To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Small mammal.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Small mammal'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Small mammal.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Pearch, Malcolm J. "Small mammal biodiversity in Nepal." Available from the University of Aberdeen Library and Historic Collections Digital Resources. Restricted: no access until June 2, 2014, 2009. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=26193.
Full text
2
Klug, Kevin Joseph, Sean Rice, Ina Kundu, Hao Chen, Elizabeth Marquez, and Yizhou Zhong. "Lightweight Small Mammal GPS Tracker." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/297660.
Full textAbstract:
A position beaconing system for tracking small mammals, such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, was developed and tested. GPS acquires location of the animal. The system utilizes a VHF radio transmitter tuned to 144.390 MHz, which is located in the amateur radio band. APRS was selected as the protocol for position, transmission, and recovery. This allows users to benefit from any existing APRS enabled devices. The beacon was designed by attempting to optimize operational longevity and minimize size. Consequently, the system is implemented on a single board and enclosed for protection. As the system must be comfortable for the mammal, it was manufactured from lightweight components and enclosed in plastic housing. To attach the case to the mammal, it is connected to a flexible, zig-zag, wearable antenna, which functions as a collar.
3
Kundu, Ina Annesha, Kevin Joseph Klug, Sean Rice, Hao Chen, Elizabeth Marquez, and Yizhou Zhong. "Lightweight Small Mammal GPS Tracker." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/297636.
Full textAbstract:
A position beaconing system for tracking small mammals, such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, was developed and tested. GPS acquires location of the animal. The system utilizes a VHF radio transmitter tuned to 144.390 MHz, which is located in the amateur radio band. APRS was selected as the protocol for position, transmission, and recovery. This allows users to benefit from any existing APRS enabled devices. The beacon was designed by attempting to optimize operational longevity and minimize size. Consequently, the system is implemented on a single board and enclosed for protection. As the system must be comfortable for the mammal, it was manufactured from lightweight components and enclosed in plastic housing. To attach the case to the mammal, it is connected to a flexible, zig-zag, wearable antenna, which functions as a collar.
4
Rice, Sean Christopher, Kevin Klug, Ina Kundu, et al. "Lightweight Small Mammal GPS Tracker." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/297746.
Full textAbstract:
A position beaconing system for tracking small mammals, such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, was developed and tested. GPS acquires location of the animal. The system utilizes a VHF radio transmitter tuned to 144.390 MHz, which is located in the amateur radio band. APRS was selected as the protocol for position, transmission, and recovery. This allows users to benefit from any existing APRS enabled devices. The beacon was designed by attempting to optimize operational longevity and minimize size. Consequently, the system is implemented on a single board and enclosed for protection. As the system must be comfortable for the mammal, it was manufactured from lightweight components and enclosed in plastic housing. To attach the case to the mammal, it is connected to a flexible, zig-zag, wearable antenna, which functions as a collar.
5
Kundu, Ina, Sean Rice, Kevin Klug, Hao Chen, Elizabeth Marquez, and Yizhou Zhong. "Collar-Integrated Small Mammal GPS Tracker." International Foundation for Telemetering, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/579699.
Full textAbstract:
ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV<br>A position beaconing system for tracking small mammals, such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, was developed and tested. GPS acquires location of the animal. The system utilizes a VHF radio transmitter tuned to 144.390 MHz, which is located in the amateur radio band. APRS was selected as the protocol for position, transmission, and recovery. This allows users to benefit from any existing APRS enabled devices. The beacon was designed by attempting to optimize operational longevity and minimize size. Consequently, the system is implemented on a single board and enclosed for protection. As the system must be comfortable for the mammal, it was manufactured from lightweight components and enclosed in a plastic housing. To attach the case to the mammal, it is connected to a flexible, zig-zag, wearable antenna, which functions as a collar.
6
Meek, Sarah. "Small mammal pollination in Protea Witzenbergiana." Bachelor's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25926.
Full textAbstract:
Protea witzenbergiana possesses some features common to that of therophilous Proteas in the Cape Floristic Region, such as a cup-shaped, downwards-hanging inflorescence surrounded by red involucral bracts, which emits a yeasty, musky odour. The flowering season occurs in the winter and the plants occur in small, localized and isolated stands in the Witzenberg fynbos. However, the species has never been investigated as to whether it is pollinated by small mammals. This study investigated whether the plant is rodent-pollinated, and if so to what extent by various species. Fieldwork was carried out over three days of live trapping, during and after the flowering season. Exclosure experiments were set up in order to assess seed set. Mammal droppings were collected, processed and pollen grains were counted. All small mammal species excepting one (Otomys irroratus) contained pollen grains in their faeces. Oendromus melanotis, Mus minutoides and Aethomys namaquensis were found to be the most important pollinators. The small mammal community showed a distinct change in size and composition after flowering season had ended, suggesting that the availability of nectar resources may be an important food supply to small mammals in the area. Implications of these findings could be relevant for conservation and co-evolutionary studies.
7
Hall, Amy Louise. "Small mammal movement patterns in habitat mosaics." Thesis, University of York, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.399622.
Full text
8
Kuhn, Nicola. "Community ecology of small-mammal pollinated proteas." Bachelor's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14252.
Full textAbstract:
The floral characteristics of small-mammal pollinated (SMP) Protea species have been assessed in a number of previous studies. This study aimed to determine whether the inflorescences of Protea canaliculata, Protea sulphurea and Protea humiflora possess these traits and are pollinated by small mammal species. An additional aim of this study was to determine whether there is a variation in pollinator efficiency of different animal species. Floral characteristics that may influence plantpollinator interactions were measured, including floral dimensions, nectar production and spectral reflectance. Live-trapping was conducted using Sherman traps and mean facial and faecal pollen load was determined for the different species caught. Furthermore pollinators were observed through footage from motion sensor cameras placed facing the inflorescences of SMP proteas. The results of this study confirmed that Protea canaliculata, Protea sulphurea and Protea humiflora are pollinated by small mammal pollinators. The evidence supporting this is that the afore-mentioned species have traits that correspond to those possessed by known small-mammal pollinated proteas including: bowlshaped inflorescences, high nectar concentrations (ranging between 24.1-42.9%), sucrose-rich nectar composition, a "yeasty" scent, floral colours that are visible to small mammals, and a winter flowering season. These proteas were found to have separated peak flowering times, providing a nectar source throughout winter for small mammals at this site. Fifty-eight small mammals of seven different species, were trapped in P. canaliculata and P. sulphurea stands over 98 hours. The average nighttrapping success was 22.7% and day-trapping success was 5.7%, indicating a relatively abundant nocturnal small-mammal population. A separation in pollinator efficiency was observed for different small mammal species, with Elephantulus edwardii identified as the most effective pollinator as it showed the greatest pollen removal (highest faecal pollen load) and spent the longest time foraging on inflorescences (±28 seconds per inflorescence). Another important pollinator was Aethomys namaquensis because it visited flowers 75% more frequently than any of the other pollinators. Camera trapping was shown to be a superior method than conventional trapping for assessing pollination by providing insight into pollinator behaviour, identifying new pollinators of 'trap-shy' species and also due to its more animal-friendly disposition.
9
Hulme, Philip Eric. "Small mammal herbivory and plant recruitment in grassland." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/46352.
Full text
10
Ecke, Frauke. "Effects of landscape patterns on small mammal abundance." Doctoral thesis, Luleå, 2003. http://epubl.luth.se/1402-1544/2003/30/index.html.
Full text
11
Berens, Jeffrey David. "Morphological Differences and Diversity of Small Mammal Species." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2016. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27710.
Full textAbstract:
Small mammals play important roles in ecosystems, but are often overlooked due to their small size and plentiful abundance. Two studies evaluated the morphological differences and diversity of small mammal species based on how they react to different environmental conditions. The first study analyzed the morphological differences of skulls between and within two species of Peromyscus species due to differences in shape, size, and geographic position. This study also determined if landmark-based geometric morphometrics could reliably discriminate between the two species. The second study analyzed small mammal diversity and abundance due to differences in microhabitat conditions in an endangered ecosystem: tallgrass prairie. Small mammals are an important food source to other vertebrate and also help regulate vegetation composition in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Results of both studies could help future studies identify how different variables affect small mammal morphology and diversity.
12
Degrassi, Allyson Lenora. "Impacts Of Forest Disturbance On Small Mammal Distribution." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2016. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/640.
