Analysis of territoriality and home range of four Atlantic forest small mammal species

• Grant number: 11/19791-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Thomas Puettker
• Grantee: Gabriela de Lima Marin
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

An Animal´s home range is influenced by different factors such as body mass, sex, population density, habitat specialization, and habitat quality. Additionally, animal behavior (territoriality) and changes in spatial habitat structure (habitat loss and fragmentation) can affect the home range areas. Despite the importance of knowledge of the effect of these factors for understanding the response of species to habitat alterations and therefore for conservation aspects, knowledge about Atlantic Forest small mammals is scarce. This project intends to investigate territorial behavior and the influence of habitat fragmentation, population density, and habitat specialization on the home range of four small mammal species: Akodon montes is, Delomys sublineages, Euryoryzomys russatus e Marmosops incanus. To achieve these objectives, an extensive data set obtained during 20 months by capture-recapture of small mammals in nine grids of 2 ha each in the continuous forest as well as forest fragments of the Atlantic forest will be used. Territoriality and influence of independent variables will be analyzed by investigation of home range overlap and linear models.(AU)