Tree Cavities as Microhabitats Shared by Multiple Taxa: Understanding the Coexistence of an Arboreal Marsupial with Other Cavity‐Dwelling Vertebrates in Southern Temperate Forests.

This article examines the spatial and temporal co-occurrence patterns between the monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides), an arboreal marsupial, and cavity-dwelling birds and lizards in temperate forests of southern South America. Using camera traps in tree cavities across an elevation gradient, the study found that the monito del monte co-occurred with birds and lizards in over 67% of cavities, with lizard co-occurrence increasing and bird co-occurrence decreasing at higher elevations. Despite frequent spatial overlap, temporal activity patterns showed low overlap—less than 18%—between the nocturnal monito del monte and primarily diurnal birds and lizards, suggesting temporal partitioning facilitates coexistence. The findings highlight the ecological importance of tree cavities as keystone microhabitats and indicate that elevation influences species interactions through spatial and temporal niche differentiation. [Extracted from the article]