Full textAbstract:
Natural habitat in the eastern United States has diminished over the past century because of the effects of invasive species. Both plant and animal invaders can alter habitat structure and may decrease survival of native species. The degree to which an invasive species alters ecosystem function depends on the functional characteristics of affected species and the resulting cascading effects. The loss of important native species, such as foundation species, can potentially influence the structure and distribution of animal communities because of the foundation species' unique ecosystem roles. The foundation species concept is relatively new to the terrestrial ecology and the impact on animal communities resulting in the loss of terrestrial foundation species is generally unknown.
Eastern hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis), a foundation species in the eastern United States, is declining in abundance due to the invasive sap-sucking insect, hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae, Annand). The loss of hemlock may impact the distribution and microhabitat associations of dependent species such as small mammals. I hypothesized that the distribution, population size, community composition, and microhabitat associations of small mammal species differ in response to canopy disturbance from the effects of logging and invasive species.
In this dissertation, Chapter One provides an exploration of the past research conducted on 1) invasive species and how they affect habitat structure, 2) foundation species and how they affect ecosystem function, 3) small mammal habitat associations and population cycling, 4) occupancy modeling and its usefulness and limitations in the analysis of local occupancy, colonization rates, and extinction rates. Chapter Two presents a large-scale experiment on how the hemlock woolly adelgid impacts distribution and community assembly of small mammals. Chapter Three presents how forest disturbance, food resources, and habitat structure effects local colonization and extinction patterns of southern red-backed voles. Chapter Four presents how a paper published in 2005 brought the foundation species concept to terrestrial research and how the foundation species concept can be misleading in research.
13
Hamrick, William Wall. "Small mammal habitat associations in a fragmented agricultural landscape." Click here to access thesis, 2007. http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/archive/fall2007/william_w_hamrick/hamrick_william_w_200708_ms.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.S.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007.<br>"A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science." In Biology, under the direction of C. Ray Chandler. ETD. Electronic version approved: December 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 68-74) and appendices.
14
Kundu, Auni, Brianne Noriega, Connor O'Brien, Corey Speros, and Dawei Ju. "Time Difference of Arrival for Small Mammal Tracking System." International Foundation for Telemetering, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/577466.
Full textAbstract:
ITC/USA 2014 Conference Proceedings / The Fiftieth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 20-23, 2014 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, CA<br>This paper describes in depth the specifics of a tracking system for small mammals. This method is based on time difference of arrival. This project was deployed for proof of concept and demonstrates the advantages of time difference of arrival over GPS based schemes employed by previous teams.
15
Ressing, Sara Marlene. "Effects of heavy metals on two small mammal species." OpenSIUC, 2012. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/947.
Full textAbstract:
Research on the chronic effects of toxic chemicals on individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems is imperative to regulate pollutants and preserve threatened species and habitats. I designed a two-pronged study to investigate the effects of heavy metal contaminants on small mammal populations, communities and body condition. To compare population and community metrics, I conducted a year-long mark-and-release study from over 5,400 trap nights on a contaminated and reference site within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, a Superfund site. During the second phase, I compared contaminant residues to body condition in 29 white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and 21 southern short-tailed shrews (Blarina carolinensis) from the Refuge and from three reference sites. Body weight, age structure, trapping success or species diversity did not differ between sites. Mice from the contaminated site were more abundant with lower reproduction (as number of juveniles per adult female). Cadmium in both livers and kidneys of mice and shrews was significantly greater on the contaminated site. Elevated renal cadmium in mice (96 ± 79 mg/kg dry weight) and shrews (242 ± 166 mg/kg dry weight) from the contaminated site could likely impair physiologic functions with long-term effects. For white-footed mice, increasing renal copper, lead, and nickel were good predictors of low ash, water, and protein but did not correlate significantly with crude lipid content. In shrews, however, metals either showed no relationship or, in the case of renal cadmium and copper were positively related to body condition as increased protein content. Simply comparing animals from reference versus contaminated sites provided few insights into overall community structure or population dynamics of white-footed mice. While metals explained as much as 40% of body condition (ash) in mice, findings in both species are counter-intuitive or refute predictions. Future studies should include manipulative field experiments that pair higher-resolution, biologic responses such as histologic and biomarker assays with population and community dynamics.
16
Plavsic, Militsa Justine. "Small mammal responses to fire in the Okavango Delta, Botswana." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.612817.
Full text
17
Cambron, Richard. "Study of a Small Mammal Population in Bowling Green, Kentucky." TopSCHOLAR®, 1986. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/2202.
Full textAbstract:
The small mammal population of a restricted study area was live-trapped on the University farm at Western Kentucky University from November 1984 through November 1985. A total of 1800 trap-nights yielded 81 different individuals representing five species. Members of the genera Peromyscus and Microtus were the dominant individuals representing over 90% of the total. Also caught were Mus musculus and Blarina brevicauda. The members of the two major genera were examined for population size and dynamics. In addition, a statistical analysis was carried out on the randomness of the location of the home ranges. This analysis gave evidence that the Peromyseus population was centered primarily in the ecotone between field and forest while Microtus was centered exclusively in the field habitat. In addition, the absence or near absence of Microtus for part of the year allowed the Peromyscus population to expand into the field for a short time. Finally, the year long study revealed a characteristic population cycle for each major species due to a combination of reproductive rates, feeding habits and decimation by predation.
18
Moon, Derek. "Small mammals in disturbed tallgrass prairie landscapes." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13345.
Full textAbstract:
Master of Science<br>Department of Biology<br>Jack Cully, Jr.<br>Disturbance is defined as any discrete event that disrupts ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment.
Habitat use by an organism is based on its perception of where to maximize its own fitness, and can be altered in response to disturbance-induced changes in resources, substrate, or physical
features modified by disturbance. Disturbance-induced changes to vegetation structure reshape a
small mammal’s surrounding physical environment and/or resources, and may influence its
utilization of an area. Effective wildlife and resource management is dependent on a thorough
understanding of how individual species and communities utilize their surroundings and how
disturbance affects a species’ response to changes in its surroundings.
We investigated seasonal habitat associations of three small mammal species and for overall
species diversity across a gradient of military combat-vehicle disturbance intensities at the Fort
Riley Military Reservation, Kansas. Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) abundance did not
vary across a categorical gradient of disturbance created by military-combat vehicles, regardless
of season. Western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis) abundance was associated with more highly disturbed areas irrespective of season. Prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) abundance was associated with habitat that was less disturbed in the spring but more highly disturbed in the fall. Shannon diversity of the small mammal community was higher in the more highly disturbed areas regardless of season. This research shows that small mammals respond to
disturbances created by military training with combat vehicles in a species-specific manner, and
indicates that there may be differences in the effects of military training versus natural or
agricultural disturbances on the abundance and diversity of small mammals. This is an important
consideration given that the Department of Defense manages more than 12 million ha of land in the United States, and is charged under the Sikes Act with conserving natural resources on these lands, including biological diversity. Thus, the findings of other ecological research on the
effects of disturbance on small mammals may not be directly applicable to the types of
disturbances that occur on military lands, which underscores the need for further research on the
specific effects of military-training activities on species’ responses.
19
Bowman, Jeffrey C. "The spatial structure of small-mammal populations in a managed forest." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape2/PQDD_0029/NQ62168.pdf.
Full text
20
Tuyisingize, Deogratias. "Terrestrial small mammal community composition in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4763.
Full text
21
Sutherland, Elizabeth F. (Elizabeth Fyfe). "Fire, resource limitation and small mammal populations in coastal eucalypt forest." Thesis, School of Biological Sciences, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/5344.
Full text
22
Iordan, Francesca. "Small mammal dynamics within a natural river corridor, Fiume Tagliamento, NE Italy." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2016. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/small-mammal-dynamics-within-a-natural-river-corridor-fiume-tagliamento-ne-italy(7f5c1eba-78d6-4530-935d-a1095c6fd96d).html.
