Movement and use of environmental structures, climbing supports and shelters by Akodon montensis (Sigmodontinae, Rodentia) in the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil

Abstract

Movements under environmental structures and on supports, and the use of shelters by Akodon montensis were assessed using the spool-and-line technique. Movements of a few individuals of Thaptomys nigrita, Brucepattersonius iheringi and Oligoryzomys nigripes were also assessed and briefly described. Akodon montensis often used fallen logs, lianas and ferns as climbing supports for movements. The species moved under different environmental structures with differing frequencies, with greater use of dense litter followed by lianas and fallen branches. The studied sigmodontine species used shelters of different compositions and structures, and differed in displacement behavior. This study is the first to contribute to understanding the movement and use of environmental structures, shelters and climbing supports by A. montensis.

Impact of Predator Exclusion and Habitat on Seroprevalence of New World Orthohantavirus Harbored by Two Sympatric Rodents within the Interior Atlantic Forest

“…Although we did not examine the microhabitat (i.e., station-level) associations for each species in this study, we previously reported that A. montensis was positively associated with fallen branches, while O. nigripes was not associated with any particular microhabitat characteristic [ 47 ]. A. montensis use fallen branches for shelter and nesting, which could provide an explanation to why more rodents were found on the least degraded grids [ 132 ].…”