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Journal articles on the topic 'Small mammal'
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1
Whitehead, Tegan, Miriam Goosem, and Noel D. Preece. "Use by small mammals of a chronosequence of tropical rainforest revegetation." Wildlife Research 41, no. 3 (2014): 233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr14082.
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Context The conversion of tropical rainforest to grazing pasture results in a drastic change in small-mammal community composition. Restoring the landscape through ecological revegetation is thus an increasingly important management technique to conserve rainforest mammals. Aims This study aimed to determine the habitat ages at which species of small mammals recolonised revegetated habitats on the southern Atherton Tablelands, north-eastern Queensland, Australia. We focussed on changes in rainforest mammal abundance and diversity with increasing habitat age. Methods Small-mammal trapping and mark–recapture techniques investigated mammal diversity, abundance and community composition within remnant rainforest, three age classes of ecological revegetation and abandoned grazing pasture. Key results Small-mammal community composition differed between remnant rainforest and abandoned grazing pasture. The pasture and 3-year old revegetated sites were similar in composition, both lacking rainforest small mammals. Six- and 7-year old revegetation plantings provided suboptimal habitat for both rainforest and grassland mammals, whereas 16- and 22-year old revegetated habitats were dominated by rainforest species, with some individuals being frequently recaptured. Conclusions As revegetated habitats aged, the small-mammal community composition transitioned from a grassland-like composition to a community dominated by rainforest species. Implications Although rainforest small mammals were very occasionally captured within the 6- and 7-year old habitats, revegetated plantings were not dominated by rainforest species until the habitat was 16 years old. This highlights the importance of commencing revegetation as early as possible to minimise future population declines and maximise the conservation of rainforest mammals.
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Hollwarth, Ashton, and Stacey Vickery. "Small mammal anaesthesia nursing." Veterinary Nurse 11, no. 3 (2020): 138–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/vetn.2020.11.3.138.
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This article provides an outline of special considerations and requirements for the anaesthesia of small exotic mammals. This includes the process from pre-anaesthesia, induction, maintenance and monitoring, and recovery. Most small mammal species can be anaesthetised using revised techniques and equipment from companion animal anaesthesia, however the requirements for modified equipment and monitoring are discussed in this article.
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Asher, S. C., and V. G. Thomas. "Analysis of temporal variation in the diversity of a small mammal community." Canadian Journal of Zoology 63, no. 5 (1985): 1106–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z85-166.
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The validity of using single-sample surveys to measure small mammal diversity was assessed by measuring the effect of short-term, temporal variation in species diversity on the spatial diversity of small mammals occupying fencerow habitats. The diversity of small mammals varied seasonally. Interaction between changes in richness and evenness accounted for the temporal variation in diversity. Temporal variation was attributed to the response of the small mammals to seasonal changes in the vegetation, to the fluctuation in meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) captures among seasons, and to the appearance of small numbers of several mammal species during the summer. Significant spatial variation in species diversity existed, but was masked by the effect of seasonal changes in habitat on the small mammals. Erroneous conclusions could therefore be drawn from the pooling of many single-sample surveys of small mammal diversity.
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Balčiauskas, Linas, Laima Balčiauskienė, and Vitalijus Stirkė. "Mow the Grass at the Mouse’s Peril: Diversity of Small Mammals in Commercial Fruit Farms." Animals 9, no. 6 (2019): 334. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9060334.
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Small mammals are not only pests but also an important part of agricultural ecosystems. The common vole is a reference species for risk assessment of plant protection products in the European Union, but no data about the suitability of the species in the Baltic countries are present so far. Using the snap-trap line method, we evaluated species composition, abundance, and diversity of small mammal communities in commercial orchards and berry plantations in Lithuania, testing the predictions that (i) compared with other habitats, small mammal diversity in fruit farms is low, and (ii) the common vole is the dominant species. The diversity of small mammals was compared with control habitats and the results of investigations in other habitats. Out of ten small mammal species registered, the most dominant were common vole and striped field mouse. Small mammal diversity and abundance increased in autumn and decreased in line with the intensity of agricultural practices but were not dependent on crop type. In the most intensively cultivated fruit farms, small mammals were not found. The diversity of small mammal communities in fruit farms was significantly higher than in crop fields and exceeded the diversities found in most types of forests except those in rapid succession.
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Schooler, Sarah L., and Harold S. J. Zald. "Lidar Prediction of Small Mammal Diversity in Wisconsin, USA." Remote Sensing 11, no. 19 (2019): 2222. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11192222.
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Vegetation structure is a crucial component of habitat selection for many taxa, and airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is increasingly used to measure forest structure. Many studies have examined the relationship between LiDAR-derived structural characteristics and wildlife, but few have examined those characteristics in relation to small mammals, specifically, small mammal diversity. The aim of this study was to determine if LiDAR could predict small mammal diversity in a temperate-mixed forest community in Northern Wisconsin, USA, and which LiDAR-derived structural variables best predict small mammal diversity. We calculated grid metrics from LiDAR point cloud data for 17 plots in three differently managed sites and related the metrics to small mammal diversity calculated from five months of small mammal trapping data. We created linear models, then used model selection and multi-model inference as well as model fit metrics to determine if LiDAR-derived structural variables could predict small mammal diversity. We found that small mammal diversity could be predicted by LiDAR-derived variables including structural diversity, cover, and canopy complexity as well as site (as a proxy for management). Structural diversity and canopy complexity were positively related with small mammal diversity, while cover was negatively related to small mammal diversity. Although this study was conducted in a single habitat type during a single season, it demonstrates that LiDAR can be used to predict small mammal diversity in this location and possibly can be expanded to predict small mammal diversity across larger spatial scales.
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Kashuba, Corinna, Charlie Hsu, Aric Krogstad, and Craig Franklin. "Small mammal virology." Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice 8, no. 1 (2005): 107–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cvex.2004.09.004.
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Bondrup-Nielsen, Søren. "Small mammal cycles." Trends in Ecology & Evolution 2, no. 6 (1987): 165–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-5347(87)90068-1.
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Lawes, Michael J., Brett P. Murphy, Alaric Fisher, John C. Z. Woinarski, Andrew C. Edwards, and Jeremy Russell-Smith. "Small mammals decline with increasing fire extent in northern Australia: evidence from long-term monitoring in Kakadu National Park." International Journal of Wildland Fire 24, no. 5 (2015): 712. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf14163.
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Small mammal (<2 kg) numbers have declined dramatically in northern Australia in recent decades. Fire regimes, characterised by frequent, extensive, late-season wildfires, are implicated in this decline. Here, we compare the effect of fire extent, in conjunction with fire frequency, season and spatial heterogeneity (patchiness) of the burnt area, on mammal declines in Kakadu National Park over a recent decadal period. Fire extent – an index incorporating fire size and fire frequency – was the best predictor of mammal declines, and was superior to the proportion of the surrounding area burnt and fire patchiness. Point-based fire frequency, a commonly used index for characterising fire effects, was a weak predictor of declines. Small-scale burns affected small mammals least of all. Crucially, the most important aspects of fire regimes that are associated with declines are spatial ones; extensive fires (at scales larger than the home ranges of small mammals) are the most detrimental, indicating that small mammals may not easily escape the effects of large and less patchy fires. Notwithstanding considerable management effort, the current fire regime in this large conservation reserve is detrimental to the native mammal fauna, and more targeted management is required to reduce fire size.
