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Vulnerability of small and medium-sized prey mammals in relation to their habitat preferences, age classes and locomotion types in the temperate Monte Desert, Argentina

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Abstract

In this study we examined predation by small felids upon small and medium-sized prey mammals in the central region of the Monte Desert. We analyzed the degree of vulnerability of prey mammals in relation to their habitat use patterns, modes of locomotion and age classes. Medium and small rodents were the predominant preyin the diet of small cats.The most consumed small mammal was Akodon molinae, which inhabits areas of dense cover, while species occurring in open habitats such as Eligmodontia typus were less consumed. Among medium-sized mammals, Galea leucoblephara that depends on patches with high plant cover for refuge was more consumed than Microcavia australis that lives in colonies and displays a complex set of antipredator strategies. Prey selectivity on small rodents showed that E. typus, which uses bipedal locomotion and an erratic escape behaviour, was consumed in greater proportion than its availability. We suggest that although its specialized locomotory mode would diminish predator attacks, its preference for open habitats would increase the probability ofpredator–prey encounter. Consumption of small mammals focuses mostly on adult individuals. However, we found a significant consumption of senile individuals of A. molinae, which points out that vulnerability tends to be high towards the age of maturity in this species.

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  1. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas (IADIZA), Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad, Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT) CONICET MENDOZA, Av. A. Ruiz Leal s/n, Parque General San Martín, CP 5500, CC 507, Mendoza, Argentina

    Solana Tabeni & Natalia Marcos

  2. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas (IADIZA), Grupo de Ecología y Manejo de Vertebrados Silvestres, Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT) CONICET MENDOZA, Av. A. Ruiz Leal s/n, Parque General San Martín, CP 5500, CC 507, Mendoza, Argentina

    Natalia Marcos & María I. Rosi

  3. Museo de Ciencias Naturales José Lorca, LAE, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Av. San Francisco de Asís s/n, Parque General San Martín, CP 5500, Mendoza, Argentina

    Benjamin Bender

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  1. Solana Tabeni
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  3. María I. Rosi
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Tabeni, S., Marcos, N., Rosi, M.I. et al. Vulnerability of small and medium-sized prey mammals in relation to their habitat preferences, age classes and locomotion types in the temperate Monte Desert, Argentina. Mamm Biol 77, 90–96 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2011.09.006

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