Abstract
Amazonian savannas are isolated patches of open habitats within an array of extensive tropical forest. The mammal fauna of the savannas in the Alter do Chão region (Santarém Municipality), is dominated byNecromys lasiurus, whose populations have been studied by researchers of the National Institute of Amazonian Research since 1983. Here, we summarize the studies and advances made so far to better understand aspects related to population dynamics and ecology of savanna rodents and the strategies they use to persist in an environment with frequent fires subject to global climatic influences. In the Amazonian savannas the species acts as a seed disperser and population fluctuations are related to invertebrate availability, but not with fire or vegetation structure. Global climate appears to affectN. lasiuruspopulation dynamics at local scale (i.e., plot scale) but not at the regional scale of the Alter do Chão savannas. The long-term studies in Alter do Chão generated many advances aboutNecromys lasiuruspopulation dynamics and ecology, including aspects relating to feeding, home range, animal-plant interactions, the effects of fire and climate change.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONNecromys lasiurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is a small (approximately 60 g, with males being slightly larger than females, Cangussu et al, 2002), terrestrial and diurnal rodent widely distributed in open habitats with seasonally dry and arid climates in South America (Paglia et al, 2012)
Necromys lasiurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is a small, terrestrial and diurnal rodent widely distributed in open habitats with seasonally dry and arid climates in South America (Paglia et al, 2012)
In Brazil, N. lasiurus is common in open habitats of the Cerrado, Pantanal and Caatinga (Souza and Alho, 1980; Becker et al, 2007), and occurs in open patches within Amazonian and Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | www.frontiersin.org da Rosa et al Necromys lasiurus in an Amazonian Savanna
Summary
Necromys lasiurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is a small (approximately 60 g, with males being slightly larger than females, Cangussu et al, 2002), terrestrial and diurnal rodent widely distributed in open habitats with seasonally dry and arid climates in South America (Paglia et al, 2012). It has been intensively studied in many open formations in South America, especially in the Brazilian Cerrado. In Brazil, N. lasiurus is common in open habitats of the Cerrado, Pantanal and Caatinga (Souza and Alho, 1980; Becker et al, 2007), and occurs in open patches within Amazonian and Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | www.frontiersin.org da Rosa et al
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