1
|
Barros AL, Raposo D, Almeida JD, Alcobia S, Oliveira MA, MacKenzie DI, Santos-Reis M. Do Mesocarnivores Respond to the Seasonality in Management Practices in an Agroforestry Landscape? ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 74:636-647. [PMID: 38851641 PMCID: PMC11392974 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-02003-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
In the Mediterranean, we find a mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes, where a variety of forest management practices created intermediate disturbance regimes that potentially increased biodiversity values. Nonetheless, it is essential to understand the species' long-term response to the dynamic management in agroecosystems, since the species tolerance to disturbance can change throughout the life cycle. Mammalian carnivores can be sensitive to human disturbance and are an essential part of ecosystems due to their regulatory and community structuring effects. We investigated the spatial response of five mesocarnivores species to spatially- and temporally- varying management practices in an agroforestry landscape. More specifically, we assessed the mesocarnivores' temporal changes in space use by implementing multi-season occupancy models in a Bayesian framework, using seasonal camera-trapping surveys for a 2-year period. All species had a weak response of local extinction to forestry management and livestock grazing pressure. For forest-dwelling species, occupancy was higher where productivity of perennial vegetation was high, while colonization between seasons was positively associated with vegetation cover. For habitat generalist species, we found that occupancy in the wet season increased with the distance to cattle exclusion plots. Most of these plots are pine stands which are subject to forestry interventions during winter. During the 2-year period we found seasonal fluctuations in occupancy for all species, with an overall slight decrease for three mesocarnivore species, while for the two forest-dwelling species there was an increase in occupancy between years. The weak species response to management practices supports the importance of traditional management for upholding a diverse mesocarnivore community in agroforestry systems but could also reflect these species' ecological plasticity and resilience to disturbance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Luísa Barros
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Diogo Raposo
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João David Almeida
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sandra Alcobia
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Alexandra Oliveira
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Margarida Santos-Reis
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Achille G, Gafta D, Szabó C, Canzian F, Polini N. Dietary Shift in a Barn Owl ( Tyto alba) Population Following Partial Abandonment of Cultivated Fields (Central Apennine Hills, Italy). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2562. [PMID: 39272347 PMCID: PMC11394017 DOI: 10.3390/ani14172562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
While most studies focused on the impact of intensive agriculture on the barn owl's diet, little is known about the effect of cropland abandonment. We compared the taxon composition/evenness and feeding guild structure of small mammal prey identified in pellets collected before (2004) and after (2012) the abandonment of 9% of cultivated fields within a cultural landscape. Data on prey abundance per pellet were analysed through non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational, paired tests. Prey taxon evenness in 2012 was significantly lower than in 2004. That induced a shift in prey taxon composition as indicated by the significantly lower dietary similarity compared with the random expectation. The increasing and declining abundance of Murinae and Crocidurinae, respectively, had the largest contribution to the differentiation of the diet spectrum. Insectivorous prey was significantly more abundant in 2004 compared to 2012, while the opposite was true for omnivorous prey. Our results suggest that even a small fraction of abandoned crops in the landscape might induce a detectable shift in the barn owl's food niche. The dietary effects are similar to those observed after agricultural intensification, that is, an increase in the abundance of generalists to the detriment of specialist mammal prey.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Achille
- Laboratory of Protistology and Biology Education, University of Macerata, 62100 Macerata, Italy
| | - Dan Gafta
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, 3B Centre, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Csaba Szabó
