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Rodent abundance and distribution in habitats of Agrocenosis in Argentina∗

1993; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 28; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01650529309360886

1744-5140

Jaime J. Polop, Marta S. Sabattini,

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Physiographical and environmental factors have important effects on the distribution and abundance of small mammals. The purpose of this paper is to examine the spatial and seasonal distribution of cricetid populations on a selected part of the agrocenosis in Laguna Larga, Cordoba, Argentina. Four habitats were selected: wood, cultivated field, wood border, and cultivated field border. Trapping in all habitats consisted of trap line transects during fall and spring each year from 1979 to 1981. Five cricetid species were trapped in a total of 1285 captures in all four habitats. Calomys musculinus was the most abundant species. No differences in population number were obtained with respect to habitat, season or year. On the other hand, Calomys laucha showed differences in capture frequency between habitats and between years. Populations of Akodon dolores and Calomys venustus were not significantly different with respect to habitat, but A. dolores revealed seasonal differences. Graomys griseoflavus was captured sporadically in the less disturbed areas. In each habitat, the presence or absence of a species and the different population sizes characterized the rodent association. Wood habitat showed the most seasonal variability and differences between the years, whereas only the wood border was significantly different with respect to the numbers of the seasonal populations. Populations in cultivated field fluctuated significantly between the years, and there were no differences in cultivated field border populations. The encountered differences may be explained by a competitive exclusion or by distinctive features of the habitat.