Seasonal Activity Patterns of tuco-tuco, Ctenomys mendocinus,

CUELLO, PABLO A.; OJEDA, RICARDO

Mendoza, Argentina

Congreso; International Mammalogical Congress; 2009

GIB-IADIZA-CONICET

Activity patterns in fossorial rodents result from the interplay of their biology (i.e. physiology), environment (e.g. temperature, humidity), topographic features (e.g. soil hardness), and availability of resources. We tested the association of these variables with the activity of the mendocino tuco-tuco, Ctenomys mendocinus in the Monte desert. The study was conducted at the MaB Ñacuñan Reserve located in the central Monte desert, Argentina. We sampled 3 habitats during 4 seasons, Larrea shrubland, mesquite forest and sand dunes. We quantified the number of active burrows, soil humidity and food availability, whereas temperature was compared only seasonally. Our results showed that the peak of activity (number the burrows) was in autumn and it varied seasonally in all habitats (X= p