Habitat use by a Neotropical desert marsupial (Thylamys pallidior): A multi-scale approach

Abstract

In South America, most didelphid marsupials are associated with tropical and moist forests; however, a few species are adapted to more extreme environments such as desert systems. The desert mouse opossum, Thylamys pallidior, is a small marsupial which inhabits the arid regions of South America and has the broadest distribution of the genus. The objective of this research was to assess the habitat use and selection by the desert marsupial T. pallidior considering different scales and habitat levels of analysis, as well as seasonality. We considered two habitat levels (macro and microhabitat) and the microhabitat was analyzed at two spatial scales (1 ha and 4m2). We recorded 95 captures of mouse opossums in 27,600 trap-nights. Our study showed that habitat type was not a significant factor for selection; instead mouse opossums selected areas with low complexity and high grass cover. The scale of analysis was also important since the selection was stronger in larger areas. Habitat selection by T. pallidior occurred mainly during the dry season. During the wet season, the species used all habitat areas and types indistinctly. The present study highlights the importance of performing analyses which include multiple spatial and temporal scales for a better understanding of the patterns involved in habitat use and species distribution.