Full textAbstract:
This PhD thesis explores the effects of spatial arrangements of riparian landscape elements and food resources on community and population dynamics of small mammals within a braided section of the River Tagliamento in Italy. The main research questions addressed were: (1) Which variables affect small mammal diversity on river islands? (2) Do small mammal populations inhabiting river islands differ in their life histories compared to riparian forest populations (the ‘island syndrome’)? (3) Is there a difference in the spatial behaviour of small mammals inhabiting the riparian forest compared to those on the islands? Three rodent species were used as focal species to address these questions: Apodemus sylvaticus, A. flavicollis and A. agrarius. The expectations were that small mammal dynamics did not fit completely island biogeography and life-history models developed for oceanic islands because islands in the present study are characterised by a low degree of isolation from the surroundings, by an ephemeral nature due to periodical flooding and by a low availability of food resources for small mammals. The main findings confirm these expectations, with the three species only partially following the predictions both at community and population ecology levels. Of the three species, A. sylvaticus was the most insular and more closely followed the predictions, in particular that of the island syndrome. Small mammal diversity on the islands was affected by island area, by the flooding dynamics and by resource availability. Finally, home ranges of A. agrarius were much larger on the islands than in the riparian forest. The findings suggest that river islands in the study area are a lower-quality habitat, partly due to their ephemeral nature, but the presence of habitat heterogeneity introduced by the islands allows for the rich community of small mammals to segregate, hence increasing species diversity at a landscape level.
23
Kia, Eshrat Beigom. "Patterns of infection of parasites of predators in small mammal intermediate hosts." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.309917.
Full text
24
Ithete, Ndapewa Laudika. "Investigation of small mammal-borne viruses with zoonotic potential in South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85771.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The emergence and re-emergence of viral human pathogens from wildlife sources in the recent past has led to increased studies and surveillance of wildlife for potentially zoonotic agents in order to gain a better understanding of the pathogens, their sources as well as events that may lead to viral emergence. Of the >1407 known human pathogens, 13% are classified as emerging or re-emerging, and 58% as zoonotic; 37% of the (re-)emerging and 19% of the zoonotic pathogens are RNA viruses, accounting for the majority of recently emerged infectious diseases with a zoonotic origin, such as HIV, Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, Influenza and SARS.
This study focusses on potentially zoonotic viruses hosted by rodents (Muridae family), shrews (order previously known as Insectivora/Soricomorpha, now reclassified as Eulipotyphla) and bats (order Chiroptera). Rodents and bats represent the largest (~40%) and second largest (~25%) mammalian orders and both occur on every continent except Antarctica. Together, the three mammalian orders investigated represent the most relevant potential sources of new zoonoses.
In this study I investigated the occurrence of astroviruses, arenaviruses, coronaviruses and hantaviruses in South African small mammal species belonging to the orders mentioned above. These viruses have either been implicated in recent emerging zoonotic events or are considered to have the potential to cause cross-species transmissions resulting in a zoonotic event. In the first part of the study specimens collected from various bat, rodent and shrew species were screened for viral sequences by broadly reactive PCRs; positive samples were characterised by sequencing and sequence analysis. A separate part of the study focussed on hantavirus disease in humans: a seroprevalance survey was conducted to determine the presence of hantavirus antibodies in the local population. Additionally, acutely ill patients with potential hantavirus disease were tested in an attempt to identify possible acute infections and define clinical hantavirus disease in South Africa.
Screening of rodent and shrew specimens resulted in the identification of eight novel arenavirus sequences. Seven of the sequences are related to Merino Walk virus, a recently identified South African arenavirus, and the eighth sequence represents a novel lineage of Old World arenaviruses.
Screening of bat specimens resulted in the identification of highly diverse novel astrovirus and coronavirus sequences in various South African bat species, including the identification of a viral sequence closely related to the recently emerged Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus.
While the study did not identify hantavirus infections in any of the acutely ill patients, it found seroprevalences similar to those observed in Europe and West Africa.
The results obtained highlight the importance of small mammals in the emergence of potential zoonoses and further reinforce the importance of viral surveillance of relevant wildlife species. Further in-depth studies of naturally infected reservoir host populations are required in order to gain a better understanding of virus-host dynamics and the events that lead to virus emergence.<br>German Research Foundation (DFG) (project number: KR1293/9-1/13-1)<br>The Polio Research Foundation and the NHLS Research<br>Harry Crossley Foundation, the Polio Research Foundation and Stellenbosch University for granting scholarships and bursaries for PhD.
25
Srikwan, Sukamol. "Genetic erosion in small mammal populations following rain forest fragmentation in Thailand /." Diss., Connect to a 24 p. preview or request complete full text in PDF format. Access restricted to UC campuses, 1998. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p9824699.
Full text
26
Nadine, Aboul-Hassan. "Spatial variation in small mammal communities across the Karoo Shale Gas Development Area of South Africa." Master's thesis, Faculty of Science, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33212.
Full textAbstract:
This study details results of small mammal surveys at 24 sites in four biomes (Nama- and Succulent Karoo, Albany Thicket, Grassland) as part of the Karoo BioGaps project to augment baseline biodiversity information needed to guide proposed fracking activities in the Shale Gas Development Area (SGDA) (Holness et al. 2016). A strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), commissioned by the South African Government, evaluated the potential to exploit the supposedly substantial reserves of shale gas using hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in the Great Karoo Basin of South Africa. Terrestrial micromammals (<500g) were captured using Sherman livetraps (September 2016 to March 2017). Sampling over 6580 trap-nights produced 339 captures of 271 individuals representing 14 taxa. Trapping success was low 5.14% (mean per site 0.37± 0.61%). Most captures (87%) and individuals (83%) were recorded in the Nama-Karoo (294 captures, 226 individuals, 15 sites), whereas only 5 captures were recorded in Albany Thicket (3 sites). Four xerophilous/generalist species (Micaelamys spp. (Rock rats), Gerbilluscus paeba (Hairyfooted Gerbil), Macroscelides proboscideus (Round-eared Sengi), and Elephantulus spp. were numerically dominant at most sites, and within most biomes/bioregions; while five rare species were only ever recorded once. Mean α diversity (observed species richness Sobs) per site (2.88 ±1.99) and Shannon-Wiener diversity (1.70 overall, 1.04 ±0.33 per site) were low, with only 5.47 effective species (mean = 3.04 ±1.08 per site) and low equitability (0.64 overall). Sobs was highest in Nama-Karoo (13 species), and lowest in the Grassland and Albany Thicket biomes (2-5 species). Species accumulation/rarefaction curves did not reach asymptotes, and Sobs values for most sites/biomes/bioregions were significantly lower than Chao1 predicted species richness, suggesting that sampling effort did not accurately estimate species richness. However, trapping efficiency was generally high (56-100%; mean 86.7%) which compares favourably with that of two recent published studies in South Africa. Multiplicative beta diversity (βMt) across the SGDA was 4.56 indicating high species turnover between sites/biomes/bioregions. Species turnover was high across biome boundaries, notably Albany Thicket-Grassland (15), Nama-Karoo-Albany Thicket (14), and Succulent Karoo-Grassland (12). Biomes and bioregions tended to plot apart in ordination analyses with relatively low (40-60%) Sorenson similarity, indicating that most regional small mammal communities were well-differentiated. Despite data limitations, 66 new distribution records for 21 sites are reported for the SGDA. Total species richness (including historical records) was highest in the Nama-Karoo (19), particularly the Upper Karoo bioregion (19, mean 6.45 ±2.16, 11 sites), followed by the Grassland (16), and Albany Thicket (5) biomes. Total species richness records for most sites/regions fell within the iChao2 CI bounds, thus integrating trapping and historical records provided a relatively robust data set for subsequent spatial diversity analyses. However, even the total species richness dataset is likely to underestimate true diversity owing to not sampling arboreal species or detecting some cryptic species. Generalized linear analyses indicated that small mammal diversity indices were significantly associated with certain environmental/climatic parameters (livestock, drought). Despite the west to east increase in precipitation, highest diversity was concentrated in the arid north-west Nama-Karoo where dwarf shrubs and succulents predominate. This suggests that environmental and niche filtering are significant proximate factors shaping small mammal assemblages. No significant effects of biotic interactions (particularly competition following Diamond's (1975) first two rules) or resource-mediated niche limitations were evident for SGDA species assemblages. However, results for the Nama-Karoo (i.e. for a natural phytogeographical rather than geoeconomically-defined area) were significant suggesting that biotic interactions may also be proximate factors shaping local assemblages. Site assemblages were significantly nested, indicating that species at species-poor sites were subsets of those at richer sites; and thus, that site communities may have been structured by either long-term (ultimate) regional biogeographic processes (e.g. immigration and extinction related to distances between sites) or habitat filtering operating at local scales. Data deficiencies notwithstanding, my results present the most comprehensive landscape-level analysis for small mammals, and the only baseline dataset (based on randomized sampling) for the Greater Karoo and SGDA. While my results must be treated with caution, I am confident that the recommendations I make on species, sites and regions potentially vulnerable will be a useful guide to possible impacts of fracking in the study area.
