Permeability and edge effects of pipeline right-of-ways on the black-eared opossum Didelphis aurita (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

The gas and oil pipeline right-of-way (ROW) infrastructure contributes to habitat loss and fragmentation of tropical forests creating open grassy linear corridors. Studies on the impact of these infrastructures on the movements and habitat use of Neotropical marsupials are still incipient. We investigated how pipeline ROWs in the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, affects the use of space by southern black-eared-opossum Didelphis aurita . We used the capture-mark-recapture method to infer aspects of mobility and space use. Comparisons between movement and capture frequencies were performed using chi-square tests ( χ ² ). Generalized linear mixed models were built to assess whether sex, age class, body size, and climatic season explain variation in species movement distance. The best models were selected by Akaike information criterion (ΔAICc ≤2). ROW was not a barrier for the dispersal of D . aurita , although we recorded a significantly higher frequency of captures in the forest interior indicating that D. aurita avoids areas near the forest edge. The model did not explain the movement distance of D. aurita . Pipeline ROWs were not a barrier to movement; however, the species showed reduced use of edge environments and adults crossed the open matrix more frequently than younger individuals.