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Jr., Kirkland G. L. "Small mammal communities in temperate North American forests." Australian Mammalogy 8, no. 3 (1985): 137–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am85013.
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Small mammal communities in temperate North American forests typically are dominated by three families: Soricidae, Sciuridae, and Cricetidae. Omnivores and insectivores predominate in such communities, with herbivores and granivores representing minor trophic elements. Small mammal diversity often is greater than generally ack nowledged, especially in forests having mixtures of boreal and austral elements. With the exception of shrews of the genus Sorex , coexistence of congeners is uncommon among small mammals in temperate North American forests.
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Paglia, Adriano P., Maria Olímpia G. Lopes, Fernando A. Perini, and Heitor M. Cunha. "Mammals of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti), São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais, Brazil." Lundiana: International Journal of Biodiversity 6, sup. (2005): 89–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.35699/2675-5327.2005.22129.
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This study presents the results of an inventory of the mammal fauna of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti) a reserve in the transition between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. Eight field campaigns (including trapping for small mammals and mist-netting for bats) were conducted between May 2002 and July 2004. Forty-six mammals belonging to eight orders were recorded. Fifteen species not recorded in previous inventories at the Station were identified; on the other hand, 14 mammals listed in previous studies were not recorded now. The most abundant small mammals at the EPDAPeti were Oligorizomys flavescens, Akodon cursor, Trinomys setosus and Bolomys lasiurus. The small mammal community from the campo rupestre (high altitude, rocky grassland) habitat is distinct from that found in the forest. In spite of the reserve’s small size, mammal species’ richness is relatively high. Possible reasons for this are the diversity of habitats and the fact that EPDA-Peti is located in a transitional zone between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado.
 Key words - Mammals, conservation, diversity, ecology, small mammals, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado.
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Avery, D.M., I.L. Rautenbach, and R.M. Randall. "An annotated check list of the land mammal fauna of the West Coast National Park." Koedoe 33, no. 1 (1990): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13478347.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Some 4 000 Barn Owl pellets with small mammal remains have been collected over a period of nine years from two locations at the south end of the Langebaan lagoon. Two small samples of bones from archaeological sites on the Churchhaven peninsula provide evidence for past mammal occurrences. The remains of small mammals from the owl pellet collections provide an initial list of 18 species that occur within theWest Coast National Park. Subsequent conventional censusing by means of trapping and observational techniques to assess the small and large mammal species diversity of the area were conducted during 1989. This study documents the definite occurrence of 63 mammal species in the park, seven of which are exotics. The presence of a further five species requires confirmation. Interesting insight is gained into how direct censusing and owl pellet analyses augment each other in establishing the presence of small mammal taxa of an area.
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Avery, D.M., I.L. Rautenbach, and R.M. Randall. "An annotated check list of the land mammal fauna of the West Coast National Park." Koedoe 33, no. 1 (1990): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13478347.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Some 4 000 Barn Owl pellets with small mammal remains have been collected over a period of nine years from two locations at the south end of the Langebaan lagoon. Two small samples of bones from archaeological sites on the Churchhaven peninsula provide evidence for past mammal occurrences. The remains of small mammals from the owl pellet collections provide an initial list of 18 species that occur within theWest Coast National Park. Subsequent conventional censusing by means of trapping and observational techniques to assess the small and large mammal species diversity of the area were conducted during 1989. This study documents the definite occurrence of 63 mammal species in the park, seven of which are exotics. The presence of a further five species requires confirmation. Interesting insight is gained into how direct censusing and owl pellet analyses augment each other in establishing the presence of small mammal taxa of an area.
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Kumar, Alexander V., Donald W. Linzey, and Charles R. Smith. "Bait Preferences and Population Status of Small Mammals in Great Smoky Mountains National Park." Journal of North Carolina Academy of Science 129, no. 2 (2013): 44–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.7572/2167-5880-129.2.44.
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Abstract Small mammal bait preferences and population status were studied in Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the summer of 2010. The possible occurrence of the least weasel (Mustela nivalis) in the Park was also assessed. Traps baited with peanut butter caught significantly more small mammals than empty traps or traps baited with potted meat. The overall number of small mammals caught was significantly less than in an extensive study in the Park during 1999–2003, although the effort (measured as trap-nights) for the two studies was similar. A drought that occurred between the two studies and/or the relatively recent appearances of the coyote (Canis latrans) and European wild boar (Sus scrofa) may have contributed to the significantly lower numbers of small mammals caught. Implications of climate change for small mammal populations are discussed. M. nivalis was not trapped during the study. Future, more intensive studies are recommended to explore thoroughly the possibility of M. nivalis inhabiting the Park and the effects of C. latrans and S. scrofa on small mammal populations within the park.
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Košša, Jakub, Michal Ambros, Alexander Dudich, and Ivan Baláž. "Impact of environmental factors on small mammals and their fleas." Folia Oecologica 51, no. 2 (2024): 146–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2024-0014.
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Abstract Small mammals in the Horšianska dolina-Valley were researched first in 1984–86 and later in 2016–19. This paper seeks to identify and assess the species composition and dynamics of fleas (Siphonaptera) found in the valley on small mammals of Rodentia and Eulipotyphla and to compare findings from these two periods separated by thirty years. The results indicated deviations in small mammal and flea community similarity as well as in the small mammal indicator species for each habitat and flea indicator species for the small mammal species. A total 12 different species of small mammals were captured, and 12 flea species were collected. Eight flea species were detected in 1984–86 and ten species were found in 2016–19. In both periods A. penicilliger, C. assimilis, C. solutus, D. dasycnema, N. fasciatus were captured. The differences were that in the earlier period, the species uncovered were C. congener, P. bidentata, and P. soricis, while in the later period they were C. agyrtes, C. bisoctodentatus, M. turbidus, and R. integella. In the relationship between fleas and small mammals, C. solutus was the specific species for Apodemus flavicollis, while A. penicilliger and C. agyrtes were for Clethrionomys glareolus, and C. assimilis was for Microtus arvalis.
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Paglia, Adriano P., Maria Olímpia G. Lopes, Fernando A. Perini, and Heitor M. Cunha. "Mammals of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti), São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais, Brazil." Lundiana: International Journal of Biodiversity 6, sup. (2005): 89–96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13437528.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) This study presents the results of an inventory of the mammal fauna of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti) a reserve in the transition between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. Eight field campaigns (including trapping for small mammals and mist-netting for bats) were conducted between May 2002 and July 2004. Forty-six mammals belonging to eight orders were recorded. Fifteen species not recorded in previous inventories at the Station were identified; on the other hand, 14 mammals listed in previous studies were not recorded now. The most abundant small mammals at the EPDAPeti were Oligorizomys flavescens, Akodon cursor, Trinomys setosus and Bolomys lasiurus. The small mammal community from the campo rupestre (high altitude, rocky grassland) habitat is distinct from that found in the forest. In spite of the reserve's small size, mammal species' richness is relatively high. Possible reasons for this are the diversity of habitats and the fact that EPDA-Peti is located in a transitional zone between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado.
