Ecology of small mammals in a Brazilian rural area

D'Andrea, Paulo Sergio; Gentile, Rosana; Cerqueira, Rui; Grelle, Carlos Eduardo V; Horta, Claudia; Rey, Luis

doi:10.1590/S0101-81751999000300002

Abstract

A small mammal study was carried out in Pamparrão valley, Sumidouro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 1991 to July 1996. The area was characterised by small rural properties with vegetable plantations, pasture lands and small forest fragments. Small mammals were captured in seven line transects along the valley. Eleven small mammal species were captured: the didelphid marsupials Didelphis aurita, Philander frenata and Monodelphis americana, and the rodents Nectomys squamipes, Akodon cursor, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Bolomys lasiurus, Oecomys concolor (Sigmodontinae), Rattus ratlus (Murinae), Proechimys iheringi and Euryzygo-matomys guiara (Echimyidae). The heterogeneous habitat configuration probably allowed the occurrence of marsupials and more rodent species when compared to studies in monoculture areas.

marsupials; rodents; cultivated areas; Brazil

Ecology of small mammals in a Brazilian rural area

Paulo Sergio D'Andrea^I; Rosana Gentile^II; Rui Cerqueira^II; Carlos Eduardo V. Grelle^II; Claudia Horta^I; Luis Rey^I

^IDepartamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Avenida Brasil 4365, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

^IIDepartamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Caixa Postal 68020, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

ABSTRACT

A small mammal study was carried out in Pamparrão valley, Sumidouro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 1991 to July 1996. The area was characterised by small rural properties with vegetable plantations, pasture lands and small forest fragments. Small mammals were captured in seven line transects along the valley. Eleven small mammal species were captured: the didelphid marsupials Didelphis aurita, Philander frenata and Monodelphis americana, and the rodents Nectomys squamipes, Akodon cursor, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Bolomys lasiurus, Oecomys concolor (Sigmodontinae), Rattus ratlus (Murinae), Proechimys iheringi and Euryzygo-matomys guiara (Echimyidae). The heterogeneous habitat configuration probably allowed the occurrence of marsupials and more rodent species when compared to studies in monoculture areas.

Key words: marsupials, rodents, cultivated areas, Brazil.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We thank many people who helped us during the field work: to José Wandique Fraga Costa for his assistance throughout the study, to Luana S. Maroja for helping in data analysis and for useful comments, to Lena Geise for rodent identification by karyological analysis, to the people of Pamparrão valley, Sumidouro, who allowed us to carry out the field work in their properties, and to the Sumidouro Municipal Government, in state of Rio de Janeiro, for many operational facilities. This work was supported by Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, and grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ).

REFERENCES

ALENCAR, F.O.C.C. 1969. Notas sobre o rato de cana "Holochilus sciureus" Wagner na região do Cariri, Ceará. Rev. Bras. Biol. 29 (4): 567-570.

AMANTE, E. 1975. Prejuízos causados pelo roedor Clyomys laticeps (Echimydae) em Pinnus spp., em áreas reflorestadas de Sacramento, Minas Gerais. Cienc. Cult. 27: 373-374.

BERGALLO, H.G. 1994. Ecology of a small mammal community in an Atlantic Forest area of South-eastern Brazil. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. 29 (4): 197-217.

CARVALHO, C.T. & R.A. BUENO. 1975. Animais causando danos em plantios (Mammalia, Rodentia). Silvicultura, São Paulo, 9: 39-46.

CERQUEIRA, R.; R. GENTILE; F.A.S. FERNANDEZ & P.S. D'ANDREA. 1993. A five-year population study of an assemblage of small mammals in Southeastern Brazil. Mammalia 57: 507-517.

CERQUEIRA, R; R. GENTILE & S. M.S. GUAPYASSÚ. 1995. Escalas, amostras, populações e avariação da diversidade. Oecologia Brasiliensis. 1: 131-142.

DAVIS, D.E. 1947. Notes on the life histories of some Brazilian mammals. Bol. Mus. Nac, Zool. n.s., 76: 1-8.

D'ANDREA, P.S.; C. HORTA; R. CERQUEIRA & L. REY. 1996. Breeding of the water rat (Nectomys squamipes) in the laboratory. Laboratory Animals 30: 369-376.

DIOUTAIUTI, L.; A.S. PEREIRE; C.F. LOIOLA; A.F. FERNANDES; J.C. SCHOFIELD; J.P. DUJARDIN; J.C.P. DIAS & E. CHIARI. 1995. Inter-relation of sylvatic and domestic transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in areas with and without domestic vectorial transmission in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 90: 443-448.