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Benedek AM, Boeraș I, Lazăr A, Sandu A, Cocîrlea MD, Stănciugelu M, Cic NV, Postolache C. Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:304. [PMID: 38254473 PMCID: PMC10812489 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites-most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens-infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to temporal, habitat, and host variables. We assessed the difference in parasite prevalence and mean abundance depending on host sex, age, and body weight, season, and land use intensity. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of host species abundance and the differential responses of parasites in main and minor host species. The field survey was conducted in a rural landscape in southern Transylvania (Romania) between June and September 2010-2011. We live-trapped small mammals, collected the ticks and fleas, and recorded the presence of lice and mites. Overall, we found the same infestation patterns largely reported in the literature: higher prevalence and mean abundance in heavier adult males, significant seasonality and differences among host species, and evidence of the dilution effect. The uniqueness of our study system was the negative effect of the land use intensity on the prevalence and mean abundance of parasites, explained by the highly patchy mosaic landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Benedek
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
| | - Ioana Boeraș
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
| | - Anamaria Lazăr
- Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transylvania University of Braşov, 500036 Brașov, Romania;
| | - Alexandra Sandu
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
| | - Maria Denisa Cocîrlea
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Food Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Maria Stănciugelu
- Brukenthal National Museum, Natural History Museum, 550163 Sibiu, Romania;
| | | | - Carmen Postolache
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kuntze CC, Pauli JN, Zulla CJ, Keane JJ, Roberts KN, Dotters BP, Sawyer SC, Peery MZ. Landscape heterogeneity provides co-benefits to predator and prey. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2908. [PMID: 37602901 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Predator populations are imperiled globally, due in part to changing habitat and trophic interactions. Theoretical and laboratory studies suggest that heterogeneous landscapes containing prey refuges acting as source habitats can benefit both predator and prey populations, although the importance of heterogeneity in natural systems is uncertain. Here, we tested the hypothesis that landscape heterogeneity mediates predator-prey interactions between the California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis)-a mature forest species-and one of its principal prey, the dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes)-a younger forest species-to the benefit of both. We did so by combining estimates of woodrat density and survival from live trapping and very high frequency tracking with direct observations of prey deliveries to dependent young by owls in both heterogeneous and homogeneous home ranges. Woodrat abundance was ~2.5 times higher in owl home ranges (14.12 km2 ) featuring greater heterogeneity in vegetation types (1805.0 ± 50.2 SE) compared to those dominated by mature forest (727.3 ± 51.9 SE), in large part because of high densities in young forests appearing to act as sources promoting woodrat densities in nearby mature forests. Woodrat mortality rates were low across vegetation types and did not differ between heterogeneous and homogeneous home ranges, yet all observed predation by owls occurred within mature forests, suggesting young forests may act as woodrat refuges. Owls exhibited a type 1 functional response, consuming ~2.5 times more woodrats in heterogeneous (31.1/month ± 5.2 SE) versus homogeneous (12.7/month ± 3.7 SE) home ranges. While consumption of smaller-bodied alternative prey partially compensated for lower woodrat consumption in homogeneous home ranges, owls nevertheless consumed 30% more biomass in heterogeneous home ranges-approximately equivalent to the energetic needs of producing one additional offspring. Thus, a mosaic of vegetation types including young forest patches increased woodrat abundance and availability that, in turn, provided energetic and potentially reproductive benefits to mature forest-associated spotted owls. More broadly, our findings provide strong empirical evidence that heterogeneous landscapes containing prey refuges can benefit both predator and prey populations. As anthropogenic activities continue to homogenize landscapes globally, promoting heterogeneous systems with prey refuges may benefit imperiled predators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Corbin C Kuntze
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jonathan N Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ceeanna J Zulla
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - John J Keane
- U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Davis, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - M Zachariah Peery