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Paglia, Adriano P., Maria Olímpia G. Lopes, Fernando A. Perini, and Heitor M. Cunha. "Mammals of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti), São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais, Brazil." Lundiana: International Journal of Biodiversity 6, sup. (2005): 89–96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13437528.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) This study presents the results of an inventory of the mammal fauna of the Estação de Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti (EPDA-Peti) a reserve in the transition between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado. Eight field campaigns (including trapping for small mammals and mist-netting for bats) were conducted between May 2002 and July 2004. Forty-six mammals belonging to eight orders were recorded. Fifteen species not recorded in previous inventories at the Station were identified; on the other hand, 14 mammals listed in previous studies were not recorded now. The most abundant small mammals at the EPDAPeti were Oligorizomys flavescens, Akodon cursor, Trinomys setosus and Bolomys lasiurus. The small mammal community from the campo rupestre (high altitude, rocky grassland) habitat is distinct from that found in the forest. In spite of the reserve's small size, mammal species' richness is relatively high. Possible reasons for this are the diversity of habitats and the fact that EPDA-Peti is located in a transitional zone between the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado.
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Grant, Robyn A., Vicki Breakell, and Tony J. Prescott. "Whisker touch sensing guides locomotion in small, quadrupedal mammals." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285, no. 1880 (2018): 20180592. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0592.
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All small mammals have prominent facial whiskers that they employ as tactile sensors to guide navigation and foraging in complex habitats. Nocturnal, arboreal mammals tend to have the longest and most densely packed whiskers, and semi-aquatic mammals have the most sensitive. Here we present evidence to indicate that many small mammals use their whiskers to tactually guide safe foot positioning. Specifically, in 11, small, non-flying mammal species, we demonstrate that forepaw placement always falls within the ground contact zone of the whisker field and that forepaw width is always smaller than whisker span. We also demonstrate commonalities of whisker scanning movements (whisking) and elements of active control, associated with increasing contact with objects of interest, across multiple small mammal species that have previously only been shown in common laboratory animals. Overall, we propose that guiding locomotion, alongside environment exploration, is a common function of whisker touch sensing in small, quadrupedal mammals.
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Jayaraj, Vijaya Kumaran, Nurul Farah Diyana Ahmad Tahir, Noor Amirah Udin, Noor Farahin Kamarul Baharin, Siti Katijah Ismail, and Siti Noor Azwa Zakaria. "Species diversity of small mammals at Gunung Stong State Park, Kelantan, Malaysia." Journal of Threatened Taxa 4, no. 6 (2012): 2617–28. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13449979.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) A recent small mammal survey was conducted in Gunung Stong State Park. Standard mist nets, harp traps and cage traps were used to document diversity of small mammals in this new protected area. This study reports five new distributional records of bats in Gunung Stong State Park and a first record of Myotis muricola in Kelantan. The study also shows that Gunung Stong State Park is one of the three areas in Peninsular Malaysia where all four Cynopterus species that can be found in Peninsular Malaysia coexist. This protected area also has Maxomys rajah, M. whiteheadi and Niviventer cremoriventer which are currently listed as Vulnerable, highlighting this location as an important conservation area for small mammals. Continuous surveys are needed as information of small mammal diversity in Kelantan is still scarce, and this study is a part of a series of small mammal surveys that have been carried out in Kelantan.
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Jayaraj, Vijaya Kumaran, Nurul Farah Diyana Ahmad Tahir, Noor Amirah Udin, Noor Farahin Kamarul Baharin, Siti Katijah Ismail, and Siti Noor Azwa Zakaria. "Species diversity of small mammals at Gunung Stong State Park, Kelantan, Malaysia." Journal of Threatened Taxa 4, no. 6 (2012): 2617–28. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13449979.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) A recent small mammal survey was conducted in Gunung Stong State Park. Standard mist nets, harp traps and cage traps were used to document diversity of small mammals in this new protected area. This study reports five new distributional records of bats in Gunung Stong State Park and a first record of Myotis muricola in Kelantan. The study also shows that Gunung Stong State Park is one of the three areas in Peninsular Malaysia where all four Cynopterus species that can be found in Peninsular Malaysia coexist. This protected area also has Maxomys rajah, M. whiteheadi and Niviventer cremoriventer which are currently listed as Vulnerable, highlighting this location as an important conservation area for small mammals. Continuous surveys are needed as information of small mammal diversity in Kelantan is still scarce, and this study is a part of a series of small mammal surveys that have been carried out in Kelantan.
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Helmer, Peter J., and Teresa L. Lightfoot. "Small exotic mammal orthopedics." Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice 5, no. 1 (2002): 169–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1094-9194(03)00052-5.
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Antinoff, Natalie. "Small Mammal Critical Care." Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice 1, no. 1 (1998): 153–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30159-7.
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Mills, James N., and Charles F. Fulhorst. "Small Mammal-Associated Zoonoses." Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 10, no. 6 (2010): 547. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2010.1503.
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Lazăr, Anamaria, Ana Maria Benedek, and Ioan Sîrbu. "Small Mammals in Forests of Romania: Habitat Type Use and Additive Diversity Partitioning." Forests 12, no. 8 (2021): 1107. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f12081107.
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Small mammals are key components of forest ecosystems, playing vital roles for numerous groups of forest organisms: they exert bottom-up and top-down regulatory effects on vertebrate and invertebrate populations, respectively; they are fungus- and seed-dispersers and bioturbators. Therefore, preserving or restoring the diversity of small mammal communities may help maintain the functions of these ecosystems. In Romania, a country with low-intensity forest management and a high percentage of natural forests compared to other European countries, an overview of forest small mammal diversity and habitat type use is lacking, and our study aimed to fill this gap. We also aimed to partition the total small mammal diversity of Romanian forests into the alpha (plot-level), beta, and delta (among forest types) diversities, as well as further partition beta diversity into its spatial (among plots) and temporal (among years) components. We surveyed small mammals by live trapping in eight types of forest across Romania. We found that small mammal abundance was significantly higher in lowland than in mountain forests, but species richness was similar, being associated with the diversity of tree canopy, with the highest values in mixed forests. In contrast, small mammal heterogeneity was related to overall habitat heterogeneity. As predicted, community composition was most distinct in poplar plantations, where forest specialists coexist with open habitat species. Most of the diversity was represented by alpha diversity. Because of strong fluctuations in population density of dominant rodents, the temporal component of beta heterogeneity was larger than the spatial component, but species richness also presented an important temporal turnover. Our results show the importance of the time dimension in the design of the surveys aiming at estimating the diversity of small mammal communities, both at the local and regional scales.
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Kelly, Luke T., Dale G. Nimmo, Lisa M. Spence-Bailey, Michael F. Clarke, and Andrew F. Bennett. "The short-term responses of small mammals to wildfire in semiarid mallee shrubland, Australia." Wildlife Research 37, no. 4 (2010): 293. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr10016.
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Context. Wildfire is a major driver of the structure and function of mallee eucalypt- and spinifex-dominated landscapes. Understanding how fire influences the distribution of biota in these fire-prone environments is essential for effective ecological and conservation-based management. Aims. We aimed to (1) determine the effects of an extensive wildfire (118 000 ha) on a small mammal community in the mallee shrublands of semiarid Australia and (2) assess the hypothesis that the fire-response patterns of small mammals can be predicted by their life-history characteristics. Methods. Small-mammal surveys were undertaken concurrently at 26 sites: once before the fire and on four occasions following the fire (including 14 sites that remained unburnt). We documented changes in small-mammal occurrence before and after the fire, and compared burnt and unburnt sites. In addition, key components of vegetation structure were assessed at each site. Key results. Wildfire had a strong influence on vegetation structure and on the occurrence of small mammals. The mallee ningaui, Ningaui yvonneae, a dasyurid marsupial, showed a marked decline in the immediate post-fire environment, corresponding with a reduction in hummock-grass cover in recently burnt vegetation. Species richness of native small mammals was positively associated with unburnt vegetation, although some species showed no clear response to wildfire. Conclusions. Our results are consistent with the contention that mammal responses to fire are associated with their known life-history traits. The species most strongly affected by wildfire, N. yvonneae, has the most specific habitat requirements and restricted life history of the small mammals in the study area. The only species positively associated with recently burnt vegetation, the introduced house mouse, Mus domesticus, has a flexible life history and non-specialised resource requirements. Implications. Maintaining sources for recolonisation after large-scale wildfires will be vital to the conservation of native small mammals in mallee ecosystems.