27
Goldman, Ryan A. "Small Mammal Survey of John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, Dania Beach, Florida." NSUWorks, 2013. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/166.
Full textAbstract:
Urban development and human encroachment on the natural habitats along the coastline of Florida combined with invasive exotic pressures have resulted in the fragmentation and degradation of habitat quality within Broward County. Native habitats have been significantly altered and fragmented to a fraction their previous size. With loss of habitat area and quality, isolation of breeding populations and anthropogenic pressures, it is important to determine species composition and habitat utilization in order to conserve the remaining biological diversity. It was the intent of this study to determine the small mammal species’ population structure and habitat utilization by season in the four sampled habitats. Previously undocumented species and/or extralimital populations were predicted prior to sampling.
John U. Lloyd Beach State Park in Dania Beach, Florida is an understudied location for small mammals. This study surveyed four terrestrial habitats for small mammal species using live trapping and mark/recapture techniques. Data were collected monthly over the span of thirteen months to determine habitat use from maritime hammock, mangrove swamp, coastal dune and ruderal habitat types to determine species composition and mass of individual captures and recaptures.
Trapping (3749 trap nights) produced twenty-four captures (including recaptures) in two of the four habitat types: maritime hammock and coastal strand. No animals were captured in the mangrove swamp or ruderal habitats, both of which were dominated by invasive Australian pine (Casuarina equisetifolia) monocultures.
Post study, a large habitat restoration project restored the habitats impacted by invasive exotic flora. This survey serves as a baseline for small mammals in the park, documenting the pre-restoration habitat use and species composition. Future study to determine changes in species composition post-restoration is recommended.
28
Corless, Matthew Ian John. "Small mammal habitat selection in wooded ravine cooridors and hydro rights-of-ways." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0001/MQ29457.pdf.
Full text
29
MacFadyen, Duncan Neil. "The dynamics of small mammal populations in Rocky Highveld Grassland, Telperion, South Africa." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79273.
Full textAbstract:
The present study investigates trap success, species richness, community structure, capture-recapture ratios, sex, population estimates, climatic effects, diversity, age structure, signs of reproduction, and seasonal changes in the body biomass in seven broad vegetation communities in the Bankenveld Grasslands of Telperion in Mpumalanga Province, and Ezemvelo Nature Reserve in Gauteng Province, South Africa. This study focuses on the effect of past management influences on diversity and abundance. The mean trap success recorded for the study is 8.6%. The Rocky Open Shrub community had the highest trap success recorded (37.03%), followed by the Northern Slope Woodland community (20.09%), Sheltered Woodland Community (14.51%), Rocky Highveld Grassland (11.98%), Degraded Grassland (7.25%), Moist Degraded Grassland (4.73%) and the lowest traps success was recorded in the Burkea Eragrostis Clumps community (4.39%). The capture frequency differed between transformed sites (12.9%) and non-transformed sites (87.1%), although the untransformed Rocky Highveld Grassland had the highest species richness, followed by the transformed Degraded Grassland community. The population of small mammals investigated appears to be resident, however certain species were not recorded at certain times of the year, and local movements are expected. Telperion and Ezemvelo Nature Reserve are estimated to have a population estimate of 377 620 small mammals on the properties. Climate appears to have a direct impact on small mammal fauna, influencing food availability, abundance, home range size and breeding. The summer months had the highest species diversity, possibly due to the fact that animals are reproductively active and more readily recorded, while maximum temperature does not appear to impact species richness, possibly due to the fact that the majority of the species recorded are nocturnal in habits. The Rocky Highveld Grassland community had the highest diversity score (H = 1.89), and is considered the most diverse community with ten species recorded. The Moist Degraded Grassland community had the second highest diversity score (H = 1.87) with eight species recorded. Three species were recorded in the Rocky Open Shrub community with the lowest diversity score (H = 0.65). The study site has a diverse and abundant small mammal fauna, indicative of a balanced ecosystem.<br>Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.<br>Zoology and Entomology<br>PhD<br>Unrestricted
30
Figueira, Cláudia Alexandra Rodrigues Marques. "Comparison of different methods to detect genetic barriers in a small mammal population." Master's thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/15871.
Full textAbstract:
Mestrado em Ecologia Aplicada<br>Habitat fragmentation and the consequently the loss of connectivity between populations can reduce the individuals interchange and gene flow, increasing the chances of inbreeding, and the increase the risk of local extinction. Landscape genetics is providing more and better tools to identify genetic barriers.. To our knowledge, no comparison of methods in terms of consistency has been made with observed data and species with low dispersal ability. The aim of this study is to examine the consistency of the results of five methods to detect barriers to gene flow in a Mediterranean pine vole population Microtus duodecimcostatus: F-statistics estimations, Non-Bayesian clustering, Bayesian clustering, Boundary detection and Simple/Partial Mantel tests. All methods were consistent in detecting the stream as a non-genetic barrier. However, no consistency in results among the methods were found regarding the role of the highway as a genetic barrier. Fst, Bayesian clustering assignment test and Partial Mantel test identifyed the highway as a filter to individual interchange. The Mantel tests were the most sensitive method. Boundary detection method (Monmonier’s Algorithm) and Non-Bayesian approaches did not detect any genetic differentiation of the pine vole due to the highway. Based on our findings we recommend that the genetic barrier detection in low dispersal ability populations should be analyzed with multiple methods such as Mantel tests, Bayesian clustering approaches because they show more sensibility in those scenarios and with boundary detection methods by having the aim of detect drastic changes in a variable of interest between the closest individuals. Although simulation studies highlight the weaknesses and the strengths of each method and the factors that promote some results, tests with real data are needed to increase the effectiveness of genetic barrier detection.<br>A fragmentação do habitat e a consequente perda da conectividade entre populações pode reduzir o intercâmbio de indivíduos e consequentemente o fluxo genético, aumentando as hipóteses de ocorrer consanguinidade e consequentemente aumentar o risco de extinção local. A disciplina da genética da paisagem fornece cada vez mais e melhores ferramentas para detectar barreiras genéticas. No entanto, não se conhecem até à data, comparações de métodos em termos de consistência de resultados com dados observados e espécies com reduzida capacidade de dispersão. O objectivo deste estudo é avaliar a consistência dos resultados de cinco métodos de análise do papel da auto-estrada e de um rio como barreira ao fluxo genético numa população de rato-cego-mediterrânico Microtus duodecimcostatus: estimativas do Festatistico, método de aglomeração não-Bayesianos, métodos de aglomeração Bayesianos, método de detecção de fronteiras (algoritmo Monmonier) e o teste Mantel simples e parcial. Todos os métodos testados foram consistentes em considerar o rio como uma não barreira genética ao rato-cego-mediterrânico. No entanto, não houve consistência nos resultados quanto ao papel da autoestrada como barreira genética. As estimativas do F-estatistico, os métodos de aglomeração Bayesianos e o teste de Mantel parcial que mostram que a autoestrada pode estar a funcionar como um filtro ao movimento dos indivíduos entre os dois lados da estrutura. Os métodos de deteção de fronteiras (algoritmo Monmonier) e de aglomeração não-Bayesiano não detectaram diferenciação genética nas populações de rato-cego-mediterrâneo devido à estrada. Com base nos nossos resultados nós recomendamos a aplicação dos testes de Mantel, os métodos de aglomeração Bayesianos e dos métodos de detecção de fronteiras para esclarecer o papel dos atributos da paisagem como barreiras genéticas uma vez que, todos foram capazes de detectar barreiras mas não obtiveram resultados similares. Apesar dos estudos com base em simulações apontarem as vantagens e desvantagens de cada método e os fatores que associados aos resultados, é necessário que se façam testes com base em dados reais para que sejam mais eficazes na detecção de barreiras genéticas.
