Uso do espaço por Didelphis aurita (Wied-Neuwied, 1826) em uma área fragmentada do sul de Minas Gerais

Abstract

With the increase of habitat fragmentation, original vegetation began to present itself as fragmented mosaics inserted into different matrix types caused by human activities. As the animals use this changed environment, this issue has become a major topic of studies in ecology. This study was conducted in an area included in the Atlantic Forest from South of Minas Gerais, with a long history of changes by agropastoral activities. The main objectives were to know the home range and the use of space by Didelphis aurita. This study was carried out from 2012 February to September, using radiotelemetry and spool-and-line device. Five individuals were evaluated for radiotelemetry and 21 tracks were obtained for spool-and-line device. To verify the habitat selection were used radiotelemetry points and extreme points of the daily home ranges. Although D. aurita is known by its generalist and opportunistic characteristics, the results showed that it has habitat selection preferring forest environments to the detriment of agropastoral matrix environment. The individuals amounted 45.19 ha of home range (MCP 100%), representing between 4.74 and 15 times the home range previously reported for this species. The daily home range had an average of 6067m2 and the home range of male and female was statistically different. The Habitat Use Intensity (UI) had an average of 4.28 and was not influenced by the distance traveled or by the individuals sex. There were movements among fragments using mainly vegetation corridors and the movements on pasture matrix was just on the fragment edges or between nearby fragments (less than 80 m). The individuals utilized different structures as sleeping sites, mainly vines tangled, branches and lianas. Forest was the most important environment used by D. aurita in a fragmented landscape, and may favor the movements between farther fragments making the landscape permeable to this species.