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Savazza S, Bartolommei P, Gasperini S, Bonacchi A, Manzo E, Cozzolino R. Should I Stay or Should I Go? Seasonal Fluctuations of Wood Mouse Populations in Fields Surrounded by Woodlands. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2017. [PMID: 37370527 PMCID: PMC10295659 DOI: 10.3390/ani13122017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus is common in woodlands and open areas of the Western Palearctic. Despite extensive research, little is known about its population ecology in fields in the Mediterranean area, where the climate involves great seasonal changes in environmental features. Here, we investigated wood mice seasonal fluctuations in the number of captures and population structure by sampling long-fallow fields and woodlands, i.e., oak forest and conifer plantation, in a heterogeneous landscape of central Italy. Mice were live-trapped every two months for three years (23.814 trap-days). The number of captures, mice body weight, and proportion of adult, residents and breeding individuals were analyzed. Mice dynamics changed across seasons and habitats. In fields, we recorded more captures, more reproductive individuals, and fewer non-adults and resident individuals in the warmer months compared to the colder months; mice were heavier in warmer months. During the cold season, the captures and adult proportion in fields were lower than in resource-rich woodlands. Breeding and non-resident mice were more abundant in fields than in woodlands in warmer months. Overall, the seasonal demographic variations we recorded provide evidence that fields can represent a suboptimal habitat in Mediterranean heterogeneous landscapes, acting nonetheless as a source of food resources, cover, and mates for mice in spring-summer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Bartolommei
- Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, Radicondoli, 53030 Siena, Italy
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jung TS, Pretzlaw TD. Relative efficiency of two models of snap traps for sampling boreal small mammals. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S. Jung
- Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2C6, Canada; Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - Troy D. Pretzlaw
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Montreal, Quebec Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
González del Portillo D, Arroyo B, Morales MB. The adequacy of alfalfa crops as an Agri-Environmental Scheme: a review of agronomic benefits and effects on biodiversity. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
|
8
|
Horváth A, Morvai A, Horváth GF. Difference in small mammal assemblages in the diet of the Common Barn-Owl Tyto alba between two landscapes. ACTA ZOOL ACAD SCI H 2022. [DOI: 10.17109/azh.68.2.189.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As an opportunistic predator, the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) proved to be an appropriate model organism to survey the composition of small mammal assemblages. This study analysed barn owls’ pellet samples from 14 localities containing 34 animal taxa and 4,088 prey items in two years (2015–2016). Two groups of samples (7–7 localities) were separated based on the dominance of semi-natural habitats and agricultural lands. Rarefaction analysis proved that the species richness and diversity of barn owls’ diet were significantly higher in semi-natural landscapes. The multiple regression analysis between PCA scores showed that in the agrarian landscape the abundance of generalist species was influenced by the proportion of forests, while the value of the trophic level index was determined by the size of arable fields. In the case of semi-natural landscapes, the abundance of the synantrop guild and generalist species, especially S. araneus and A. agrarius, was influenced by the proportion of urban areas, the number of habitats and the size of arable fields. The results of this study suggested that the small mammal consumption of the Common Barn-owl is significantly different in the two landscapes, which reflects the impact of habitat heterogeneity and agricultural activity on prey availability.
Collapse
|
9
|
Edge effect in rodent populations at the border between agricultural landscapes and forests. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-022-01580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
10
|
Landscape Characteristics Affecting Small Mammal Occurrence in Heterogeneous Olive Grove Agro-Ecosystems. CONSERVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/conservation2010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how small mammals (SM) are associated with environmental characteristics in olive groves is important to identify potential threats to agriculture and assess the overall conservation value and functioning of agro-ecosystems. Here, we provide first insights on this topic applied to traditional olive groves in northeast (NE) Portugal by assessing the landscape attributes that determine SM occurrence, focusing on one species of conservation concern (Microtus cabrerae Thomas 1906) and one species often perceived as a potential pest of olives (Microtus lusitanicus Gerbe 1879). Based on SM genetic non-invasive sampling in 51 olive groves and surrounding habitats, we identified seven rodent species and one insectivore. Occupancy modelling indicated that SM were generally less detected within olive groves than in surrounding habitats. The vulnerable M. cabrerae reached a mean occupancy (95% CI) of 0.77 (0.61–0.87), while M. lusitanicus stood at 0.37 (0.24–0.52). M. cabrerae was more likely to occur in land mosaics with high density of agricultural field edges, while M. lusitanicus was more associated with high density of pastureland patches. Overall, our study suggests that the complex structure and spatial heterogeneity of traditionally managed olive grove agro-ecosystems may favor the occurrence of species-rich SM communities, possibly including well-established populations of species of conservation importance, while keeping potential pest species at relatively low occupancy rates.
