CORN MICE (CALOMYS MUSCULINUS) MOVEMENT IN LINEAR HABITATS OF AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS

SOMMARO LUCÍA; GOMEZ DANIELA; BONATTO FLORENCIA; STEINMANN ANDREA; CHIAPPERO MARINA; PRIOTTO JOSÉ

JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

American Society of Mammalogists

Año: 2010 vol. 91 p. 668 - 673

0022-2372

Movement patterns of Calomys musculinus in linear habitats were studied in relation to sex, season, abundance and width of linear habitat (border). Movement distances were measured by seasonal capture-mark-recapture samples from November 2005 to August 2007 in wide (>10 m) and narrow (≤2 m) borders in agriculture ecosystems of Central Argentina. Movement distances varied seasonally, being the smallest in autumn and the highest in spring and they were mainly determined by sex and reproduction. During breeding period, movement distances of males were larger than those of females, meanwhile in non-breeding period movement distances became similar between sexes. Main effects of sexes on movement distances are consistent with the promiscuous mating system of C. musculinus. Movement distances were greater in the narrow border than in the wide border, this indicated that the latter was a better habitat for mice than the former. The narrowness of suitable habitats would force the mice to extend foraging trips in narrow borders. The opportunistic behaviour of C. musculinus allows it to use linear habitats in a similar way to the two-dimensional natural habitats (grassland).