ENGEL, L.A. & D.A. MELLO. 1993. Rodents in agroecosystems in the Cerrado Province of the Federal District (Brasilia/DF, Brazil). Cienc. Cult. 45 (2): 128-133.

ERNEST, K.A. & M.A. MARES. 1986. Ecology of Nectomys squamipes, the neotropical water-rat in Central Brazil: Home range, habitat selection, reproduction and behaviour. Jour. Zoology 210: 599-612

FONSECA. G.A.B. & J.G. ROBINSON. 1990. Forest size and structure: competitive and predatory effects on small mammals communities. Biological conservation. 53: 265-294.

GENTILE, R.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. (In press). Home ranges of Philander frenata and Akodon cursor in a Brazilian Restinga (Coasta shrub land). Mastozoologia Neotropical.

GALLANTE, M.L. & M.H. CASSINI. 1994. Seasonal variation of a Cavy population in the Pampa region, east-central Argentina. Mammalia 58: 549-546.

HINGST, E.D.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. 1998. Breding of Philander opossum (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in captivity. Lab. Animals 32: 434-438.

MAGURRAM, A.E. 1988. Ecological diversity and its measurements. Croom Helm, Australia, 178p.

MELLO, D.A. 1991. Parasitic diseases in Brazil and the role of wild mammals: an analysis based on leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis mansoni. Cienc. Cult. 43 (4): 274-278.

MILLS, J.N.; B.A. ELLIS; K.T. MCKEE; J.I. MAIZTEGUI & J.E. CHILDS. 1992. Reproductive characteristics of rodent assemblages in cultivated regions of central Argentina. Jour. Mamm. 73 (3): 515-526.

MUTZE, G.J. 1990. Mouse plagues in South Australian cereal-growing areas. I. Occurrence and distribution of plagues. Aust. Wild. Res. 16: 677-683

NIMER, E. 1989. Climatologia do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, IBGE, 422p.

PAGLIA, A.P.; P. DE MARCO; F.M. COSTA; R.F. PEREIRA & G. LESSA. 1995. Heterogeneidade estrutural e diversidade de pequenos mamíferos em um fragmento de mata secundária de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Rev. Brasil. Biol. 12: 69-79.

PASSAMANI, M. 1995. Vertical stratification of small mammals in south-eastern Brazil's Atlantic Hill Forest. Mammalia 65: 505-508.

REY, L. 1993. Non-human vertebrate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil. Res. Rev. Parasitol. 53 (1-2): 13-25.

SOULÉ, M.E. & B.A. WILCOX.1980. Conservation Biology: an evolutionary-ecological perspective. Massachusetts, Sinauer Associates Inc. Publ., 395p.

STALLINGS, J.R.; G.A.B. FONSECA; L.P.S. PINTO; L.M.S. AGUIAR; E.L. SÁBATO.1991. Mamíferos do Parque Florestal Estadual do Rio Doce, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Revta bras. Zool. 7 (4): 663-677.

ZAR, J.H. 1996. Biostatistical Analysis. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 662p.

Recebido em 19.XII.1997; aceito em 12.V.1999.

