INVASIVE MARMOSETS AND CONSERVATION OF THE BIODIVERSITY IN THE BRAZILIAN ATLANTIC FOREST

Invasive marmosets in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix penicillata are invasive species in the Atlantic Forest areas of southern and southeastern Brazil, where they were probably introduced through illegal wildlife trafficking and indiscriminate release, and have managed to expand their geographical distribution in a context of habitat loss in the original regions (northeastern and central Brazil, respectively). In the city of Rio de Janeiro, biological invasions shaped the urban forests that grew on the ruins of the sugar cane and coffee plantations that dominated the landscape during the colonial period. The biological invasions unfold, in this case, in goods and human and non-human lives that have formed and reforested the modern metropolis throughout its history. In this context, the aim of this study is to discuss the ecological risks and social dynamics involved in the introduction of marmosets into the Atlantic Forest, pointing out the challenges of managing and conserving biodiversity in anthropized landscapes. In discussing the case of the marmosets, we have inserted broader debates on biological invasions, forest regeneration and socio-environmental conservation, highlighting the need for policies that integrate the ecological and social dimensions of the problem presented. Further studies into the ecology of forests in urban areas could provide new insights into the role of invasive species in anthropized ecosystems.