The Effects of Simulated Peccary Extirpation on Leaf Litter Dynamics, Reptiles, and Amphibians in a Neotropical Forest

摘要: Peccaries are a dominant component of Neotropical forest faunas and known to play significant role in shaping the diversity habitats structure plants rain forests. However, very little is about their roles driving animal community or regulating populations. Here I review ways peccaries create habitat disturbance, act as predators, provide resources for other animals. also discuss possibility that have strong direct indirect effects on The two common species danger becoming extinct because geographically broad distributions, but peccary populations extremely threatened human hunting pressures throughout Neotropics, extirpation could result changes biodiversity. INTRODUCTION TO PECCARIES Three (Tayassuidae; ungulates closely related pigs hippopotomi) occur Neotropics. Of these three, (collared peccaries, Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, white-lipped Tayassu pecari Link) wide geographic distribution considered important ecosystem engineers tropical lowland forests Central South America (Beck 2005). Ecosystem modify biotic abiotic environment, maintaining causing availability (Jones & Guiterrez 2007, Jones et al. 1994,