Temporal patterns of visitation of birds and mammals at mineral licks in the Peruvian Amazon

Mineral licks are key ecological resources for many species of birds and mammals in Amazonia, providing essential dietary nutrients and clays, yet little is known about which species visit and their behaviors at the mineral licks. Studying visitation and behavior at mineral licks can provide insight into the lives of otherwise secretive and elusive species. We assessed which species visited mineral licks, when they visited, and whether visits and the probability of recording groups at mineral licks were seasonal or related to the lunar cycle. We camera trapped at 52 mineral licks in the northeastern Peruvian Amazon and detected 20 mammal and 13 bird species over 6,255 camera nights. Generalized linear models assessed visitation patterns and records of groups in association with seasonality and the lunar cycle. We report nocturnal curassows (Nothocrax urumutum) visiting mineral licks for the first time. We found seasonal trends in visitation for the black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa), red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus), blue-throated piping guan (Pipile cumanensis), red brocket deer (Mazama americana), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) and tapir (Tapirus terrestris). Lunar trends in visitation occurred for the paca (Cuniculus paca), Brazilian porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) and red brocket deer. The probability of recording groups (>1 individual) at mineral licks was seasonal and related to lunar brightness for tapir. Overall, our results provide important context for how elusive species of birds and mammals interact with these key ecological resources on a landscape scale. The ecological importance of mineral licks for these species can provide context to seasonal changes in species occupancy and movement.

矿质舔食点（Mineral licks）是亚马孙地区众多鸟类与哺乳类的关键生态资源，可为其提供必需的膳食营养与黏土。然而目前学界对造访该类舔食点的物种及其相关行为仍知之甚少。研究物种在矿质舔食点的造访行为与模式，有助于深入了解那些隐秘难寻的物种的生存习性。本研究旨在明确造访矿质舔食点的物种种类、造访时间窗口，以及物种造访行为与集群记录概率是否存在季节性规律，或与月相周期相关联。我们在秘鲁东北部亚马孙区域的52处矿质舔食点布设红外相机，累计获取6255个相机夜的监测数据，共记录到20种哺乳类与13种鸟类。通过广义线性模型（Generalized Linear Models），本研究分析了与季节变化、月相周期相关的物种造访模式与集群记录情况。本研究首次报道了夜冠雉（Nothocrax urumutum）造访矿质舔食点的行为。研究发现，黑刺豚鼠（Dasyprocta fuliginosa）、红吼猴（Alouatta seniculus）、蓝喉鸣冠雉（Pipile cumanensis）、赤短角鹿（Mazama americana）、领西猯（Pecari tajacu）以及低地貘（Tapirus terrestris）的物种造访行为存在显著季节性趋势；而斑豚鼠（Cuniculus paca）、巴西豪猪（Coendou prehensilis）与赤短角鹿的造访行为则与月相周期显著相关。此外，低地貘在矿质舔食点被记录到集群（个体数≥2）的概率，同样存在季节性规律，且与月面亮度密切相关。整体而言，本研究结果为理解这些隐秘鸟类与哺乳类物种如何在景观尺度上利用这类关键生态资源提供了重要科学参考。这类矿质舔食点对这些物种的生态重要性，可为阐释物种占据与移动的季节性变化提供合理依据。