ALENCAR, F.O.C.C. 1969. Notas sobre o rato de cana "Holochilus sciureus" Wagner na região do Cariri, Ceará. Rev. Bras. Biol. 29 (4): 567-570.
AMANTE, E. 1975. Prejuízos causados pelo roedor Clyomys laticeps (Echimydae) em Pinnus spp., em áreas reflorestadas de Sacramento, Minas Gerais. Cienc. Cult. 27: 373-374.
BERGALLO, H.G. 1994. Ecology of a small mammal community in an Atlantic Forest area of South-eastern Brazil. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. 29 (4): 197-217.
CARVALHO, C.T. & R.A. BUENO. 1975. Animais causando danos em plantios (Mammalia, Rodentia). Silvicultura, São Paulo, 9: 39-46.
CERQUEIRA, R.; R. GENTILE; F.A.S. FERNANDEZ & P.S. D'ANDREA. 1993. A five-year population study of an assemblage of small mammals in Southeastern Brazil. Mammalia 57: 507-517.
CERQUEIRA, R; R. GENTILE & S. M.S. GUAPYASSÚ. 1995. Escalas, amostras, populações e avariação da diversidade. Oecologia Brasiliensis. 1: 131-142.
DAVIS, D.E. 1947. Notes on the life histories of some Brazilian mammals. Bol. Mus. Nac, Zool. n.s., 76: 1-8.
D'ANDREA, P.S.; C. HORTA; R. CERQUEIRA & L. REY. 1996. Breeding of the water rat (Nectomys squamipes) in the laboratory. Laboratory Animals 30: 369-376.
DIOUTAIUTI, L.; A.S. PEREIRE; C.F. LOIOLA; A.F. FERNANDES; J.C. SCHOFIELD; J.P. DUJARDIN; J.C.P. DIAS & E. CHIARI. 1995. Inter-relation of sylvatic and domestic transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in areas with and without domestic vectorial transmission in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 90: 443-448.
ENGEL, L.A. & D.A. MELLO. 1993. Rodents in agroecosystems in the Cerrado Province of the Federal District (Brasilia/DF, Brazil). Cienc. Cult. 45 (2): 128-133.
ERNEST, K.A. & M.A. MARES. 1986. Ecology of Nectomys squamipes, the neotropical water-rat in Central Brazil: Home range, habitat selection, reproduction and behaviour. Jour. Zoology 210: 599-612
FONSECA. G.A.B. & J.G. ROBINSON. 1990. Forest size and structure: competitive and predatory effects on small mammals communities. Biological conservation. 53: 265-294.
GENTILE, R.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. (In press). Home ranges of Philander frenata and Akodon cursor in a Brazilian Restinga (Coasta shrub land). Mastozoologia Neotropical.
GALLANTE, M.L. & M.H. CASSINI. 1994. Seasonal variation of a Cavy population in the Pampa region, east-central Argentina. Mammalia 58: 549-546.
HINGST, E.D.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. 1998. Breding of Philander opossum (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in captivity. Lab. Animals 32: 434-438.
MAGURRAM, A.E. 1988. Ecological diversity and its measurements. Croom Helm, Australia, 178p.
MELLO, D.A. 1991. Parasitic diseases in Brazil and the role of wild mammals: an analysis based on leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis mansoni. Cienc. Cult. 43 (4): 274-278.
MILLS, J.N.; B.A. ELLIS; K.T. MCKEE; J.I. MAIZTEGUI & J.E. CHILDS. 1992. Reproductive characteristics of rodent assemblages in cultivated regions of central Argentina. Jour. Mamm. 73 (3): 515-526.
MUTZE, G.J. 1990. Mouse plagues in South Australian cereal-growing areas. I. Occurrence and distribution of plagues. Aust. Wild. Res. 16: 677-683
NIMER, E. 1989. Climatologia do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, IBGE, 422p.
PAGLIA, A.P.; P. DE MARCO; F.M. COSTA; R.F. PEREIRA & G. LESSA. 1995. Heterogeneidade estrutural e diversidade de pequenos mamíferos em um fragmento de mata secundária de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Rev. Brasil. Biol. 12: 69-79.
PASSAMANI, M. 1995. Vertical stratification of small mammals in south-eastern Brazil's Atlantic Hill Forest. Mammalia 65: 505-508.
REY, L. 1993. Non-human vertebrate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil. Res. Rev. Parasitol. 53 (1-2): 13-25.
SOULÉ, M.E. & B.A. WILCOX.1980. Conservation Biology: an evolutionary-ecological perspective. Massachusetts, Sinauer Associates Inc. Publ., 395p.
STALLINGS, J.R.; G.A.B. FONSECA; L.P.S. PINTO; L.M.S. AGUIAR; E.L. SÁBATO.1991. Mamíferos do Parque Florestal Estadual do Rio Doce, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Revta bras. Zool. 7 (4): 663-677.
ZAR, J.H. 1996. Biostatistical Analysis. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 662p.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
15 June 2009
Date of issue
1999

History

Accepted
12 May 1999
Received
19 Dec 1997

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] ALENCAR, F.O.C.C. 1969. Notas sobre o rato de cana "Holochilus sciureus" Wagner na região do Cariri, Ceará. Rev. Bras. Biol. 29 (4): 567-570.

[2] AMANTE, E. 1975. Prejuízos causados pelo roedor Clyomys laticeps (Echimydae) em Pinnus spp., em áreas reflorestadas de Sacramento, Minas Gerais. Cienc. Cult. 27: 373-374.

[3] BERGALLO, H.G. 1994. Ecology of a small mammal community in an Atlantic Forest area of South-eastern Brazil. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. 29 (4): 197-217.

[4] CARVALHO, C.T. & R.A. BUENO. 1975. Animais causando danos em plantios (Mammalia, Rodentia). Silvicultura, São Paulo, 9: 39-46.

