesa, Venezuela

摘要: Vertebrate mortality in the Guanare-Guanarito road, Portuguesa state, Venezuela. Roads directly or indirectly affect structure, dynamics and function of ecosystems that they traverse. Most studies on effect roads wildlife focus evaluation vertebrates by vehicle collisions. Despite extensive road network exists Venezuela, them are scarce. In this paper, we analyzed temporal spatial pattern vertebrate's collisions along Guanare-Guanarito, state. We travelled 26 times between these towns (74km) to localize dead vertebrates, at a speed 50-60km/h. those trips were conducted from March 13 October 26, 2010, 10 additional December 7, 2009 14, 2010; ones, with aim include months seasons insufficiently sampled during first period. The elapsed time varied 14 37 days. total distance traveled was 1 924km. Dead animals found amounted 464 individuals, 66 birds (25 identified species), 130 mammals (15 species) 268 reptiles (18 species). species highest number individuals snake Leptodeira annulata (n=119), oppossum Didelphis marsupialis (n=39) spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus (n=33). Excluding domestic animals, rate road-killed 0.2282indiv./km, figure 28.3% higher than previous same road. Changes relative for some species, respect numbers reported 20 years ago, linked increase traffic flow changes land use. Road segments collision rates expected chance identified. Collition cars may be principal cause like tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), last considered vulnerable species. Some basic measures proposed reduce Rev. Biol. Trop. 61 (4): 1619-1636. Epub 2013 01.