Habitat fragmentation may affect animal movement patterns due to changes in intra- and interspecific interactions as well as in habitat quality and structure. Although the effects of habitat fragmentation on terrestrial movements are relatively well-known, it is unclear whether and how they affect aboveground locomotion of individuals. We compared aboveground locomotion of a Neotropical small mammal, the gray four-eyed opossum, Philander quica, between two forest fragments and two areas of continuous forest in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We 1) quantified support availability and tested for active selection of different support diameters and inclinations by individuals; and 2) compared support diameters and inclinations used (observed values) among areas and between males and females. Both males and females selected supports based on diameters and inclinations in forest fragments. In continuous forests sites, females selected supports based on diameters and inclinations, but males selected only support diameters. Frequency of support diameter use differed significantly between forest fragments and continuous forest sites and between males and females. Frequency of support inclination use differed significantly between areas only for females, and between sexes only in continuous forest sites. Sex-related differences in support selection and use are likely related to differences in body size and conflicting energetic and behavioral demands related to use of arboreal space. Site-related differences in aboveground movements likely reflect the effects of forest edges that result in increased use of thinner supports in forest fragments. These results complement our previous findings that habitat fragmentation reduces daily home ranges and increases the total amount of aboveground locomotion of P. quica, and provide a more thorough picture of how forest-dependent species are able to use and persist in small forest fragments.

中文翻译：

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与栖息地破碎化相关的扫描负鼠地上运动的变化

由于种内和种间相互作用以及栖息地质量和结构的变化，栖息地破碎可能会影响动物的运动模式。尽管栖息地破碎化对陆地运动的影响相对众所周知，但尚不清楚它们是否以及如何影响个体的地上运动。我们比较了一种新热带小型哺乳动物、灰色四眼负鼠 Philander quica 在巴西大西洋森林中的两个森林碎片和两个连续森林区域之间的地上运动。我们 1) 量化支撑可用性并测试个人对不同支撑直径和倾斜度的主动选择；和 2) 比较不同区域和男性和女性之间使用的支撑直径和倾斜度（观察值）。雄性和雌性都根据森林碎片的直径和倾斜度选择支撑物。在连续林地中，雌性根据直径和倾斜度选择支撑物，而雄性仅选择支撑物直径。森林碎片和连续林地之间以及雄性和雌性之间的支持直径使用频率存在显着差异。支持倾向使用的频率仅在雌性区域之间存在显着差异，仅在连续森林地点的性别之间存在显着差异。支持选择和使用方面的性别差异可能与体型差异以及与使用树栖空间相关的相互冲突的能量和行为需求有关。与场地相关的地上运动差异可能反映了森林边缘的影响，导致在森林碎片中增加使用较薄的支撑物。这些结果补充了我们之前的研究结果，即栖息地破碎化减少了日常活动范围并增加了 P. quica 的地上运动总量，并提供了更全面的关于依赖森林的物种如何能够在小森林碎片中使用和生存的图景。