INVESTIGADORES
TABENI Maria Solana
artículos
Título:
Ecology of the Monte Desert small mammals in disturbed and undisturbed habitats
Autor/es:
TABENI, S; OJEDA, R. A.
Revista:
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
Editorial:
Elsevier
Referencias:
Año: 2005 vol. 63 p. 244 - 255
ISSN:
0140-1963
Resumen:
Changes in habitat structure produced by cattle ranching can affect
desert rodent communities. The effect of this activity on small mammal
species was studied in the central portion of the temperate Monte
Desert of Argentina. A protected (Man and Biosphere Reserve of Ñacuñán)
and a disturbed area were compared, considering the heterogeneous
mosaic of patches present in both areas. Depending on patch complexity,
the response of species varied among patches and treatments (disturbed
and undisturbed areas), some disturbed patches showing higher diversity
than undisturbed ones. Species associated with habitats with dense
plant cover, such as the grass mouse, Akodon molinae, were more abundant in the Reserve, whereas the silky mouse, Eligmodontia typus,
associated with open habitats, was favored by the simplification of
disturbed areas. Both the degree of patch complexity and the
morphoecological attributes of species were good predictors of their
presence in every patch. The selective use that domestic herbivores
make of some areas may favor the maintenance of patches that are
conducive to the occurrence of some species in disturbed areas.