Collapse
|
11
|
Gálvez N, Meniconi P, Infante J, Bonacic C. Response of mesocarnivores to anthropogenic landscape intensification: activity patterns and guild temporal interactions. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Carnivores face important anthropogenic threats in agricultural areas from habitat loss and fragmentation, disturbance by domestic free-roaming dogs and cats, and direct hunting by humans. Anthropogenic disturbances are shifting the activity patterns of wild animals, likely modifying species interactions. We estimated changes in the activity patterns of the mesocarnivore guild of agricultural landscapes of the La Araucanía region in southern Chile in response to land-use intensification, comparing intra- and interspecific activity patterns at low and high levels of forest cover, fragmentation, and land ownership subdivision. Our focal species comprise the güiña or kod-kod (Leopardus guigna), two fox species (Lycalopex culpaeus and L. griseus), a skunk (Conepatus chinga), and one native mustelid (Galictis cuja), in addition to free-roaming dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) and their main mammalian prey species (i.e., Rodentia and Lagomorpha). In 23,373 trap nights, we totaled 21,729 independent records of our focal species. Our results show tendencies toward nocturnality at high land-use intensification, with potential impacts on species fitness. Nocturnal mesocarnivores decreased their diurnal/crepuscular activity, while cathemeral activity shifted to nocturnal activity at high land-use intensification, but only when in sympatry with a competitor. High land-use intensification decreased the activity overlap between native and domestic mesocarnivores but increased the overlap between native mesocarnivores. High intensification also reduced overlap with prey species. Notably, foxes displayed peaks of activity opposing those of dogs, and plasticity in activity pattern when in sympatry with dogs, such as strategies to avoid encounters. We stress the need to suppress the free-roaming and unsupervised activity of dogs to mitigate impacts of high land-use intensification on mesocarnivores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Gálvez
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Wildlife ecology and Coexistence Laboratory, Villarrica campus, Centre for Research in Local Development (CEDEL-UC), O’Higgins 501, Villarrica, Chile
| | - Paola Meniconi
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
| | - José Infante
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Wildlife ecology and Coexistence Laboratory, Villarrica campus, Centre for Research in Local Development (CEDEL-UC), O’Higgins 501, Villarrica, Chile
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Bonacic
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Fauna Australis Wildlife Laboratory, Department of Ecosystems and Environment, School of Agronomy and Forestry, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 7820436 Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Balčiauskas L, Balčiauskienė L. Long-term changes in a small mammal community in a temperate zone meadow subject to seasonal floods and habitat transformation. Integr Zool 2021; 17:443-455. [PMID: 34219378 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We tested small mammal (SM) community response to the influence of seasonal floods and habitat transformation in a temporal zone meadow (west Lithuania). The habitat transitioned from a natural flooded meadow in 2008-2012 to a mowed and pastured area in 2020. SM were trapped in late summer to autumn using lines of 25 traps (145 in total), the number of trapping sessions being one or several per year. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) any reaction to the multiple disturbances is species-specific, that is, the relative abundance of SM species and their proportion in the community differs with respect to the flood magnitude and habitat transformation, and (2) at the guild level, disturbances favor habitat generalists, thereby changing the characteristics of SM community. The average relative density of SM was 20.25 individuals per 100 trap nights (range 7.56-40.67), with 4-year-long cyclical changes of density observed. In separate years, we recorded from 4 to 9 species; Shannon's diversity index varied from 0.46 to 2.19, with expressed change of the dominant species. Habitat generalist species were favored, while habitat specialists were disadvantaged. As the meadow transformation progressed, unfavored states in the SM community prevailed, with excessive numbers of granivore and herbivore species present. Our study suggests that multiple disturbances may lead to an increase in relative abundance, species richness, and diversity within the SM assemblages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linas Balčiauskas
- Laboratory of Mammalian Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Benedek AM, Sîrbu I, Lazăr A. Responses of small mammals to habitat characteristics in Southern Carpathian forests. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12031. [PMID: 34103594 PMCID: PMC8187625 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91488-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Compared to Northern Carpathians, the small mammal fauna of Southern Carpathian forests is poorly known, with no data on habitat use; our study seeks to fill this gap. To this end, we conducted a survey in the Southern Carpathians for five years, assessing habitat use by small mammals in forests along an elevational gradient. Trapping was done using live traps set in transects at elevations between 820 and 2040 m. For each transect we evaluated variables related to vegetation structure, habitat complexity, and geographical location. We considered abundance, species composition and species richness as response variables. The rodents Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus and the shrew Sorex araneus were common and dominant. Their abundance were positively correlated with tree cover, the best explanatory variable. Responses to other variables were mixed. The strong divergence in the relative habitat use by the three most abundant species may act as a mechanism that enables their coexistence as dominant species, exploiting the same wide range of habitat resources. Overall, habitat use in our study area was similar to that reported from Northern Carpathians, but we found also important differences probably caused by the differences in latitude and forest management practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Benedek
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012, Sibiu, Romania.