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Gebrezgiher, Genet Berhe, Rhodes H. Makundi, Yonas Meheretu, Loth S. Mulungu, and Abdul A. S. Katakweba. "A Decade-Long Change in the Elevational Distribution of Non-Volant Small Mammals on Mount Meru, Tanzania." Diversity 14, no. 6 (2022): 454. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14060454.
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Understanding species distribution across elevational gradients is crucial for developing conservation strategies for montane biotic systems. A survey of small mammals was conducted on Mount Meru at six elevations, ranging between 1500 m and 3650 m. A total of 803 small mammal individuals, including 2 shrew species and 13 rodent species, were documented. Of these, Crocidura newmarki and Lophuromys verhageni were endemic on Mount Meru. Species richness was highest at mid–elevations, which is in line with the global pattern for small mammals. Prior to our study, the most complete data on small mammals on Mount Meru was collected in 2009. Our study provides an opportunity to show how small mammal elevational distribution has changed, over the last decade. We found six species (Arvicanthis niloticus, Mastomys natalensis, Lemniscomys striatus, Dasymys incomtus, Cricetomys ansorgei, and Montemys delectorum), which were not documented in 2009, but did not find Otomys tropicalis. Interestingly, the community composition at higher elevations in 2021 resembles that at lower elevations in 2009, suggesting that small mammal species have moved their range upward over time. Climate change could be a factor associated with the distributional shift found.
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Cao, Chan, Ling-Ying Shuai, Xiao-Ping Xin, Zhi-Tao Liu, Yan-Ling Song, and Zhi-Gao Zeng. "Effects of cattle grazing on small mammal communities in the Hulunber meadow steppe." PeerJ 4 (August 23, 2016): e2349. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2349.
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Small mammals play important roles in many ecosystems, and understanding their response to disturbances such as cattle grazing is fundamental for developing sustainable land use strategies. However, how small mammals respond to cattle grazing remains controversial. A potential cause is that most of previous studies adopt rather simple experimental designs based solely on the presence/absence of grazing, and are thus unable to detect any complex relationships between diversity and grazing intensity. In this study, we conducted manipulated experiments in the Hulunber meadow steppe to survey small mammal community structures under four levels of grazing intensities. We found dramatic changes in species composition in native small mammal communities when grazing intensity reached intermediate levels (0.46 animal unit/ha). As grazing intensity increased,Spermophilus dauricusgradually became the single dominant species. Species richness and diversity of small mammals in ungrazed and lightly grazed (0.23 animal unit/ha) area were much higher than in intermediately and heavily grazed area. We did not detect a humped relationship between small mammal diversity and disturbance levels predicted by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH). Our study highlighted the necessity of conducting manipulated experiments under multiple grazing intensities.
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Campbell, Tyler A., Nicole L. Constantine, William M. Baughman, Timothy B. Harrington, Brian R. Chapman, and Karl V. Miller. "Small Mammal Distributions Relative to Corridor Edges Within Intensively Managed Southern Pine Plantations." Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 29, no. 3 (2005): 148–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sjaf/29.3.148.
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Abstract We characterized small mammal communities in three loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina during June 1998–Aug. 2000 to investigate influence of corridor edges on small mammal distribution. We live-trapped small mammals in three regenerating stands following clearcutting. Harvested stands were bisected by 100-m-wide, 20–23-year-old pine corridors. During 47,040 trap nights, we recorded 907 captures of 661 individual small mammals. Species captured included southern short-tailed shrews (Blarina carolinensis), cotton mice (Peromyscus gossypinus), cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), eastern harvest mice (Reithrodontomys humulis), marsh rice rats (Oryzomys palustris), and golden mice (Ochrotomys nuttalli). We did not observe an edge effect (i.e., preference or avoidance) in small mammal captures at the corridor edge. Rodent captures were greatest in harvested stands, declined near the edge of mature pine corridors, and were lowest within corridors. Shrew captures were generally greatest in mature pine corridors and least in the interior of harvested stands. Retention of mature pine corridors of only 100 m may maintain some small mammals (i.e., shrews) that would not occur if stands were completely harvested. South. J. Appl. For. 29(3):148–151.
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Malcolm, Jay R. "Small mammal abundances in isolated and non-isolated primary forest reserves near Manaus, Brazil." Acta Amazonica 18, no. 3-4 (1988): 67–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-43921988183083.
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Abundances of msmall terrestrial mammals were estimated in 10 and 100-ha, isolated and non-isolated primary forest reserves near, Manaus, Brazil between October 1983 and March 1984. The smalt mammal abundance pattern In a 10 ha reserve isolated fan appoximately three years differed significantly from that in othen reserves, primarily due to higher capture rates of Marmosa cinerea, Rhipidomys mastacalis, and Onyzomys paricola in the isolated reserve. Viet type and re-invasion potential may be important factors the small mammal communities in forest patches. Variation the small mammal community among othen reserves was pnimanlty due to variatton In the abundances of Proechimys and 0. capito. At least pant of this vantation was attributable to temporal efects, but variation due to reserve effects also was suggested. Small mammals were much more abundant in the reserves during the present study than in 1982.
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Kuiper, T. R., and D. M. Parker. "Grass height is the determinant of sheep grazing effects on small mammals in a savanna ecosystem." Rangeland Journal 35, no. 4 (2013): 403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj13063.
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Small mammals play an important role in many ecosystems; hence, the factors that influence their community structure are of interest. Ungulate grazing is one such factor, and this study focussed on the effect of sheep (Ovis aries) grazing in a savanna ecosystem on small-mammal community structure. In a landscape-scale assessment, small-mammal community structure was compared at three different levels of grazing on a sheep farm in the Sub-Escarpment Savanna of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In total, 97 small-mammal individuals across seven species were trapped. Of these individuals, 81.4% were trapped on the no-grazing control, whereas 15.5% and 3.1% were trapped on the medium- and high-grazing treatments, respectively. The results showed that the only significant differences in abundance, diversity, evenness, and richness of small mammals among grazing treatments were those mediated by the effect of grazing on grass height. It is proposed that the reduction in grass height associated with grazing is the primary mechanism by which sheep adversely affect small mammals in this ecosystem. This could be explained by the increased exposure of small mammals to predators after grazing of grass by sheep, and food competition between sheep and small mammals. The data also suggest that small mammals may persist in small and isolated patches of suitable habitat (long grass) within heavily grazed pastures subjected to rotational grazing. In the broader context of community ecology, this study sheds light on cryptic and dynamic interactions between two quite different grazing guilds. Experimental work of this kind may help to determine the role of introduced sheep in biodiversity loss of small mammals across the globe.
