Microhabitat of small mammals at ground and understorey levels in a deciduous, southern Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Each animal species selects specific microhabitats for protection, foraging, or micro-climate. To understand the distribution patterns of small mammals on the ground and in the understorey, we investigated the use of microhabitats by small mammals in a deciduous forest of southern Brazil. Ten trap stations with seven capture points were used to sample the following microhabitats: liana, fallen log, ground litter, terrestrial ferns, simple-trunk tree, forked tree, and Piper sp. shrubs. Seven field phases were conducted, each for eight consecutive days, from September 2006 through January 2008. Four species of rodents (Akodon montensis Four species of rodents (Akodon montensis Four species of rodents ( , Sooretamys angouya, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Mus musculus) and two species of marsupials (Didelphis albiventris and Gracilinanus microtarsus) were captured. Captured species presented significant differences on their microhabitat use (ANOVA, p = 0.003), particularly between ground and understorey sites. Akodon montensis selected positively terrestrial ferns and trunks, S. angouya selected lianas, D. albiventris selected fallen trunks and Piper sp., and G. microtarsus choose tree trunks and lianas. We demonstrated that the local small-mammal assemblage does select microhabitats, with different types of associations between species and habitats. Besides, there is a strong evidence of habitat selection in order to diminish predation.

Community structure and population dynamics of small mammals in an urban-sylvatic interface area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…The higher abundance of the rodents O. nigripes and A. cursor in areas with greater anthropic influence (peridomicile), also confirms the opportunistic nature of these species in relation to habitat occupancy, as previously observed in disturbed regions and along forest borders (Olifiers et al 2005, Vaz et al 2007, Geise 2012, Cardoso et al 2016, Gonçalves et al 2016. However, A. cursor showed more association with habitat variables, such as a close vegetation near the ground, which can provide shelter, protection against predators, and food resources (Dalmagro and Vieira 2005, Lima et al 2010, Melo et al 2013), a higher vegetation density in the understory and an open canopy, which are characteristic of open areas (Cirelli and Penteado-Dias 2003).…”

Helminth metacommunity structure of wild rodents in a preserved area of the Atlantic Forest, Southeast Brazil

“…Akodon montensis, which belongs to the Akodontini tribe (LEITE et al, 2014), is a terrestrial and opportunistic species in relation to habitat occupation (MELO et al, 2013;CARDOSO et al, 2016), and insectivorous (PAGLIA et al, 2012). Thaptomys nigrita and D. dorsalis, which shared helminth species with A. montensis, also have terrestrial habits.…”

Diversidade, biogeografia, caracterização cariotípica e tricológica dos pequenos mamíferos não voadores do Parque Estadual Rio da Onça, Litoral Sul do Paraná

“…: Horn, 2005;Silveira, 2012;Melo et al, 2013). Isso porque, a maioria das espécies que utilizam o sub--bosque, também são registradas no solo, ou seja, têm hábito escansorial, e aquelas que não são (as essencialmente arborícolas) ocorrem principalmente nas camadas superiores da floresta e só utilizam o sub-bosque eventualmente (Vieira & Monteiro-Filho, 2003;Vieira & Camargo, 2012).…”