Patterns of arboreal and terrestrial space use by non-volant small mammals in an Araucaria forest of southern Brazil

Despite the advances in the techniques for researching arboreal small mammals, detailed ecological data, such as habitat use patterns, are practically nonexistent for many species. Using 150 live-traps installed on the ground, understory (1.0-5.0m) and canopy (>5.0m) we investigated patterns of arboreal and terrestrial space use by small mammals in an Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil (29°29′08″S; 50°12′26″W). We also measured 19 microhabitat variables that could potentially influence the abundance of such mammals on each trap station. The results indicated that Akodon montensis and A. serrensis were mainly terrestrial. Delomys dorsalis was also terrestrial, but it also used understory (17.24% of captures). Juliomys sp. and Gracilinanus microtarsus were the most arboreal small mammals recorded. A. montensis was associated with dense vegetation, while A. serrensis selected positively opened areas. Juliomys sp. and G. microtarsus were associated to microhabitat variables related to the access and movement within the canopy. Moreover, bromeliads on arboreal layer were an important factor for these two arboreal species. This is the first study to report microhabitat associations by Juliomys sp. and A. serrensis, and we demonstrated that vertical stratification and microhabitat use were both synergic mechanisms to determine habitat use by small mammals on the Araucaria Forest of southern Brazil.

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Habitat use patterns of franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) off southern Brazil in relation to water depth

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s002531540900054x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 89 (5) ◽

pp. 943-949 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Daniel Danilewicz ◽

Eduardo R. Secchi ◽

Paulo H. Ott ◽

Ignacio B. Moreno ◽

Manuela Bassoi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Small Scale ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Use Patterns ◽

Management Procedures ◽

By Catch ◽

Pontoporia Blainvillei

The patterns of habitat use by the franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) along its distribution are poorly known. This study investigates the patterns of habitat use with respect to depth for 181 individuals of different age, size, gender and reproductive condition off Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The results reveal that franciscanas are very homogeneously distributed according to depth. Individuals from all lengths utilize nearly the entire range of depths of the surveyed area. Larger or older animals do not use deeper waters than younger animals, indicating that body size and age are not limiting factors for franciscanas that occupy deeper or offshore waters. Gestation seems to not cause a change in the distribution of females. Although the sex-ratio of the overall data did not vary from 1:1 in different depth intervals, a small-scale comparison between the northern and southern coast demonstrated the existence of some kind of sexual segregation. Franciscana by-catch in Rio Grande do Sul is not sustainable and it is agreed that management procedures are needed. Nevertheless, the available data on species distribution do not allow the designing of a protected area in order to minimize the by-catches of a particular sex/reproductive class.

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

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências ◽

10.1590/s0001-37652013000200017 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 727-736 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

GERUZA L. MELO ◽

BARBARA MIOTTO ◽

BRISA PERES ◽

NILTON C. CACERES

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Strong Evidence ◽

Animal Species ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Microhabitat Use ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Different Types ◽

Didelphis Albiventris

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, 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.

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Small mammals from the lasting fragments of Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil: a study about richness and diversity

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/1678-4766e2021015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 111 ◽

Author(s):

Guilherme Grazzini ◽

Fernanda Gatto-Almeida ◽

Liliani M. Tiepolo

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Araucaria Forest

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The influence of fire and livestock grazing on the assemblage of non-flying small mammals in grassland-Araucaria Forest ecotones, southern Brazil

Zoologia (Curitiba) ◽

10.1590/s1984-46702010000400005 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 533-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ezequiel Pedó ◽

Thales R. O. de Freitas ◽

Sandra M. Hartz

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Livestock Grazing ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Araucaria Forest

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Diet and habitat use of two sympatric species of Philodryas (Colubridae), in south Brazil

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/1568538053693251 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 25-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Otávio Marques ◽

Paulo Hartmann

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Sympatric Species ◽

Food Type ◽

Microhabitat Use ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Food Items ◽

Forested Areas ◽

South Brazil

AbstractFeeding habits and habitat use of the colubrid snakes Philodryas olfersii and P. patagoniensis in southern Brazil are presented here. Philodryas olfersii and P. patagoniensis are sympatric in the study area and both dwell in open and forested areas. Specimens preserved in collections and observations of snakes in the field yielded the data. Both species are diet generalists, feeding on small vertebrates, mainly frogs. Philodryas patagoniensis has a broader diet, a less variable frequency of food items, and fed on heavier prey than P. olfersii. Seasonal variation in diet occurs in both species. The semiarboreal Philodryas olfersii is more slender and has a longer tail than the terrestrial P. patagoniensis, characters that may reflect differences in microhabitat use. There are a strong relationship between habitat use and frequency of a given food type. Differences in the use of food resources between P. olfersii and P. patagoniensis seem to reflect differences in foraging microhabitats used by each species.

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Ecological niche and microhabitat use of Australian geckos

Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.1163/22244662-bja10002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 66 (3-4) ◽

pp. 209-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jendrian Riedel ◽

Eric Nordberg ◽

Lin Schwarzkopf

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Ecological Niche ◽

Biological Research ◽

Microhabitat Use ◽

Ecological Data ◽

Generalist Species ◽

Field Guides ◽

Modelling Techniques ◽

Data Deficient

Modern biological research often uses global datasets to answer broad-scale questions using various modelling techniques. But detailed information on species–habitat interactions are often only available for a few species. Australian geckos, a species-rich group of small nocturnal predators, are particularly data-deficient. For most species, information is available only as scattered, anecdotal, or descriptive entries in the taxonomic literature or in field guides. We surveyed gecko communities from 10 sites, and 15 locations across central and northern Queensland, Australia, to quantify ecological niche and habitat use of these communities. Our surveys included deserts, woodlands, and rainforests, examining 34 gecko species. We assigned species to habitat niche categories: arboreal (9 species), saxicoline (4), or terrestrial (13), if at least 75% of our observations fell in one microhabitat; otherwise we classified geckos as generalists (8). For arboreal species, we described perch height and perch diameter and assigned them to ecomorph categories, originally developed for Anolis lizards. There was lower species richness in rainforests than in habitats with lower relative humidity; the highest species richness occurred in woodlands. Most arboreal and generalist species fit the trunk-ground ecomorph, except those in the genus Strophurus, whose members preferred shrubs, twigs of small trees, or, in two cases, spinifex grass hummocks, thus occupying a perch space similar to that of grass-bush anoles. Habitat use by Pseudothecadactylus australis, Saltuarius cornutus, and Gehyra dubia fit the trunk-crown ecomorph. We provide quantified basic ecological data and habitat use for a large group of previously poorly documented species.

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