| | - Ioan Sîrbu
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012, Sibiu, Romania
| | - Anamaria Lazăr
- Department of Engineering and Management in Food and Tourism, Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transilvania University of Brașov, 148 Castelului Street, 500036, Braşov, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Väli Ü, Tõnisalu G. Community- and Species-Level Habitat Associations of Small Mammals in a Hemiboreal Forest–Farmland Landscape. ANN ZOOL FENN 2020. [DOI: 10.5735/086.058.0101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ülo Väli
- Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Tourism, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Keutzwaldi 5D, EE-51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Grete Tõnisalu
- Chair of Biodiversity and Nature Tourism, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Keutzwaldi 5D, EE-51006 Tartu, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Implications of an agricultural mosaic in small mammal communities. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
16
|
Mow the Grass at the Mouse's Peril: Diversity of Small Mammals in Commercial Fruit Farms. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9060334. [PMID: 31181807 PMCID: PMC6617168 DOI: 10.3390/ani9060334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary For the first time in the Baltic countries, small mammal communities were evaluated in commercial orchards and berry plantations to test for the influence of crop type and intensity of agricultural practices. Out of ten species registered in the fruit farms, the most dominant were common vole and striped field mouse, confirming the spread of the latter species in the country. Small mammal diversity and abundance were not dependent on crop type but decreased in line with the intensity of agricultural practices, not being found in the most intensively cultivated farms. Unexpectedly, small mammal diversity in apple orchards exceeded the diversities found in most types of forests and was significantly higher than in crop fields. Abstract 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.
Collapse
|
17
|
Fialho MY, Cerboncini RA, Passamani M. Linear forest patches and the conservation of small mammals in human-altered landscapes. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
18
|
Abstract
Elevation is one of the most important natural gradients that is strongly shaping communities across relatively small areas. However, few studies have followed the temporal dynamics of elevational patterns, even in organisms for which population and community fluctuations have been extensively studied, such as rodents. Here we report the multiannual dynamics of small-mammal communities along an elevational gradient in the Southern Carpathians. During a 5-year survey, we conducted live-trapping in forested and shrubby habitats, at elevations between 820 and 2040 m. We used partial constrained multivariate analysis and mixed-effects models to test the effect of elevation, year, and their interaction. Community metrics differed significantly between even and odd years and temporal changes had stronger effect on small-mammal communities than elevation. The 2-year pattern of dynamics was especially marked in the yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834)). Species abundance was predicted not only by year and elevation, but also by their interaction. The dominant rodent species, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780)) and A. flavicollis, showed opposite annual patterns in relation to elevation, possibly as a strategy to avoid competition. Failure to consider the fluctuations in montane small-mammal communities may lead to wrong assessment of species’ state and distribution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A.M. Benedek
- Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
- Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
| | - I. Sîrbu
- Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
- Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
| |
Collapse
|