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Angelici, Francesco M., Alberto Laurenti, and Armando Nappi. "A checklist of the mammals of small Italian islands." Hystrix the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 20, no. 1 (2009): 3–27. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13472426.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Present knowledge on mammals of small Italian islands consists mainly of episodic records. In this paper we collect all available information about the distribution of wild mammals on 47 small Italian islands. A total of 37-38 species was found, including: 1 Erinaceomorpha, 4 Soricomorpha, 16-17 Chiroptera, 3 Lagomorpha, 7 Rodentia, 2 Carnivora and 4 Artiodactyla. The subspecific level has been identified whenever possible. The mammal fauna of the Isle of Elba (Tuscan Archipelago) is the richest, with 24 species, while the most common species are Rattus rattus present on 47 islands Oryctolagus cuniculus (34), and Mus musculus (33). With the exception of Crocidura sicula, the current mammal fauna on small Italian islands originated from introductions.
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Angelici, Francesco M., Alberto Laurenti, and Armando Nappi. "A checklist of the mammals of small Italian islands." Hystrix the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 20, no. 1 (2009): 3–27. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13472426.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Present knowledge on mammals of small Italian islands consists mainly of episodic records. In this paper we collect all available information about the distribution of wild mammals on 47 small Italian islands. A total of 37-38 species was found, including: 1 Erinaceomorpha, 4 Soricomorpha, 16-17 Chiroptera, 3 Lagomorpha, 7 Rodentia, 2 Carnivora and 4 Artiodactyla. The subspecific level has been identified whenever possible. The mammal fauna of the Isle of Elba (Tuscan Archipelago) is the richest, with 24 species, while the most common species are Rattus rattus present on 47 islands Oryctolagus cuniculus (34), and Mus musculus (33). With the exception of Crocidura sicula, the current mammal fauna on small Italian islands originated from introductions.
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Newmark, William D., William T. Stanley, and Steven M. Goodman. "Ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among Afrotropical terrestrial small mammals in northeast Tanzania." Journal of Mammalogy 95, no. 2 (2014): 269–75. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13511194.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Understanding ecological traits of species associated with vulnerability to habitat fragmentation is important for the development of effective conservation efforts. However, few studies have examined ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among tropical small mammals at fine spatial scales. Here we use random forests and regression tree models to identify ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among terrestrial small mammal species across 2 networks of forest fragments in the East and West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Small mammal species vary considerably in their vulnerability to fragmentation as assessed by species occupancy and change in abundance. Random forests models indicate that matrix use is the highest-ranked predictor of vulnerability to fragmentation with small mammal species that do not use or use few matrix habitat types, being more vulnerable to fragmentation than species that use all adjacent matrix habitat types. Our results emphasize the importance of local-scale approaches for designing conservation strategies for Afrotropical small mammal species.
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Newmark, William D., William T. Stanley, and Steven M. Goodman. "Ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among Afrotropical terrestrial small mammals in northeast Tanzania." Journal of Mammalogy 95, no. 2 (2014): 269–75. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13511194.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Understanding ecological traits of species associated with vulnerability to habitat fragmentation is important for the development of effective conservation efforts. However, few studies have examined ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among tropical small mammals at fine spatial scales. Here we use random forests and regression tree models to identify ecological correlates of vulnerability to fragmentation among terrestrial small mammal species across 2 networks of forest fragments in the East and West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Small mammal species vary considerably in their vulnerability to fragmentation as assessed by species occupancy and change in abundance. Random forests models indicate that matrix use is the highest-ranked predictor of vulnerability to fragmentation with small mammal species that do not use or use few matrix habitat types, being more vulnerable to fragmentation than species that use all adjacent matrix habitat types. Our results emphasize the importance of local-scale approaches for designing conservation strategies for Afrotropical small mammal species.
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Utz, Ryan M., Alysha Slater, Hannah R. Rosche, and Walter P. Carson. "Do dense layers of invasive plants elevate the foraging intensity of small mammals in temperate deciduous forests? A case study from Pennsylvania, USA." NeoBiota 56 (May 14, 2020): 73–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.56.49581.
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Monospecific stands of invasive plants can dramatically restructure habitat for fauna, thereby elevating population densities or promoting foraging of consumer species who benefit in the altered habitat. For example, dense stands of invasive plants may protect small mammals from predators, which in turn could increase foraging pressure on seeds that small mammals feed upon. We used a before-after, control-impact experimental design to test whether small mammal capture rates were higher and giving-up densities (GUDs) lower beneath dense stands of Berberis thunbergii, an invasive shrub with a rapidly expanding range throughout eastern North America. Our experimental design included three plot categories: 1) plots heavily invaded by B. thunbergii, 2) control plots lacking invasive shrub cover, and 3) invaded plots where we eradicated B. thunbergii midway through the study. Although our overall small mammal capture rate was low, small mammal captures were 65% higher in B. thunbergii invaded habitat relative to control plots and eradication lowered capture rates by 77%. GUDs were also 26% higher within B. thunbergii relative to control plots and eradication decreased GUDs by 65%. Our findings suggest that small mammals perceive dense stands of B. thunbergii as relatively safe foraging habitat. Prior surveys within our study locations revealed dramatically depressed tree seedling densities under B. thunbergii, thus invasive plants may promote intensive foraging by small mammals and reduce recruitment for species with foraged seeds or seedlings.
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Utz, Ryan M., Alysha Slater, Hannah R. Rosche, and Walter P. Carson. "Do dense layers of invasive plants elevate the foraging intensity of small mammals in temperate deciduous forests? A case study from Pennsylvania, USA." NeoBiota 56 (May 14, 2020): 73–88. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.56.49581.
Full textAbstract:
Monospecific stands of invasive plants can dramatically restructure habitat for fauna, thereby elevating population densities or promoting foraging of consumer species who benefit in the altered habitat. For example, dense stands of invasive plants may protect small mammals from predators, which in turn could increase foraging pressure on seeds that small mammals feed upon. We used a before-after, control-impact experimental design to test whether small mammal capture rates were higher and giving-up densities (GUDs) lower beneath dense stands of Berberis thunbergii, an invasive shrub with a rapidly expanding range throughout eastern North America. Our experimental design included three plot categories: 1) plots heavily invaded by B. thunbergii, 2) control plots lacking invasive shrub cover, and 3) invaded plots where we eradicated B. thunbergii midway through the study. Although our overall small mammal capture rate was low, small mammal captures were 65% higher in B. thunbergii invaded habitat relative to control plots and eradication lowered capture rates by 77%. GUDs were also 26% higher within B. thunbergii relative to control plots and eradication decreased GUDs by 65%. Our findings suggest that small mammals perceive dense stands of B. thunbergii as relatively safe foraging habitat. Prior surveys within our study locations revealed dramatically depressed tree seedling densities under B. thunbergii, thus invasive plants may promote intensive foraging by small mammals and reduce recruitment for species with foraged seeds or seedlings.
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Olds, Liberty G. M., Cecilia Myers, Henry Cook, et al. "The occurrence and relative abundance of small terrestrial mammals on Theda Station in the Northern Kimberley, Western Australia." Australian Mammalogy 39, no. 1 (2017): 78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am15055.
