Giant Armadillo Conservation Program
I am currently the Scientific Coordinator of the Giant Armadillo Conservation Program (GACP), led by Dr. Arnaud Desbiez at the Institute for Conservation of Wild Animals (ICAS). The GACP was set up in 2010 as a long-term study that uses a broad array of approaches to study the biology and ecology of the giant armadillo Priodontes maximus (www.giantarmadillo.org). The main goal of the GACP is to investigate the natural history and biology of giant armadillo and use field data to inform conservation decision making and outreach programs. As the GACP Scientific Coordinator I develop strategies to best communicate our findings to the scientific community and create material that will be used to base the development of conservation strategies. This involves: defining the best methods to achieve our goals, analyzing data, writing scientific manuscripts, helping our team and partners best communicate their results and establishing research partnerships.
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Related Publications
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Attias N. Spatial ecology of the giant armadillo Priodontes maximus in Midwestern Brazil. 2020. Journal of Mammalogy, 101(1): 151-163.
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Attias N. 2020. Life stage, sex, and behavior shape resource selection and influence conservation strategies for a threatened fossorial mammal. Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 31(2). DOI: 10.4404/hystrix-00375-2020
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Do Nascimento Luba C, Attias N. How giant are giant armadillos? The morphometry of giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus Kerr, 1792) in the Pantanal of Brazil. 2019. Mammalian Biology.
Kluyber D, Lopez RPG, Lima CFM, Massocato G, Attias N, Desbiez ALJ. Anethesia and surgery protocols for intra-abdominal transmitter placement in four species of wild armadillo. 2020. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 51(3):524-536.
Luba, C.N., Kluyber, D., Massocato, G.F., Attias, N., Frome, L., Desbiez, A.L.J.. Size matters: penis size, sexual maturity and their consequences for giant armadillo conservation planning. Mammalian Biology. Online first. 10.1007/s42991-020-00065-3
Kluyber D, Desbiez ALJ, Attias N, Gennari SM, Soares HS, Bagagli E, Bosco SMG, Garcés HG, Ferreira JS, Brum Fontes AN, Suffys PN, Meireles LR, Luna EA, Jansen AM, Roque ALR. 2020. Zoonotic parasites infecting free-living armadillos from Brazil. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13839
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Attias N, Cove MV. Comparing density estimates from a short-term camera trap survey with a long-term telemetry study for a rare, wide-ranging nocturnal species with fossorial habits. Mastozoologia Neotropical 27(2): 241-246. 10.31687/saremMN.20.27.2.0.08
Ferraz KMP, Oliveira BG, Attias N, Desbiez ALJ. Species distribution reveals highly fragmented suitable patches remaining for giant armadillos in the Brazilian Cerrado. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 19(1): 43-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2021.01.001
Desbiez ALJ, Larsen D, Massocato GF, Attias N, Kluyber D, Rumiz DI. 2021. First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild. Edentata. In press. Online first
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Attias N. Methods for the characterization of activity patterns of elusive species: the giant armadillo in the Brazilian Pantanal. Journal of Zoology. Accepted.
Reinventing Field Courses
Field courses are critical components of undergraduate education in biodiversity focused STEM disciplines. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities cancelled in-person classes and required instructors to immediately shift content delivery exclusively to online platforms however, instructors of field courses were unable to respond as quickly or in the same way. While this was partly because of travel and social distancing restrictions imposed by institutions, the primary obstacle was a lack of models to adopt and resources to use. The sudden-imposition of online instruction provides a unique opportunity for the instructors of field-based classes to identify the methods, tools, infrastructure, and resources needed to teach their students in completely new ways. Hence, in this project we aim to: (1) re-imagine the teaching of place-based courses, (2) identify tools and resources for teaching them in novel ways, especially when access to the field is limited, and make them available to teaching community (3) assess the factors hampering the development and adoption of novel teaching tools and methods. This project is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the University of Florida. Check out more at brunalab.org/virtualfieldcourse/.