31
Gresser, Mark P. "Effects of thinning and burning rehabilitation on Phytophthora cinnamomi and small mammal populations." Thesis, Gresser, Mark P. (2009) Effects of thinning and burning rehabilitation on Phytophthora cinnamomi and small mammal populations. Honours thesis, Murdoch University, 2009. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32758/.
Full textAbstract:
Perhaps the most important function that can be fulfilled by ecological studies is the identification of factors that threaten the survival of flora and fauna and subsequently influence their distribution and abundance. In the jarrah forest of southwestern Western Australia, one particular human activity that threatens the survival of wildlife is bauxite mining, which involves the removal of all vegetation from an area, disturbance of the soil profile and subsequent revegetation. In particular, the thinning-and-burning of revegetated minesites, which is conducted to increase water runoff in catchments and accelerate the development of natural jarrah forest structure within rehabilitation, may be having an important influence on the distribution and abundance of small mammals inhabiting the jarrah forest and the way they use their habitat. One particular small mammal that might be affected in this way is the nectivorous Western Pygmy-possum Cercartetus concinnus, of the family Burramyidae.
In this study, Western Pygmy-possums were captured in pit-traps and subjected to diet analysis (by pollen swabbing and scat analysis), radio-tracking (to identify patterns of nest selection and movement) and fluorescent powder tracking (to identify patterns of microhabitat selection). The incidence and severity of Phytophthora Die back within the mining landscape and its flow-on impacts on the Western Pygmy-possum were also assessed. The aim was to determine the impacts of mining activity, particularly the thinning and burning of rehabilitation, on the Western Pygmy-possum.
As the first detailed study on the Western Pygmy-possum in the jarrah forest, this study has greatly increased our current knowledge about the species, especially in relation to diet and nest selection. It appeared that Western Pygmy-possums rely on unmined forest for suitable nest sites in the form of large trees, but used rehabilitation for their nocturnal activities, which likely mostly consists of feeding. Although it was clear mining has a negative impact on the Western Pygmy-possum by reducing the abundance of suitable nest sites, there was no consistent evidence that the thinning-and-burning of restoration has an important impact. However, it was revealed that thinning-and-burning has a significant effect on vegetation structure, especially by reducing ground leaf matter and increasing understorey density. Notably, restoration that had not been thinned-and-burned was more similar to unmined forest than was thinned-and-burned restoration, and thus it was revealed that thinning-and-burning was not effective in accelerating the development of natural jarrah forest structure within restored minesites. Importantly, no significant results were obtained about the importance of structural vegetation features for the way Western Pygmy-possums use their habitat, which supports the idea that the availability of plant species that are an important source of food in the form of nectar and pollen is likely the greatest limiting factor for the distribution of the Western Pygmy-possum. There was no evidence that Phytophthora Dieback affects the Western Pygmy-possum, but this was most likely because there was a lack of susceptible species in rehabilitation.
While the results of this study have important implications for the future management of minesites in the jarrah forest, in particular by highlighting the importance of unmined forest as a source of nest sites and revealing that thinning-and-burning is not achieving its aims, this study has wider significance. In particular, the information gained from this study will be of increasing importance in Western Australia as water becomes a scarcer resource. Climate change predictions are that rainfall and water run-off will continue to decline in south-west Western Australia over the next 100 years and consequently thinning is increasingly being considered as a way of boosting the State's water supply.
32
Kundu, Auni Aunnoyee. "Time Difference of Arrival Technique Using Radio Frequency for Small Mammal Tracking System." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/321786.
Full text
33
Welman, Shaun. "Seasonal changes in the heat production of an African small mammal, Rhabdomys pumilio." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21417.
Full textAbstract:
Endothermy refers to the ability of an individual to produce heat from internal sources, and allows animals to maintain a body temperature that is higher than their external environment. Although much is known about the benefits of endothermy, its origin is highly debated. Nonetheless, due to environmental variation, endotherms have to regulate their heat production (thermogenesis) in order to remain normothermic. An endotherms regulatory response seems to be body size dependent. Keeping warm during cold periods is energetically expensive, and for small mammals this is exacerbated by their high rate of heat loss due to high surface area to volume ratios. To compensate for the heat lost, small non-hibernating mammals must increase their level of thermogenesis. Much of our current understanding of thermogenic responses of small mammals is derived from laboratory acclimated animals, and studies on naturally acclimatized animals are uncommon. In addition, most studies on thermogenesis tend to focus on one level of animal organisation, such as subcellular, tissue or in-vivo, but seldom integrate these data. The aim of this study was to measure year-round variation in thermogenesis across all levels of organisation, using naturally acclimatized Rhabdomys pumilio individuals from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth. It was predicted that the level of thermogenesis would be significantly higher during winter relative to other seasons in order to cope with the low ambient temperatures (Tas) experienced during this season. Open flow respirometry was used to measure the animal's oxygen consumption, as a proxy for metabolism; the by product of which is heat production. The animal's basal metabolic rate (BMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) capacity and summit metabolic rate (MSUM) were measured. A Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP 1) in the animals' brown adipose tissue (BAT), as well as determine its relative concentration. The cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity of the animals' visceral organs and BAT was measured, as an indicator of the tissues' metabolic activity. COX activity was determined as the difference in the tissues' oxygen consumption before and after the addition of horse cytochrome c.
34
Mueller, Amanda McKenney. "Small Mammal Habitat Uses of Two Natural and Created Wetlands in Southeastern Virginia." W&M ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539617731.
Full text
35
Castro-Arellano, Ivan. "Ecological patterns of the small mammal communities at El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas, Mexico." Texas A&M University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/4955.
Full textAbstract:
Scarce knowledge of Neotropical small mammal communities prevents
experimental inquiry on the mechanisms structuring these communities. In this study, I
examined patterns of local assembly of the small mammal communities on the eastern
slopes of El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (ECBR) in Tamaulipas, Mexico, at two spatial
scales. At the landscape level I tested patterns of species co-occurrences between four
sites with a null model. At the local level I addressed floor microhabitat use, vertical
structure use and temporal partitioning. I studied these niche axes at two adjoining
forest types, Tropical Subdeciduous Forest (TSDF) and Cloud Forest (CF), that had
different structural complexity. Total trapping effort consisted of 19,712 trapnights
distributed over three years. In 1,365 capture events I recorded 789 individuals
representing 14 species. Abundant species, mostly Peromyscus species that are of
intermediate body size, co-occurred less often than expected by chance, whereas rare
species, mainly Reithrodontomys species of small size, occurred at random over study
sites. This pattern suggests that species interactions might be responsible for this non-random structure. Both the TSDF and CF had striking differences in both microhabitat
use and temporal partitioning. In the TSDF common species (>8 individuals) organized
along a microhabitat gradient from grassy/open areas to closed forest areas. Temporal
partitioning for the whole community was less than expected by chance with use of an
ad hoc null model. Species from ecotone/open areas avoided use of middle portions of
the night whereas the single forest species concentrated activity in this period. So, it is
plausible that predator avoidance strategies might have higher impact on temporal
partitioning as compared to competitive interactions. In high contrast the CF community
was codominated by two Peromyscus species that overlapped heavily in both their
microhabitat use and diel activity patterns. Ecological separation of these two species
probably occurs along a niche axis not considered in my study or might be facilitated by
their body mass difference. Overall, I provide the first account of community patterns
for small mammals at ECBR. These patterns can provide the basis for experimental
manipulations to ascertain mechanisms responsible for structure at these communities.
36
Hayes, Stephanie. "EFFECTS OF THE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES AUTUMN OLIVE (ELAEAGNUS UMBELLATA) ON SMALL MAMMAL POPULATIONS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS." OpenSIUC, 2014. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/1479.
Full textAbstract:
Invasive plant species have widespread effects on the ecosystems they inhabit. Extensive research has been done on the economic and ecological impact of invasive species in relation to native plant species, but little is known about the effect of these species on native fauna. My study examined the impact of an invasive plant species Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive) on small mammals populations in southern Illinois. Elaeagnus umbellata is a native shrub of southeast Asia and was introduced to the United States in the 1830s. It is now the fifth most abundant invasive plant species in the state of Illinois. To determine the impact of this invasive shrub on small mammal populations, Sherman traps were set up in six separate trapping webs, three in upland forests with heavy E. umbellata cover and three in upland forests with little to no E. umbellata cover (control). Trapping spanned three seasons from March-August 2013. Through the use of capture and release methods, individuals were measured, weighed, and marked for possible recapture. Beginning in season 3, Cuterebra fontinella (bot fly) abundance in small mammals was also assessed. Differences in relative abundance of small mammal populations were determined using a repeated measures ANOVA with a Tukey test. T-tests were used to determine any significant difference among small mammals between forest types. Very little difference was found among the measured variables between the invaded and control forest sites. Prevalance of C. fontinella was also similar, but the resulting percentage of infection was much higher when compared to other studies in the literature. These results indicate there is little effect of E. umbellata on small mammal populations, although the long-term impacts of this invasive species may need further research.
