Jorge Tort, Claudia M. Campos, Carlos E. Borghi
Herbivory by tuco-tucos (Ctenomys mendocinus) on shrubs in the upper limit of the Monte desert (Argentina)
Ctenomys (tuco-tuco) is a small fossorial herbivorous rodent of the Monte
desert, and is probably the most abundant and widely distributed rodent in
these arid lands. The aim of this study is to describe the impact of
C. mendocinus herbivory on shrubs in two plant communities (Reserve of
Divisadero Largo and Villavicencio) in the upper limit of the Monte desert,
and to assess the association between environmental variables and level of
damage caused by tuco-tucos. Herbivory by tuco-tucos affected 39% of the
total shrubs in Villavicencio, and 9.37% of the total plants sampled in
Divisadero Largo. In Villavicencio, the most highly damaged species were
Larrea divaricata (65%), Lycium aff. chilensis (41%), Junellia seriphioides
(38%) and Menodora decemfida (33%). In Divisadero Largo, damage was
lower: J. seriphioides (14%), Lycium chilensis (9%), and M. decemfida (6%).
With respect to the association between level of damage caused by tuco-tucos
and environmental variables, in Divisadero Largo the level of damage was
negatively associated with both maximum and mean soil depth, while in
Villavicencio it was negatively associated with plant cover, and positively associated
with maximum and mean soil depth. There was no association
between level of damage caused by tuco-tucos and mean stone diameter.
Mammalia, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 0025-1461
Volume: 68, 07/2004
Pages: 15 - 21
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