[5] CERQUEIRA, R.; R. GENTILE; F.A.S. FERNANDEZ & P.S. D'ANDREA. 1993. A five-year population study of an assemblage of small mammals in Southeastern Brazil. Mammalia 57: 507-517.

[6] CERQUEIRA, R; R. GENTILE & S. M.S. GUAPYASSÚ. 1995. Escalas, amostras, populações e avariação da diversidade. Oecologia Brasiliensis. 1: 131-142.

[7] DAVIS, D.E. 1947. Notes on the life histories of some Brazilian mammals. Bol. Mus. Nac, Zool. n.s., 76: 1-8.

[8] D'ANDREA, P.S.; C. HORTA; R. CERQUEIRA & L. REY. 1996. Breeding of the water rat (Nectomys squamipes) in the laboratory. Laboratory Animals 30: 369-376.

[9] DIOUTAIUTI, L.; A.S. PEREIRE; C.F. LOIOLA; A.F. FERNANDES; J.C. SCHOFIELD; J.P. DUJARDIN; J.C.P. DIAS & E. CHIARI. 1995. Inter-relation of sylvatic and domestic transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in areas with and without domestic vectorial transmission in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 90: 443-448.

[10] ENGEL, L.A. & D.A. MELLO. 1993. Rodents in agroecosystems in the Cerrado Province of the Federal District (Brasilia/DF, Brazil). Cienc. Cult. 45 (2): 128-133.

[11] ERNEST, K.A. & M.A. MARES. 1986. Ecology of Nectomys squamipes, the neotropical water-rat in Central Brazil: Home range, habitat selection, reproduction and behaviour. Jour. Zoology 210: 599-612

[12] FONSECA. G.A.B. & J.G. ROBINSON. 1990. Forest size and structure: competitive and predatory effects on small mammals communities. Biological conservation. 53: 265-294.

[13] GENTILE, R.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. (In press). Home ranges of Philander frenata and Akodon cursor in a Brazilian Restinga (Coasta shrub land). Mastozoologia Neotropical.

[14] GALLANTE, M.L. & M.H. CASSINI. 1994. Seasonal variation of a Cavy population in the Pampa region, east-central Argentina. Mammalia 58: 549-546.

[15] HINGST, E.D.; P.S. D'ANDREA & R. CERQUEIRA. 1998. Breding of Philander opossum (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in captivity. Lab. Animals 32: 434-438.

[16] MAGURRAM, A.E. 1988. Ecological diversity and its measurements. Croom Helm, Australia, 178p.

[17] MELLO, D.A. 1991. Parasitic diseases in Brazil and the role of wild mammals: an analysis based on leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis mansoni. Cienc. Cult. 43 (4): 274-278.

[18] MILLS, J.N.; B.A. ELLIS; K.T. MCKEE; J.I. MAIZTEGUI & J.E. CHILDS. 1992. Reproductive characteristics of rodent assemblages in cultivated regions of central Argentina. Jour. Mamm. 73 (3): 515-526.

[19] MUTZE, G.J. 1990. Mouse plagues in South Australian cereal-growing areas. I. Occurrence and distribution of plagues. Aust. Wild. Res. 16: 677-683

[20] NIMER, E. 1989. Climatologia do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, IBGE, 422p.

[21] PAGLIA, A.P.; P. DE MARCO; F.M. COSTA; R.F. PEREIRA & G. LESSA. 1995. Heterogeneidade estrutural e diversidade de pequenos mamíferos em um fragmento de mata secundária de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Rev. Brasil. Biol. 12: 69-79.

[22] PASSAMANI, M. 1995. Vertical stratification of small mammals in south-eastern Brazil's Atlantic Hill Forest. Mammalia 65: 505-508.

[23] REY, L. 1993. Non-human vertebrate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and schistosomiasis transmission in Brazil. Res. Rev. Parasitol. 53 (1-2): 13-25.

[24] SOULÉ, M.E. & B.A. WILCOX.1980. Conservation Biology: an evolutionary-ecological perspective. Massachusetts, Sinauer Associates Inc. Publ., 395p.

[25] STALLINGS, J.R.; G.A.B. FONSECA; L.P.S. PINTO; L.M.S. AGUIAR; E.L. SÁBATO.1991. Mamíferos do Parque Florestal Estadual do Rio Doce, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Revta bras. Zool. 7 (4): 663-677.

[26] ZAR, J.H. 1996. Biostatistical Analysis. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 662p.