37
Piers, Laetitia. "Implications of potential biome boundary shifts for small mammal assemblages in the arid zone." University of the Western Cape, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/7051.
Full textAbstract:
Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)<br>Desertification deteriorates the landscape functionality of rangelands, affecting the resilience
of biome boundaries which have a cascade effect not only in vegetation composition and
characteristics but also in animal communities. The balance between plants and small
mammals are essential in maintaining the functionality (i.e. nutrient cycling, soil stability,
and water infiltration) of rangeland which includes the arid Steinkopf communal rangeland.
However, the landscape functionality of rangelands has not been extensively studied,
especially in communal areas where desertification is a serious concern since many people
farm with livestock to survive. The aim of this study was to assess landscape functionality
along an arid biome boundary and its relationship to small mammal assemblages. This study
further aimed to provide a local landscape perspective of the current desertification process
and projected expansion of the Desert Biome into more mesic biomes in South Africa.
Three replicates for three Desert Biome, ecotone and Succulent Karoo Biome sites (27 sites
in total) were selected to assess landscape functionality and survey small mammal
assemblages over a one-year period. The change in landscape functionality between the three
areas was assessed to determine the resilience of the biome boundary to desertification. For
each small mammal survey, 216 live Sherman traps were set up during the summer and
winter seasons to account for breeding, mortality, and possible migration. With the data, the
body condition index, population density, and diversity were quantified.
38
Heidinga, Lawrence. "Responses to habitat variation by small mammal individuals and populations at different spatial scales." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape10/PQDD_0012/MQ52569.pdf.
Full text
39
Marston, Christopher. "Spatial modelling of small mammal distributions in relation to parasite transmission in western China." Thesis, University of Salford, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.494759.
Full text
40
Mamone, Mario Salvatore. "A comparative study of small mammal communities in riparian and upland mixed-conifer forest habitats /." View full-text version online through Southern Oregon Digital Archives, 1994. http://soda.sou.edu/awdata/040308a1.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M.S.)--Southern Oregon State College, 1994.<br>Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-80). Also available via Internet as PDF file through Southern Oregon Digital Archives: http://soda.sou.edu. Search Bioregion Collection.
41
Kok, Armand du Preez. "Small mammal communities at high altitude within the Sneeuberg Mountain complex, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005454.
Full textAbstract:
Due to their widespread and specious nature, small mammals are ideal for biogeographical studies. Small mammals also effectively connect various trophic levels by being both consumers and prey items for other animals. The Great Escarpment is the dominant mountain landscape in South Africa. Yet, very little small mammal research has been conducted on the Great Escarpment outside of the Main Drakensberg Mountains. This is surprising given the importance of mountains in shaping regional ecology. In this study, I assessed the diversity and community composition of small mammals at three high altitude (>1700m) sites within the Sneeuberg Mountain Complex (SMC) from June 2009 to May 2010. I also tested the effectiveness of five different bait types for measuring small mammal diversity (i.e. number of individuals caught, species richness, Shannon diversity index and Simpson index of diversity). Out of a total of 423 captures, 292 individuals of 12 small mammal species (one shrew, one elephant shrew and 10 rodents) were recorded over 5280 trap nights. The species richness and diversity of small mammals captured at the three sites were similar and this homogeneity was probably related to the regional processes (e.g. climate and latitude) that govern species richness and diversity. The most effective bait type in terms of capture success, species richness and diversity measurements was peanut butter and oats. In addition, the use of richness estimators revealed that peanut butter and oats was the most effective bait for sampling the species richness of small mammals. The effectiveness of peanut butter and oats was related to this bait having a more attractive scent, when compared to the other bait types. Future studies should focus on researching the range of local and regional processes that drive small mammal diversity at high altitudes in South Africa. I also recommend the use of more than one bait type when planning to survey small mammal communities.
42
Wilson, Amanda. "Landscape genetics of highly disturbed arable systems : insights gained from investigating a small mammal species." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/6575.
Full textAbstract:
A large proportion of the earth's surface is dedicated to food production, and agriculture is widely acknowledged to influence local biodiversity via habitat loss and degradation. Landscape genetics is an emerging field which can provide detailed understanding of how wildlife populations are influenced by landscape configuration and composition but the approach is yet to be fully integrated with agroecology. When addressing landscape genetics questions, small mammals may provide insight; they may act as model organisms, they are abundant, they are relatively easy to sample and they may have important ecological roles within arable ecosystems. This thesis merged the study of arable landscapes, landscape genetics and small mammals, to develop what is known about the landscape genetics of wild species in this dynamic habitat type. To decide upon a study organism, small mammals were surveyed at an example arable field site. Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were found to be the most abundant species and a microsatellite marker multiplex was developed for genotyping individuals. Two aspects of their landscape genetics in arable habitat were investigated. First, the possibility of temporal patterns in fine scale genetic structure of arable populations was explored, since this had not been investigated previously. Next, inter-population genetic differentiation was examined to determine whether arable habitat acted as a barrier to gene flow for this species. At the fine scale, three genetically distinct clusters of wood mice were identified and temporal variation in the spatial pattern was confirmed. There was no evidence that arable habitat acted as a barrier to gene flow for this species in comparison to populations in urban habitat, which showed significant differentiation. It is hoped that the landscape genetic insights provided by this thesis will encourage greater momentum for conducting landscape genetics studies in agricultural habitat.
43
Wilson, Barbara Anne, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "The effects of vegetation, fire and other disturbance factors on small mammal, ecology and conservation." Deakin University. School of Science, 1990. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051111.135542.
Full textAbstract:
The relationship of vegetation and disturbance factors to the distribution, abundance and diversity of small mammals in the eastern Otway region, Victoria were investigated. Antechinus stuartii, Rattus fuscipes and Rattus lutreolus were widely distributed and occurred in the majority of the eleven floristic vegetation groups identified.
Antechinus minimus, Antechinus swainsonnii and Pseudomys novaehollandiae had restricted distributions and were recorded in only two or three vegetation groups. New information on the distribution of the rare species P. novaehollandiae, was obtained and two floristically rich vegetation groups that it preferred were identified.
Species-rich small mammal communities occurred in vegetation communities with high numbers of sclerophyll plant species and high structural diversity. Maximum food resources were considered to be provided in these communities. Local habitat diversity was also correlated with species-richness. Small mammal abundance was maximum in non-sclerophyllous canmunities, where high plant productivity was considered to be important.
For the first time, the presence of the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi was shown to affect small mammals. It was associated with small mammal communities of low species richness and abundance,
Recovery of small mammal populations after wildfire was slow until the fourth year. Mus musculus reached peak abundance from 2-3 years and then declined rapidly. P. novaehollandiae was the only native species that achieved maximum abundance early in the succession. A. stuartii, R. fuscipes and R. lutreolus approached maximum abundance in mid-succession, while Isoodon obesulus was a mid- to late-successional species. A. minimus survived the fire, but did not persist after one year. The pattern of succession was influenced by attributes of species, such as survival after fire, their ability to disperse and reproduce.