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Significant gaps in knowledge currently exist regarding the small mammal fauna of the Northern Kimberley (NOK) bioregion. Theda Station is a previously unsurveyed pastoral lease in the NOK. The aim of the current study was to determine the presence of small mammals (non-volant, <2 kg) on Theda Station and to compare these findings with those recently obtained on the adjacent Doongan Station. Between 2006 and 2014, 226 site surveys were conducted across 69 sites, with over 26 000 trap-nights encompassing a range of habitats. Thirteen of the 27 small mammal species known to occur in the NOK were detected. Four species (Pseudomys nanus, Rattus tunneyi, Zyzomys argurus and Sminthopsis virginiae) were common, five (Pseudomys delicatulus, Pseudantechinus ningbing, Dasyurus hallucatus, Isoodon macrourus and Petropseudes dahli) were detected less frequently, and four (Leggadina lakedownensis, Hydromys chrysogaster, Planigale maculata and Petaurus breviceps) were occasionally recorded. Our study provides important baseline data for small mammals in this region. It highlights the lack of detailed knowledge of both the presence of, and temporal fluctuations in, the region’s small mammal fauna. This study supports a non-uniform distribution of the small mammal fauna across the NOK, with Theda Station lying within a transition zone between the high rainfall rugged coastal and near-coastal areas and the lower rainfall areas of the east.
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Lemckert, F., T. Brassil, R. Kavanagh, and B. Law. "Trapping small mammals for research and management: how many die and why?" Australian Mammalogy 28, no. 2 (2006): 201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am06028.
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Trapping programs are an essential part of mammal conservation and management, but trapping carries a risk of death for the study animals. Little information is available on mortality levels and its potential to influence studies. We examined the mortality levels recorded during 68 wildlife surveys within New South Wales, recording mortality rates associated with Elliott aluminium box and wire cage trapping for terrestrial mammals and harp traps for bats. We noted 232 deaths from 13623 small ground mammal captures in box traps, one death from 459 mammal captures in wire cage traps, and 44 deaths from 12,274 bat captures in harp traps. Mortality ranged from 0-13.3%, 0-0.6% and 0-9.1% of captures for box, cage and harp traps, respectively. No deaths were reported for 47% of surveys. Antechinus spp. comprised almost 95% of all trap deaths. Thirteen surveys provided detailed information for small ground mammal trapping, recording 111 deaths from 3651 small mammal captures. Box trap mortality in these surveys ranged from 0-7.5%, deaths being attributed to cold temperatures (generally winter) and multiple captures of individuals. Harp trap mortality stemmed from overheating, overcrowding and predation. Post-capture handling also contributed to mortality. No specific level of trap death can be ?expected? during a study as circumstances vary, but all efforts should be made to minimise the risk of deaths. This study found that mortality above 4% is unusual, resulting mainly from one-off ?extreme? mortality events. Minimising unnecessary recaptures and avoiding weather extremes should reduce mortality of small mammals during trapping studies, but will not prevent all deaths.
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Avenant, Nico. "The potential utility of rodents and other small mammals as indicators of ecosystem 'integrity' of South African grasslands." Wildlife Research 38, no. 7 (2011): 626. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr10223.
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Context The expansive grassland biome is one of the most extensively transformed in South Africa, yet no strategy for monitoring its integrity is in place. A grassland health program, incorporating different ecosystem levels, was recently initiated. The suitability of three taxonomic groups as indicators has been tested so far: vegetation (by calculating an ecological index value, El), insects (using the South African grassland scoring system, SAGraSS) and small mammals (this study). All of these methods aim to be rapid and easy to perform. Whereas SAGraSS still needs further refinement, several factors already indicate the importance of including small mammal community parameters in integrity assessments. Aims This contribution reports on more than 12 years of results from various studies on small mammals in the Free State Grasslands, with the aim of exploring the utility of small mammal survey for assessment of ecosystem integrity. Methods The hypothesis was based on the outcomes of several short-term studies conducted in the grassland biome. Combining all previous results, this paper re-evaluates the parameters of trap success, species richness, diversity, evenness and individual species as bio-indicators. Key results By combining data from many sites and years, the effect of seasonal and inter-annual variations in habitat and population parameters was diminished, and a more general picture of small mammal community structure revealed. New insights were gleaned into the status of several indicator species. By providing a summary of small mammal community parameter scores and indices, the study establishes a benchmark for future small mammal assessments and monitoring. To be effective, small mammal surveys in the grassland biome of southern Africa should be carried out in autumn and early winter. Conclusions This study suggests that small mammal species richness and diversity decline with habitat degradation; that the generalist rodent Mastomys coucha dominates community numbers at low ecological integrity; that the number of specialist species increases towards ecological climax; and that specific species act as indicators during the successional process. Implications This study should benefit the monitoring, conservation and management of grassland ecosystems, make environmental impact assessments more effective, and identify new topics for ecological research.
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Pearson, Dean E., and Leonard F. Ruggiero. "Test of the prey-base hypothesis to explain use of red squirrel midden sites by American martens." Canadian Journal of Zoology 79, no. 8 (2001): 1372–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z01-090.
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We tested the prey-base hypothesis to determine whether selection of red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) midden sites (cone caches) by American martens (Martes americana) for resting and denning could be attributed to greater abundance of small-mammal prey. Five years of livetrapping at 180 sampling stations in 2 drainages showed that small mammals, particularly red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) and shrews (Sorex spp.), were more abundant at midden sites than at non-midden sites. However, logistic regression indicated that middens occurred in sprucefir (Picea engelmannii Abies lasiocarpa) stands, being correlated with decreasing lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) basal area, decreasing distance to water, and increasing canopy cover. Since middens were not randomly distributed, we constructed multiple linear regression models to determine the variability in small-mammal abundance and species richness attributable to structural and landscape variables. Regression models indicated that abundance of small mammals, red-backed voles, and uncommon small mammals could be predicted from structural and landscape variables, but midden presence did not significantly improve these models. Midden presence was a significant but weak predictor of small-mammal species richness. Our data do not support the prey-base hypothesis for explaining martens' selection of resting and denning sites near red squirrel middens at the scales we tested.
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Corrêa, Matheus R. J., Yuri M. Bellagamba, Adriele P. de Magalhães, et al. "Microhabitat structure and food availability modelling a small mammal assemblage in restored riparian forest remnants." Mammalia 82, no. 4 (2018): 315–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2017-0026.
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Abstract Small mammal populations respond to environmental changes in secondary riparian forest remnants in different ways, depending on the influences of biotic and abiotic variables. The present study evaluated how habitat/microhabitat structure and food availability influence small mammal assemblages in restored riparian forest remnants. Pitfall traps disposed in three linear transects were used to collect small mammals during 9 months of field work. General linear models were built to test the hypothesis that microhabitat structure (litter biomass and type – leaves and branches) and food availability (richness of zoochoric tree species and arthropods) influence species richness and abundance of small mammals. Three hundred and eighty-two individuals belonging to 14 species were captured. Biomass and type of litter (leaves or branches) provided greater structural to microhabitats, allowing the coexistence of morphologically similar species. Besides, food availability influenced foraging strategies of marsupials, forcing them to use the forest floor when zoochoric plants were rare. Thus, litter structure and food availability, allowing spatial segregation of the small mammal species using the forest fragments. We concluded that the maintenance of small mammals and their ecosystem services in restored riparian forests are dependent on habitat structure and food availability, thus, litter and zoochoric plants should be conserved in riparian forest fragments, especially those reforested.
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Zamri, Mohammad Izuan Mohd, Nur Juliani Shafie, Mohammad Ridhuan Mohd Ali, Adedayo Michael Awoniyi, Hernan Dario Argibay, and Federico Costa. "Socio-environmental factors associated with small mammal assemblage and Leptospira prevalence in Suburban Areas of Terengganu, Malaysia." Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 17, no. 9 (2024): 400–407. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/apjtm.apjtm_931_23.
