Food habits and seed dispersal by the white-eared opossum, Didelphis albiventris, in Southern Brazil

被引：77

作者：

Cáceres, NC ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Fed Parana, Dept Zool, BR-80060000 Curitiba, Parana, Brazil

来源：

STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT | 2002年 / 37卷 / 02期

关键词：

mammalia; juvenile diet; prey diversity; pioneer plants; seed germination; dormancy;

D O I：

10.1076/snfe.37.2.97.8582

中图分类号：

Q95 [动物学];

学科分类号：

071002 ;

摘要：

The food habits and seed dispersal promoted by the marsupial Didelphis albiventris (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) were investigated in two forest fragments of Curitiba, southern Brazil, between February 1995 and February 1997. Forty live traps were so uniformly in the fragments for opossum captures and collection of their scats. Diet was determined by fecal analysis and seed dispersal was tested through seed germination experiments. With a total of 1842 traps set, 71 scats of the white-eared opossum were collected, and 51 contained seeds. The opossum is omnivorouis, consuming invertebrates (100% of occurrence in scats), fruits (76%) and vertebrates (58%). Common animal food items were those found in the litter. Diversities of food items were similar among opossums of different age classes. Seeds of several plant species passed undamaged through the guts and remained viable. Fruits from pioneer plants were the main ones consumed. Based on these results, this omnivorous opossum must be an effective seed disperser in southern Brazil.

引用

页码：97 / 104

页数：8

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