44
Aberton, John G., and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Succession of small mammal communities after fire and reintroduction of the Swamp Antechinus Antechinue Minimus." Deakin University. School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 1996. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051111.122639.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is involved with changes that have occurred to small mammal populations following a major disturbance in the Anglesea region as a result of the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires. Fire, with its effects on spatial and temporal heterogeneity, was found to be an important factor in the maintenance of vegetation and small mammal community structure and diversity in the region. Successional changes in vegetation and small mammal communities were described by multivariate analyses, using data collected annually from 22 study sites. The use of factor analysis techniques, in reducing the annual capture data content, enabled long-term changes in the structure of mammal communities to be interpreted. The small mammal communities in the coastal heath and forest vegetation in the Anglesea region show evidence of a general resilience, (the degree and speed of recovery), to disturbance. Two phases of successional response to fire by mammal species have been proposed; a re-establishment phase which occurs in the initial 5-6 years post-fire and is accompanied by rapid increase in species abundance, and a subsequent maintenance phase accompanied by relatively minor changes in abundance. Habitat Suitability Indices were produced relating to these phases. Vertical density measures of understorey shrubs and herb layers showed significant relationships with small mammal species abundance at the study sites. Long term studies following major disturbances are needed to distinguish between short term recovery of plant and animal species and long term changes in these species. Studies extending over a number of years enable a better directional view of changes in small mammal communities than can be determined from . observations made over a short period.
As a part of the investigation into temporal change, it was proposed to undertake trial reintroductions of the Swamp antechinus, Ant echinus minimus, a marsupial dasyurid species which was trapped in the area prior to the 1983 fire, but rarely subsequently. Other more commonly observed native small mammal species (e.g. Rattus fuscipes,R. lutreolus, Antechinus stuartii, Sminthopsis leucopus) had re-invaded the proposed reintroduction site after this fire. Failure of A. minimus to re-establish may have been due to spatial separation of the pre-fire populations coupled with the extensive area burnt in 1983, A source population of the species was located about 100km to the west and habitat utilization and interspecific and niche relationships between the species making the small mammal community explored. Discriminant analysis revealed some spatial separation of species within a habitat based on structural vegetation factors rather than floristic factors. Temporal separation of species was observed, asA. minimus were more active than Rattus species during daylight periods. There was evidence of micro-habitat selection by species, and structural vegetation factors were most commonly identified in statistical analyses as contributing towards selection by small mammal species. Following a theoretical modelling study three reintroduction trials were carried out near Anglesea during 1992-94. Individuals were subsequently radio tracked, and habitat relationships between the species in the small mammal community investigated. Although successful breeding of A, minimus occurred during the latter two trials, the subsequent fate of offspring was not determined. Invasive techniques required to adequately monitor young animals were considered potentially too damaging. Telemetry studies indicated a preference of A. minimus for short, wet heath vegetation. Structural vegetation factors were identified as being significant in discriminating between capture locations of species. Small scale and inexpensive trial reintroductions have yielded valuable additional data on this species and may be viewed as a useful tool in the conservation of other small native mammals.
45
Mahon, Todd Everett. "Responses of small mammal populations to partial cuts and clearcuts in west-central British Columbia." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ37584.pdf.
Full text
46
Nadrowski, Karin. "Life history strategy and ecosystem impact of a small mammal herbivore in a mountain steppe." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 2006. http://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/diss/z2006/0142.
Full text
47
Kaleme, Prince K. "Habitat fragmentation, patterns of diversity and phylogeography of small mammal species in the Albertine rift." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/18110.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (PhD) - Stellenbosch University, 2011.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Albertine Rift is characterized by a heterogeneous landscape which may, at least in part, drive the exceptional
biodiversity found across all taxonomic levels. Notwithstanding the biodiversity and beauty of the region, large areas
are poorly understood because of political instability with the inaccessibility of most of the region as a contributing
factor. The majority of studies in the Albertine Rift have focussed on charismatic mega fauna, with other taxa
receiving less attention. One of the taxonomically and numerically more abundant small mammal genera is the genus
Praomys, an African endemic with a wide distribution range spanning most of west, central and east Africa. Four
species are typically recognized from the Albertine Rift namely P. degraaffi, P. jacksoni, P. misonnei and P.
verschureni. In this study I used a combination of DNA sequence data (mitochondrial control region, mitochondrial
cytochrome b and 7th intron of the nuclear ß-fibrinogen gene) as well as morphometric data (traditional and
geometric) to investigate the systematics of the Praomys taxa occurring in the Albertine Rift. To allow meaningful
DNA assessments and in an attempt to identify potential drivers of diversifications, other Praomys species were also
included from public sequence data bases for comparisons. The main focus was on P. jacksoni (the numerically most
abundant taxon; also, up to 2005, all Praomys in the Albertine Rift were mostly collected as “jacksoni”) and P.
degraaffi (an Albertine Rift endemic). A surprising finding was the presence of P. mutoni; this represents a range
extension for this species into the Albertine Rift. Distinct evolutionary lineages were found in both P. jacksoni
(confirmed by sequence data as well as morphometrics) as well as P. degraaffi (based only on sequence data;
insufficient samples precluded a full morphometric investigation). These lineages (in both P. jacksoni as well as P.
degraaffi) appear to be separated along a north – south gradient; however, further investigations should confirm this.
To further investigate the genetic patterns at local scales across the Albertine Rift, as well as introgression between
species as revealed by sequence data, a species-specific microsatellite library was developed for P. jacksoni. Twelve
polymorphic markers were identified of which nine also amplified in P. degraaffi. Introgression was confirmed
between the two focal species with almost 20% of the individuals analysed being jacksoni-degraaffi hybrids. This is
perhaps not so surprising given that there is considerable overlap in their ranges (between ~ 1500 m a.s.l. to 2450 m
a.s.l.) as well as the relative ages of the species (the divergence time between these two species were estimated at
3.8 Mya). The presence of distinct lineages within each of these species was confirmed by microsatellite analyses
(these lineages diverged approcimately at same time at ca. 3.4 Mya). As suggested by sequence and morphometric
data, these lineages had a largely north – south distribution but with considerable overlap in the central Albertine Rift
in the vicinity of Lake Kivu. The phylogeographic patterns obtained for both focal species were not consistent with the
physical barriers such as the rivers, lakes or mountains, nor were they exclusively associated with Pleistocene
phenomena such as the change of the course of the rivers or uplift; rather, the lineages predate the Pleistocene and
fall firmly in the Pliocene (>3 Mya). Biogeographically, the north - south location of lineages with a centrally - located contact zone could be a result of parapatric speciation due to habitat fragmentation or past climate change, followed
by secondary contact.
Barcoding using genetic information provides a useful tool to identify unknown taxa, cryptic diversity or where
different life stages are difficult to identify. From an invasion biology perspective, it allows for the rapid identification of
problem taxa against a known data base. By adopting such a barcoding approach (senso lato), the presence of three
invasive rodents was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); these are Rattus rattus (black rat),
R. norvegicus (Norway rat) and Mus musculus domesticus (house mouse). A comparison with global data available
for these species revealed two possible introduction pathways namely via the shipping port at Kinshasa/Matadi (with
strong links to Europe) and via the slave trade routes in the east (strong links to the Arab world and the east). Of
these three taxa, only R. rattus is currently documented from the DRC although the others have received mention in
the gray literature. These findings draw attention to the lack of any official policy regarding biosecurity in the DRC,
and argue for the development of strict control measures to prevent further introductions.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Albertine Rift word gekenmerk deur 'n heterogene landskap wat kan, ten minste gedeeltelik, die uitsonderlike
biodiversiteit wat oor al die taksonomiese vlakke gevind word teweeg bring. Nieteenstaande die biodiversiteit en die
skoonheid van die streek, is groot gebiede onbekend as gevolg van politieke onstabiliteit met die ontoeganklikheid
van meeste van die streek as 'n bydraende faktor. Die meerderheid van studies in die Albertine Rift het gefokus op
die charismatiese mega fauna, met ander taxa wat minder aandag ontvang. Een van die taksonomies en numeries
meer volop klein soogdier genera is die genus Praomys, 'n Afrika endemiese groep met 'n wye verspreiding wat strek
oor die grootste deel van van wes-, sentraal en oos-Afrika. Vier spesies word tipies erken van die Albertine Rift
naamlik P. degraaffi, P. jacksoni, P. misonnei en P. verschureni. In hierdie studie het ek 'n kombinasie van DNA
volgorde data (mitochondriale beheer streek, mitochondriale sitochroom b en 7de intron van die kern ß-fibrinogeen
geen) sowel as morfometriese data (tradisioneel en meetkundig) gebruik om die sistematiek van die Praomys taxa te
ondersoek. Om betekenisvolle DNA aanslae toe te laat en in 'n poging om potensiële aandrywers van diversiteit te
identifiseer, is ander Praomys spesies van openbare volgorde data basisse vir vergelykings ingesluit. Die hooffokus
is op P. jacksoni (die numeries volopste takson, ook, tot en met 2005 is alle Praomys in die Albertine Rift meestal as
"jacksoni" versamel) en P. degraaffi ('n Albertine Rift endemiese spesie). 'n Verrassende bevinding was die
teenwoordigheid van P. mutoni, dit verteenwoordig' n verspreidingsuitbreiding vir hierdie spesie in die Albertine Rift.