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Objective: To examine the socio-environmental factors associated with the assemblage of small mammals and the prevalence of Leptospira pathogen in poor suburban communities of Terengganu, Malaysia. Methods: We trapped small mammals from 119 trapping points scattered around three suburban communities of Terengganu using sausage-baited live traps. On the average, we set up five traps for three nights at each sampling point during the trapping period. Kidneys of captured animals were harvested and processed for Leptospira investigation. Additionally, environmental survey was conducted at each trapping point to obtain information about possible variables supporting small mammal assemblage. We used a generalized linear model to evaluate the effect of different socio-environmental variables on small mammals’ assemblage. Results: A total of 89 small mammals, specifically, Rattus norvegicus (n=39), Rattus rattus (n=27), Rattus exulans (n=10), Suncus murinus (n=11), and Tupaia glis (n=2) were captured from 1 385 trap nights. Fourteen individuals (15.7%) of the captured animals tested positive for Leptospira bacteria using PCR detection. Results of our generalized linear model showed only residences bordering vacant lots as the variable positively associated with small mammal occurrence in the three study sites. Conclusions: Small mammal community, especially the often neglected species, could harbour and potentially contribute towards pathogenic Leptospira maintenance in the study sites. To adequately control small mammals’ population and subsequent human zoonoses transmission, it is critical to advocate and promote appropriate infrastructure and suburban services, together with good hygiene practices that can reduce the animals’ access to food and harborage.
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Legese, Kabeta, and Afework Bekele. "Spatiotemporal changes in small mammal community of Wenchi highlands, central Ethiopia." SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science 46, no. 1 (2023): 81–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sinet.v46i1.7.
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Small mammals show prominent spatial and temporal fluctuations. A study was conducted to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of small mammals in Wenchi highlands, central Ethiopia. Sherman and snap traps were used to capture small mammals from four forests (Qibate, Lakeshore, Erica and Albesa), Hagenia woodland and Erica scrub in two dry and wet seasons between August 2019 and January 2021. A total of 959 small mammals represented by 12 rodent species (Arvicanthis abyssinicus, Desmomys yaldeni, Mastomys natalensis, M. awashensis, Stenocephaylemys albipes, Lophuromys flavopunctatus, L. brevicaudus, L. chrysopus, Dendromus lovati, Lophiomys imhausi, Graphirius murinus and an unidentified murid rodent), and 3 shrew species (Crocidura bailey, C. fumosa and C. olivieri) were recorded. Small mammals showed spatiotemporal variations. More individuals were trapped during the dry (58.29%) than the wet (41.71%) season. Lakeshore Forest yielded the highest number of small mammals, whereas Erica Forest contributed the least during both seasons. More small mammal individuals were trapped in the second (52.24%) than the first (47.75%) trapping year. Small mammals also showed significant variations between the trapping periods (P<0.05). High number of small mammals was trapped during the morning (84.98%) than evening traps. Seasonal differences in sexes and age groups were non-significant (P>0.05). The density of small mammals varied between seasons and habitats. Small mammals had higher density during the dry (83.33 ha-1) than the wet (59.35 ha-1) season. In conclusion, Wenchi highlands supported a diverse small mammal community that displayed spatiotemporal changes. As a result, priority should be given to conserve the area.
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Hamilton, Marian I., B. Lee Drake, W. H. Wills, Emily Lena Jones, Cyler Conrad, and Patricia L. Crown. "STABLE OXYGEN ISOTOPE SOURCING OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FAUNA FROM CHACO CANYON, NEW MEXICO." American Antiquity 83, no. 1 (2017): 163–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aaq.2017.61.
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Modern datasets provide the context necessary for accurate interpretations of isotopic data from archaeological faunal assemblages. In this study, we use the oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) of modern small mammals from Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, to quantify expected isotopic variation in a local population. The δ18O values of local, modern small mammals encompass a broad range (−6.0‰ to 4.8‰ VPDB), which is expected given the extreme seasonal variation in the δ18O of precipitation on the Colorado Plateau (−11‰ to −3‰ VPDB). Isotopic ratios of small mammals obtained from excavated archaeological sites in Chaco Canyon (ca. AD 800 to 1200) show no significant differences with their modern counterparts, suggesting that there is no difference in the origins of the archaeological small-mammal collection and the modern, local Chaco Canyon small-mammal collection. In contrast, δ18O values of large mammals from Chaco archaeological sites are significantly different from those of modern specimens, reflecting a nonlocal, but also nonspecific, source in the past.
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Stanton, Nancy, Steven Buskirk, and Steven Miller. "Habitat Distribution of Small Mammal Communities in Grand Teton National Park." UW National Parks Service Research Station Annual Reports 15 (January 1, 1991): 169–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.13001/uwnpsrc.1991.3013.
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One primary objective of this study was to survey small mammal communities in a burn chronosequence. During the summer of 1990, small mammals were live-trapped in five burned sites and in adjacent unburned coniferous forests in and around Grand Teton National Park. In 1991, two burns (Huckleberry Mountain, 1988 fires) and adjacent unburned forests were trapped for the third consecutive year in June, July and August to continue to monitor post-burn small mammal population trends and species composition. In addition, in 1991 rodents were live-trapped from seven vegetation types along an elevational gradient, and microhabitat measurements were made at successful and unsuccessful trap stations within each vegetation type. The purpose was to survey small mammal communities in common habitat types within the Park and to determine whether microhabitat features can be used to predict trap success for common rodent species.
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López-Arévalo, Hugo Fernando, Luisa Fernanda Liévano-Latorre, and Olga Lucía Montenegro Díaz. "El papel de las pequeñas reservas en la conservación de mamíferos en Colombia." Caldasia 43, no. 2 (2021): 354–65. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13452538.
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(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) The role of private reserves is often underestimated due to their small size and discontinuous distribution. To examine the relevance of small reserves in mammal conservation, with this paper we addressed three objectives: 1) to identify patterns of size, altitude, and distribution of the Colombian private reserves belonging to the Protected Areas National System (SINAP), 2) to examine, as a case study, mammal richness and geographical patterns in twelve reserves, and 3) to identify the contribution of small reserves to Colombian mammal's conservation. To address the first objective, we analyzed size, altitude, and distribution of the SINAP reserves sorted by biogeographic provinces. For the other two objectives, we evaluated the relationship between mammal richness and area, altitude, and connectivity of the twelve small reserves. We found that most of the SINAP reserves are less than 100 ha in size, that they were distributed between 1500 and 2500 m, and that they were in the North Andean province. Together, the twelve reserves harbor 224 species of eleven mammalian orders, with a mean richness of 42.7 species (19 bats, and 23.7 non-volant mammals). We found a positive relationship between both total mammal richness and non-volant mammal richness with reserve area and between non-volant mammal richness and altitude. We also identify those small reserves conserve mainly small-sized species although they might serve as a refuge for medium and large species as well. We highlight those small reserves play a significant role in Colombian mammal's conservation.
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López-Arévalo, Hugo Fernando, Luisa Fernanda Liévano-Latorre, and Olga Lucía Montenegro Díaz. "El papel de las pequeñas reservas en la conservación de mamíferos en Colombia." Caldasia 43, no. 2 (2021): 354–65. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13452538.
