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Use of space by the marsupial Micoureus demerarae in small Atlantic Forest fragments in south-eastern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 1999

Alexandra Dos Santos Pires  and
Fernando Antonio Dos Santos Fernandez
Alexandra Dos Santos Pires
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68020, Rio de Janeiro RJ, 21941-590, Brasil
Fernando Antonio Dos Santos Fernandez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68020, Rio de Janeiro RJ, 21941-590, Brasil
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Abstract

The spatial patterns presented by the marsupial Micoureus demerarae were studied through capture–mark–recapture in two small Atlantic Forest fragments (areas 7.1 and 8.8 ha). The study took place from March 1995 to August 1997. Considering all captures of each individual, males did not have larger home ranges within the fragments than did females. A negative correlation was found between home range sizes and population densities. For males, home ranges overlapped often, and were larger during the breeding season. For females, home ranges did not overlap except for a short period when there were many individuals present, and home range sizes were not significantly larger in the breeding season. Five movements between the two forest fragments were detected, across 300 m of open vegetation. All the movements were performed by males during the reproductive season. M. demerarae in the small fragments therefore displays a metapopulation structure, although possibly an atypical one where only males disperse.

Keywords

Atlantic Forestconservationdispersalhabitat fragmentationhome rangemetapopulationMicoureus demeraraespatial patterns
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , May 1999 , pp. 279 - 290
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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