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Effects of climate change and habitat degradation on wildlife
Global trends in habitat loss and fragmentation coupled with climate change have been altering conditions for wildlife and biodiversity in general. I am interested in wildlife behavioral responses (e.g. movement rates, activity patterns and habitat selection) to habitat alteration and temperature changes and how this can potentially affect population demography. Many of my studies use Xenarthrans (anteaters, sloths and armadillos) as model species because they are basoendothermic mammals that present conspicuous behavioral and physiological responses to air temperature changes and, as such, are valuable models for understanding how physiology affects decision-making in mammals and how habitat conversion and fragmentation could influence those decisions.
Related Publications Attias N, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Fagan WF, Mourão G. Effects of air temperature on habitat selection and activity patterns of two tropical imperfect homeotherms. 2018. Animal Behaviour, 140: 129-140. Maccarini TB, Attias N, Medri IM, Marinho-Filho J, Mourão GM: Temperature influences the activity patterns of armadillo species in a large neotropical wetland. 2015. Mammal Research. 60(4). DOI:10.1007/s13364-015-0232-2 Tucker MA, Böhning-Gaese K, Fagan WF, Fryxell JM, Van Moorter B, Alberts SC, Ali AH, Allen AM, Attias N, et al. 2018. Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements. Science, 359: 466-469 Giroux A, Ortega Z, Bertassoni A, Desbiez A, Kluyber D, Massocato G, de Miranda Guilherme, Mourão G, Surita L, Attias N, Bianchi RC, Gasparotto V, Oliveira-Santos LG. 2021. The role of environmental temperature on movement patterns of giant anteaters. Integrative Zoology. Giroux A, Ortega Z, Oliveira-Santos LG, Attias N, Bertassoni A, Desbiez A. Sexual, allometric and forest cover effects on giant anteaters’ movement ecology. PLoS ONE 16(8): e0253345. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253345 |
Habitat Selection and ConservationHabitat selection involves both innate and behavioral decisions and provides information on species strategies to meet their requirements for survival, ultimately reflecting fitness in different habitats. Step Selection Functions (SSF) are especially helpful to tackle this question, since it can account for the dynamic nature of habitat availability along an animal's path. This is especially important when evaluating the influence of discrete features, such as linear clearings, on space use.
Related Publications Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Attias N. 2020. Life stage, sex, and behavior shape resource selection and influence conservation strategies for a threatened fossorial mammal. Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 31(2). DOI: 10.4404/hystrix-00375-2020 Attias N, ..., Mourão G. In prep. Effects of linear features on habitat selection and movement patterns of three-banded armadillos. In prep. Ferraz KMP, Oliveira BG, Attias N, Desbiez ALJ. Species distribution reveals highly fragmented suitable patches remaining for giant armadillos in the Brazilian Cerrado. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. 19(1): 43-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2021.01.001 |
Mammal ecology and natural history
The knowledge on species biology and ecology is essential for effective conservation planning. Biological characteristics and ecological functions of species can be inferred through the study of their spatial ecology (e.g. home range, movement and habitat use patterns). I am interested in characterizing and understanding the ecology and social biology of poorly known mammal species. To accomplish this, I use camera trap, VHF and GPS telemetry techniques to monitor mamal species in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands. We have been able to describe the activity patterns, habitat selection, home range estimates, home range overlap and dynamic interaction of three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes matacus) and six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcintus). We were also able to describe unknown behavioral aspects of the species such as their the parental care and reproductive behavior and the sheltering and burrowing habits of three-banded armadillos, which were thought to be the only armadillo species that were not able to dig their own burrows.
Related Publications
Magalhães RA, Feijó A, Bocchiglieri A, Sena L, Attias N, Rodrigues FHG. 2022. Cephalic shield morphology as species diagnostic trait and individual natural mark in three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae). Mammalia. 10.1515/mammalia-2022-0022
Desbiez AJ, Kluyber D, Massocato G, Barreto L & Attias N. 2022. O que sabemos sobre os tatus do Pantanal? Revisão do conhecimento sobre ecologia, biologia, morfologia, saúde, conservação, distribuição e métodos de estudo. Boletim Do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais 17(1): 11-69. 10.46357/bcnaturais.v17i1.834
Attias N, Gurarie E, Fagan WF, Mourão G. Ecology and social biology of the southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae) . Journal of Mammalogy. 2020. 101(6): 1692-1705. DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa117.
