Food resources on the vertical strata and their relationship with small mammals in an Araucaria forest of southern Brazil

Authors

  • Maury Sayão Lobato Abreu Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.
  • Guilherme Water Schmitz Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.
  • Larissa Rosa de Oliveira Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18316/1981-8858.16

Keywords:

Didelphimorphia, Feeding Ecology, Neotropical Mammals, Rodentia, Vertical Stratification.

Abstract

This study presents the relationship between the use of different layers by non-volant small mammals and the food resources availability in an Araucaria Forest area from southern Brazil. In this sense, 150 live traps were placed on the ground, understory and canopy. The availability of resources in the layers was evaluated by counting fruits, seeds and captured invertebrates. As a result, 10 species were recorded of non-volant small mammals. An inverse relationship was found between captures of: Akodon montensis and availability of fruits and seeds on the ground (R = -0.95, P = 0.05); Juliomys sp. and invertebrates abundance in the canopy (R = -0.96, P = 0.04); and Gracilinanus microtarsus and total food availability in the canopy (R = -0.99, P = 0.008). The results suggest that in times of food scarcity, small mammals in the Araucaria Forest may need more time searching for food, increasing catch rates in the strata where they live.

Author Biographies

Maury Sayão Lobato Abreu, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.

Mestre em Biologia, especializado em pequenos mamíferos.

Guilherme Water Schmitz, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.

Biólogo, mestrando em ecologia.

Larissa Rosa de Oliveira, Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul.

Pós doutora, professora adjunta na Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, especialista em mamíferos aquáticos.

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Published

2015-12-21

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2015)

Section

Artigos

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