Population structure and vertical stratification of Micoureus paraguayanus (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in lowland atlantic coastal forest fragments, southern Brazil

Abstract

In order to analyze Micoureus paraguayanus population structure in function of the seasonality and habitats in disturbed forest fragments, a study was carried out on three forest fragments with differences in size, isolation and degrees of deforestation in a lowland Atlantic coastal forest, on Santa Catarina Island. Thirty traps were installed on the ground, under story and canopy in each fragment, resulting in a sample size of 3,240 trap-nights. After 12 months’ fieldwork between January and December of 2003, 90 captures of 22 individuals were made, resulting in capture success of 2.8%. The highest number of captures was observed in the most deforested fragment, without a developed under story. The population structure of M. paraguayanus did not show any bias in function of the fragmentation of the habitat, vertical stratification or even the different seasons, except for the age proportion in relation to seasons, pointing to a similarity of the species’ responses to these factors