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Attias N. Spatial ecology of the giant armadillo Priodontes maximus in Midwestern Brazil. 2020. Journal of Mammalogy. 101(1): 151–163.
Attias N, Miranda FR, Sena LMM, Tomas WM, Mourão GM: Yes, they can! Three-banded armadillos Tolypeutes sp. (Cingulata: Dasypodidae) dig their own burrows. 2016. Zoologia. 33(4).
Attias N (PhD dissertation). 2017. Spatial and temporal ecology of two armadillo species in Midwestern Brazil. Ecology and Conservation Graduate Program. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Related Publications
Magalhães RA, Feijó A, Bocchiglieri A, Sena L, Attias N, Rodrigues FHG. 2022. Cephalic shield morphology as species diagnostic trait and individual natural mark in three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae). Mammalia. 10.1515/mammalia-2022-0022
Desbiez AJ, Kluyber D, Massocato G, Barreto L & Attias N. 2022. O que sabemos sobre os tatus do Pantanal? Revisão do conhecimento sobre ecologia, biologia, morfologia, saúde, conservação, distribuição e métodos de estudo. Boletim Do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais 17(1): 11-69. 10.46357/bcnaturais.v17i1.834
Attias N, Gurarie E, Fagan WF, Mourão G. Ecology and social biology of the southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae) . Journal of Mammalogy. 2020. 101(6): 1692-1705. DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa117.
Desbiez ALJ, Massocato GF, Kluyber D, Oliveira-Santos LGR, Attias N. Spatial ecology of the giant armadillo Priodontes maximus in Midwestern Brazil. 2020. Journal of Mammalogy. 101(1): 151–163.
Attias N, Miranda FR, Sena LMM, Tomas WM, Mourão GM: Yes, they can! Three-banded armadillos Tolypeutes sp. (Cingulata: Dasypodidae) dig their own burrows. 2016. Zoologia. 33(4).
Attias N (PhD dissertation). 2017. Spatial and temporal ecology of two armadillo species in Midwestern Brazil. Ecology and Conservation Graduate Program. Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Invasive potential of alien species of commercial interest
Invasive alien species are considered the second biggest threat to biodiversity. The active transportation of species with invasive potential is especially frequent in species that are actively used by humans and can present commercial interest. In this project , I assessed the invasive potential of two species of Australian acacias in Brazil (A. mangium and A. mearnsii) by characterizing: their invasion history in locations where they have been introduced for longer time, the type of use at each introduction location (and its associated propagule pressure) and the similarity of abiotic conditions between the native, the invasive and the newly occupied areas (using Species Distribution Models).
Related Publications
Moura C, Attias N, Bergallo HG. The Risk of Invasions When Using Acacia spp. in Forestry. pp. 221-240. In: Mixed plantations of Eucalyptus and Leguminous trees (Eds. Cardoso, E.; de Moras Gonçalvez, J.L.; Balieiro, F.; Franco, A.A.). 2020. Spinger.
Attias N, Siqueira MF, Bergallo HG: Acácias Australianas no Brasil: Histórico, Formas de Uso e Potencial de Invasão. (Australian Acacias in Brazil: History, Forms of use and Invasive Potential). 2013. Biodiversidade Brasileira, 2: 74-96.
Attias N (Master Thesis) Invasive potential of two exotic species of the genus Acacia Mill. in Brazil. Ecology Graduate Program. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. 2011.
Related Publications
Moura C, Attias N, Bergallo HG. The Risk of Invasions When Using Acacia spp. in Forestry. pp. 221-240. In: Mixed plantations of Eucalyptus and Leguminous trees (Eds. Cardoso, E.; de Moras Gonçalvez, J.L.; Balieiro, F.; Franco, A.A.). 2020. Spinger.
Attias N, Siqueira MF, Bergallo HG: Acácias Australianas no Brasil: Histórico, Formas de Uso e Potencial de Invasão. (Australian Acacias in Brazil: History, Forms of use and Invasive Potential). 2013. Biodiversidade Brasileira, 2: 74-96.
Attias N (Master Thesis) Invasive potential of two exotic species of the genus Acacia Mill. in Brazil. Ecology Graduate Program. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. 2011.