Bepaalde evolusionêre ontwikkelingslyne was in beide P. jacksoni (bevestig deur die volgorde data sowel as
morfometrie) sowel as P. degraaffi (wat slegs gebaseer is op die volgorde data, onvoldoende monsters verhinder 'n
volledige morfometriese ondersoek). Hierdie lyne (in beide P. jacksoni sowel as P. degraaffi) word geskei langs 'n
noord - suid gradiënt, maar verdere ondersoeke moet dit bevestig. Om die genetiese patrone op plaaslike skaal oor die Albertina Rift verder te ondersoek, sowel as introgressie tussen
spesies soos geopenbaar deur die volgorde data, is 'n spesie-spesifieke mikrosatelliet biblioteek ontwikkel vir P.
jacksoni. Twaalf polimorfiese merkers is geïdentifiseer waarvan nege ook amplifiseer in P. degraaffi. Introgressie is
bevestig tussen die twee brandpunt spesies met byna 20% van die individue wat ontleed is as jacksoni-degraaffi
basters. Dit is miskien nie so verbasend gegee dat daar aansienlike oorvleueling is in hul gebiede (tussen ~ 1500 m
bo seespieel tot 2450 m bo seespieel), sowel as die relatiewe ouderdomme van die spesies (die divergensie tussen
hierdie twee spesies is geskat op 3,8 Mya). Die teenwoordigheid van verskillende lyne in elk van hierdie spesies is
bevestig deur mikrosatelliet ontleding (hierdie lyne het gedivergeer ongeveer 3,4 Mya). Soos voorgestel deur die
DNA volgorde en morfometriese data, het hierdie lyne 'n grootliks noorde – suid verspreiding, maar met 'n
aansienlike oorvleueling in die sentrale Albertine Rift in die omgewing van die Kivumeer. Die filogeografiese patrone
wat vir beide die brandpunt spesies gevind is nie in ooreenstemming met die fisiese struikelblokke soos die riviere, mere of berge nie, en hou ook nie uitsluitlik verband met die Pleistoseen verskynsels soos die verandering van die
loop van die riviere nie; die afstammelinge is eerder veel ouer as die Pleistoseen en val binne die Plioseen (> 3 Mya).
Biogeografies, die noorde – suid plasing van die lyne met 'n sentraal geleë kontak sone kan die gevolg wees van
parapatriese spesiasie te danke aan habitatfragmentasie as gevolg van verandering in die klimaat, gevolg deur 'n
sekondêre kontak.
Strepieskodering met behulp van genetiese inligting verskaf 'n nuttige instrument om onbekend taxa, kriptiese
diversiteit of waar verskillende lewensfases moeilik is om te identifiseer, te identifiseer. Vanuit 'n indringerbiologie
perspektief, maak hierdie benadering dit moontlik om vinnige identifikasies van die probleem taksa teen' n bekende
data basis te bekom. Deur gebruik te maak van so 'n strepieskoderingsbenadering (senso lato), is die
teenwoordigheid van drie indringende knaagdiere bevestig in die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo (DRK),
naamlik Rattus rattus (swart rot), R. norvegicus (Noorweë rot) en Mus musculus domesticus (huis muis). 'n
Vergelyking met die globale data wat beskikbaar is vir hierdie spesies het aan die lig gebring dat twee moontlike
betree-roetes bestaan, naamlik via die skeepshawe by Kinshasa / Matadi (met sterk skakels na Europa), en via die
slawehandel roetes in die ooste (sterk skakels na die Arabiese wêreld en die ooste) . Van hierdie drie taxa, is tans
slegs R. rattus van die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo gedokumenteer, hoewel die ander melding ontvang in
die grys literatuur. Hierdie bevindinge vestig die aandag op die gebrek aan enige amptelike beleid ten opsigte van
biosekuriteit in die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo, en argumenteer vir die ontwikkeling van streng
beheermaatreëls om verdere indringerspesies te voorkom.
48
Buchholz, Matthew J. "Host-Parasite Associations of Small Mammal Communities and Implications for the Spread of Lyme Disease." TopSCHOLAR®, 2016. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1588.
Full textAbstract:
Many zoonotic pathogens of concern to human and veterinary health are maintained in the environment within small mammal reservoirs and vectored to new hosts by ectoparasitic arthropods. While the ecological relationships among small mammals, ectoparasites, and disease-causing symbiotic microorganisms are important to these dynamics, little is known about them across much of North America. The sylvatic cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, is of particular interest because Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease of humans in the United States. However, cases of Lyme disease are primarily confined to the northeastern and Midwestern United States, with only sporadic cases extending into the southeast. As a result, much of what is known of the ecology of Lyme disease comes from studies conducted in those regions. The goal of this study was to examine the ecological dynamics of the B. burgdorferi/vector/reservoir system in south-central Kentucky and gain insight into the relative paucity of Lyme disease in Kentucky. Small mammals were captured using live traps in three 200x50 m trapping grids within Western Kentucky University’s Green River Preserve from November 2014-October 2015. Captured small mammals were identified to species and standard measurements were recorded. Ectoparasites were removed and retained for identification. Collected blood and tissue were examined for B. burgdorferi DNA by polymerase chain reaction with primers specific to the OspA gene. The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index, Schnabel population estimates, and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index were used to assess the structure of the small mammal communities. Parasite infestation was low but was affected by age and sex of the host, site, and season in different parasite taxa. Infestation by Ixodes scapularis, the primary vector for B. burgdorferi, was uncommon and prevalence of B. burgdorferi in blood was similar to the lowest prevalence previously observed in the Lyme disease endemic regions. We found that life history characteristics of hosts and ectoparasites drive their associations. We also suggest that the lack of an efficient vector for B. burgdorferi is the likely explanation for the few reported cases of Lyme disease in Kentucky.
49
Wilson, Barbara Anne. "The effects of vegetation, fire and other disturbance factors on small mammal ecology and conservation." Click here to access, 1990. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au/adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051111.135542.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Deakin University, Victoria, 1990.<br>Submitted to the Dept. of Biological Sciences of the School of Sciences, Deakin University. Appendices are separately published papers. Bibliography: leaves 274-302.
50
Rosa, Silvia A. S. "Highway Effects on Small Mammal Communities and Effectiveness of a Deer-Vehicle Collision Mitigation Strategy." DigitalCommons@USU, 2006. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6615.
Full textAbstract:
My work focused on the study of road effects and mitigation of negative impacts of roads on wildlife. Two different studies were conducted on Interstate 15, in southern Utah. My first study reported on road effects on small mammal communities. The results suggested that overall, there was no clear effect on small mammal populations relative to distance from the road. Most small mammal species did not appear to be negatively affected by the presence of the road. Instead, the road seemed to have either a neutral or a positive effect. The abundance and diversity of small mammals responded more markedly to microhabitat than to the presence of the highway. I suggest that other factors such as water runoff during rainy periods may be responsible for the detected patterns by increasing primary productivity in areas close to the road. I conclude that roads may often provide favorable micro-habitat in the desert landscape for many small mammals and that the disturbance caused by the highway use (e.g., noise, road surface vibration) seemed to have a negligible effect on these organisms . My second study examined the effectiveness of a mitigation strategy to reduce mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) road mortality. Mitigation included exclusion fencing, earthen escape ramps, and underpass crossing structures . Results comparing mortality data before and after the mitigation showed 76-96% reductions of deer vehicle collisions. There was no evidence that the mitigation caused "end-of-the-fence" problems, i.e., higher mortality at the ends of the exclusion fencing . Results from underpass camera monitoring showed an increasing deer use of the underpasses over time. The volume of crossings recorded on new underpass structures approached the volume of crossings observed in a 20-year-old control underpass. My results suggest that human use and location of structures influenced deer use of underpasses. Overall results show that the mitigation strategy was effective and has reduced the number of deer-vehicle accidents while allowing easier wildlife movement across the landscape. I presented future maintenance recommendations to assure a long-term success for this strategy.