Full textAbstract:
(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) The role of private reserves is often underestimated due to their small size and discontinuous distribution. To examine the relevance of small reserves in mammal conservation, with this paper we addressed three objectives: 1) to identify patterns of size, altitude, and distribution of the Colombian private reserves belonging to the Protected Areas National System (SINAP), 2) to examine, as a case study, mammal richness and geographical patterns in twelve reserves, and 3) to identify the contribution of small reserves to Colombian mammal's conservation. To address the first objective, we analyzed size, altitude, and distribution of the SINAP reserves sorted by biogeographic provinces. For the other two objectives, we evaluated the relationship between mammal richness and area, altitude, and connectivity of the twelve small reserves. We found that most of the SINAP reserves are less than 100 ha in size, that they were distributed between 1500 and 2500 m, and that they were in the North Andean province. Together, the twelve reserves harbor 224 species of eleven mammalian orders, with a mean richness of 42.7 species (19 bats, and 23.7 non-volant mammals). We found a positive relationship between both total mammal richness and non-volant mammal richness with reserve area and between non-volant mammal richness and altitude. We also identify those small reserves conserve mainly small-sized species although they might serve as a refuge for medium and large species as well. We highlight those small reserves play a significant role in Colombian mammal's conservation.
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Raphela, Tlou D., and Kevin J. Duffy. "Effects of the Density of Invasive Lantana camara Plants on the Biodiversity of Large and Small Mammals in the Groenkloof Nature Reserve (GNR) in South Africa." Biology 12, no. 2 (2023): 296. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology12020296.
Full textAbstract:
Multi-scale approaches have been used to determine scales at which mammal species are responding to habitat destruction due to invasion, but the impacts of weeds on mammals have not been extensively studied, especially in Africa. Inside the Groenkloof Nature Reserve (GNR), we assessed how mammals are affected by an invasive weed Lantana camara. A series of models were applied to determine the differences in species abundance as well as richness, separated for large and small mammals. When diversity indices were used, an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed no statistically significant difference between treatments (F5 = 0.233, p = 0.945) for large mammals. The results of a Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) showed that vegetation type (Wald χ22 = 120.156; p < 0.01) and foraging guilds (Wald χ23 = 76.771; p < 0.01) were significant predictors of large mammal species richness. However, for small mammals, the results of a GLMM showed that only treatment type (Wald χ25 = 10.62; p = 0.050) was a significant predictor of the number of small mammals trapped. In addition, the ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in species diversity between treatments (F5 = 0.934; p < 0.001) and by season (F1 = 9.122 p = 0.003) for small mammals. The presence of L. camara coupled with other predictors was associated with differences in large mammal abundances and diversity, and differences in how these large mammals were distributed across the landscape. Furthermore, the highest species diversity was found in the spring for small mammals. Therefore, for all the mammals studied, the presence of L. camara negatively affected species abundance, richness, and diversity, as well as how these species were distributed across the invaded and cleared areas.
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Drebet, Mykhailo. "Monitoring of the mammal fauna by studying owl pellets: a case of small mammals in protected areas of Podillia." Theriologia Ukrainica 2022, no. 24 (2022): 16–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.15407/tu2404.
Full textAbstract:
Using owl pellets analysis to monitor mammals in protected areas makes it possible to accumulate a unique material to study the distribution and relative abundance of both common and rare species. Due to the ease of collecting and accumulating of pellets, this method helps to quickly obtain a large amount of material to monitor the changes in natural areas and objects during certain time intervals without interfering with the course of natural processes. The proportions of small-mammal species in the diet of most owls are representative of the proportions of species in their groups. Therefore, the pellet method can be used to organise monitoring of mammal species of natural regions. We analysed nearly 2000 pellets of several species of owls collected in Podillia in the course of the study. Pellets are mostly collected within protected areas. Small mammals form the basis of the diet of the studied species of owls. The diet of the short-eared owl is the most diverse, and it includes 18 species of small mammals. The common vole occurs the most often. The diet of other owl species is also diverse, in particular of the little owl, tawny owl, and eagle owl. As in the case of the short-eared owl, the main prey of the barn owl and grey owl is a common species—the common vole. The diet of the eagle owl, unlike others, is dominated by larger small-mammal species—brown rat, white-breasted hedgehog, and European hamster. In addition to common species, the analysis of owl pellets allows us to identify not only the most common, but also rare species, such as the European hamster, bicoloured shrew, lesser white-toothed shrew, and various bats. Therefore, the pellet method of research is highly effective in analysing the composition of the fauna and the structure of communities, of both prey and predator species. Owl pellet analysis is a valuable asset during small-mammal monitoring studies, and is especially useful for sampling of indicator small-mammal species during environmental impact assessments in protected areas. The method has considerable advantages compared to standard survey methods of small mammals— it does not require the removal of animals from the natural environment, which makes it relevant for use in protected areas.
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Mazerolle, Marc J., Bruno Drolet, and André Desrochers. "Small-mammal responses to peat mining of southeastern Canadian bogs." Canadian Journal of Zoology 79, no. 2 (2001): 296–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z00-202.
Full textAbstract:
Bogs, or ombrotrophic peatlands, are well represented in parts of southeastern Canada but are subjected to increasing pressure from the peat industry. We assessed the impact of peat mining on small mammals inhabiting unexploited bog fragments on the periphery of mined bogs. We conducted two separate studies in bogs mined to different levels (0-83%) in southeastern Québec and New Brunswick. The first study used a low sampling effort over 1 month in 26 bogs, while the second used a high sampling effort of 6 months spread across 2 years in 12 bogs. Of the 15 small-mammal species encountered, only 2 were bog specialists. Abundance and species richness of small mammals in bog fragments increased significantly with percentage of area mined and, in some cases, increased with bog area. Both studies suggest that disturbances resulting from peat mining facilitate the invasion of more generalized small-mammal species. Furthermore, small mammals were more abundant near forest or mined edges than at bog centers, and some species responded strongly to vegetation cover. The response of small mammals to peat mining contrasts with the one documented for birds, amphibians, and plants.
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Romanowski, Jerzy, Dorota Dudek-Godeau, and Grzegorz Lesiński. "The Diversity of Small Mammals along a Large River Valley Revealed from Pellets of Tawny Owl Strix aluco." Biology 12, no. 8 (2023): 1118. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology12081118.
Full textAbstract:
The Vistula River is one of the largest European semi-natural rivers of high ecological value that functions as an ecological corridor. To assess the structure of small mammal communities along the Vistula River, an analysis of the diet of an opportunistic predator, the tawny owl Strix aluco, was used. A total of 6355 individuals of 19 species were found, including 5 soricomorph species, 12 rodents, 1 carnivore, and 1 bat species. Tawny owls most frequently caught Apodemus agrarius, Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, and Microtus arvalis. Rodents dominated small mammal communities (90%), followed by soricomorphs (8%), and the share of Chiroptera was significant (2%). Using Ward’s method in cluster analysis, three clusters of sites with similar mammal communities were identified. The cluster that included 17 study sites with the dominance of agriculture habitats was inhabited by diverse mammal communities with a high number of species. In the cluster composed of three suburban forest sites, mammal communities had the lowest diversity, although the high species richness and the highest shares of the forest species (A. flavicollis, C. glareolus, and Nyctalus noctula). Mammal communities in the cluster were composed of three urban sites were dominated by A. agrarius and M. arvalis. The study indicates the high species richness of small mammals in floodplains of the Vistula River and the adjacent areas in central Poland. The floodplain offers suitable habitats for species associated with forests, water bodies, agricultural land, and developed areas. The data collected confirms earlier model predictions about the presence of well-connected local populations of forest mammals along the Vistula River.