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Daily activity patterns of small mammals in a cerrado area from central Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Emerson Monteiro Vieira  and
Leandro Cláudio Baumgarten
Emerson Monteiro Vieira
Affiliation:
Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP. 13081970, Brazil
Leandro Cláudio Baumgarten
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF. 70910–900, Brazil.
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Abstract

We investigated the daily activity patterns of four species of small mammals in an area of cerrado habitat in central Brazil. We checked live traps at 3-hour intervals during the night. Bolomys lasiurus and Calomjis tenet (Rodentia, Muridae), two potential competitors, differed significantly in their daily activity patterns. Bolomys lasiurus had peaks during the twilight, whereas C. tener had a more constant activity through the night, with a peak between 2200 and 0100 h. Thalpomys cerradensis (Rodentia, Muridae) was more active immediately after sunset and in the last three hours before sunrise. Thylamys velutinus (Marsupialia, Marmosidae) was strictly nocturnal with greater activity early in the night. Other factors, such as predation pressure or diet, may be important in determining the activity patterns observed in this study.

Resumo

Nós investigamos os padrōes diários de atividade de quatro espécies de pequenos mamíferos em uma área de cerrado no Brasil central. As armadilhas do tipo alçapāo eram revisadas de três em três horas ao longo da noite. Bolomys lasiurus e Calomys tener (Rodentia, Muridae), dois competidores em potencial, diferiram significativamente quanto aos seus ritmos diários de atividade. Bolomys lasiurus apresentou picos ao entardecer e ao amanhecer, enquanto que C. tener apresentou uma atividade mais constante ao longo da noite, com um pico entre 2200 e 0100 h. Thalpomys cerradensis (Rodentia, Muridae) foi mais ativo imediatamente depois do por do sol e nas tres ultimas horas antes do sol nascer. Thylamys velutinus (Marsupialia, Marmosidae) foi exclusivamente noturno, apresehtando uma maior atividade no início da noite. Outros fatores, tais como pressao de predaçāoe preferencias alimentares, podem ser importances para determinar os padrōes de atividade observados neste estudo.

Keywords

activity patternsBolomys lasiurusBrazilCalomys tenercerradosmall mammalsThalpomys cerradensisThylamys velutinus
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , May 1995 , pp. 255 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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