The short-term responses of small mammals to wildfire in semiarid mallee shrubland, Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke T. Kelly ◽  
Dale G. Nimmo ◽  
Lisa M. Spence-Bailey ◽  
Michael F. Clarke ◽  
Andrew F. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Resource Requirements ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
And Function

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.

Changes in small mammal communities after logging in north-central Ontario

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 970-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur M. Martell
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
North Central ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Communities

Changes in small mammal communities following logging were monitored in clear-cut and strip-cut upland black spruce (Picea mariana) stands and in selectively cut mixed wood stands in north-central Ontario. Clear-cutting and subsequent scarification essentially eliminated the vegetative cover. Much of the ground cover recovered within 5 years and shrubs within 12 years, but mosses and lichens took much longer. The small mammal community in both clear-cut and strip-cut stands changed over the first three years after logging from one dominated by southern red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) to one dominated by deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and then remained relatively stable for up to 13 years after harvest. That shift was not apparent in selectively cut mixed wood stands where the composition of the small mammal community was similar between uncut stands and stands 4–23 years after harvest. There was relatively little change in total numbers of small mammals after logging. In general, the diversity and evenness of small mammals increased or remained stable in the first 1–3 years following harvest, decreased on older (3–16 years) cuts, and then increased to values similar to those in uncut stands on the oldest (19–23 years) cuts.

Use by small mammals of a chronosequence of tropical rainforest revegetation

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tegan Whitehead ◽  
Miriam Goosem ◽  
Noel D. Preece
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Management Technique ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

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.

scholarly journals Using AlphaFold to predict the impact of single mutations on protein stability and function

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina A Pak ◽  
Karina A Markhieva ◽  
Mariia S Novikova ◽  
Dmitry S Petrov ◽  
Ilya S Vorobyev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Folding ◽  
Protein Stability ◽  
Structure Prediction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Single Mutation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

AlphaFold changed the field of structural biology by achieving three-dimensional (3D) structure prediction from protein sequence at experimental quality. The astounding success even led to claims that the protein folding problem is "solved". However, protein folding problem is more than just structure prediction from sequence. Presently, it is unknown if the AlphaFold-triggered revolution could help to solve other problems related to protein folding. Here we assay the ability of AlphaFold to predict the impact of single mutations on protein stability (ΔΔG) and function. To study the question we extracted metrics from AlphaFold predictions before and after single mutation in a protein and correlated the predicted change with the experimentally known ΔΔG values. Additionally, we correlated the AlphaFold predictions on the impact of a single mutation on structure with a large scale dataset of single mutations in GFP with the experimentally assayed levels of fluorescence. We found a very weak or no correlation between AlphaFold output metrics and change of protein stability or fluorescence. Our results imply that AlphaFold cannot be immediately applied to other problems or applications in protein folding.

scholarly journals Data-theoretical Synthesis of the Early Developmental Process

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradly Alicea ◽  
Richard Gordon ◽  
Thomas E. Portegys
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Data Representation ◽  
Temporal Organization ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Biological Development ◽  
And Function

AbstractBiological development is often described as a dynamic, emergent process. This is evident across a variety of phenomena, from the temporal organization of cell types in the embryo to compounding trends that affect large-scale differentiation. To better understand this, we propose combining quantitative investigations of biological development with theory-building techniques. This provides an alternative to the gene-centric view of development: namely, the view that developmental genes and their expression determine the complexity of the developmental phenotype. Using the model system Caenorhabditis elegans, we examine time-dependent properties of the embryonic phenotype and utilize the unique life-history properties to demonstrate how these emergent properties can be linked together by data analysis and theory-building. We also focus on embryogenetic differentiation processes, and how terminally-differentiated cells contribute to structure and function of the adult phenotype. Examining embryogenetic dynamics from 200 to 400 minutes post-fertilization provides basic quantitative information on developmental tempo and process. To summarize, theory construction techniques are summarized and proposed as a way to rigorously interpret our data. Our proposed approach to a formal data representation that can provide critical links across life-history, anatomy and function.

Small mammals in a semi-arid community, with particular reference to Ningaui yvonneae

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
SM Carthew ◽  
T Keynes
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
Mus Domesticus ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Semi Arid

Small mammal community structure was investigated at a semi-arid mallee site in the Middleback Ranges of South Australia during 14 field trips conducted over four years. During this time, 291 small mammals were caught from 6579 trap nights (trap success 4.4%). Ningaui yvonneae was the most abundant and frequently recorded species (199 captures), followed by Cercartetus concinnus (75 captures). Other species caught infrequently were Sminthopsis dolichura (2 captures), Notomys mitchellii (3 captures), Pseudomys bolami (2 captures) and Mus domesticus (10 captures). Ningaui yvonneae was the only species caught during all sampling periods. Males were trapped more frequently than females (117 : 43). Recapture rates were low, with only eight of 160 individuals caught during more than one sampling period. This may reflect the mobility of the species. Distances moved between successive recaptures within a sampling period averaged less than 100 m, while between sampling periods distances averaged more than 450 m. This is the first published study to capture N. yvonneae regularly and in reasonable numbers.

scholarly journals Using life history trade-offs to understand core-transient structuring of a small mammal community

Ecosphere ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. art187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah R. Supp ◽  
David N. Koons ◽  
S. K. Morgan Ernest
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community

Diet of the Barn Owl, Tyto-Alba, in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 611 ◽  
Author(s):  
JDB Smith ◽  
J Cole
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Prey Biomass ◽  
Large Fluctuations ◽  
Prey Items ◽  
Owl Pellets

The diet of the barn owl was determined by analysing egested pellets collected from the Tanami Desert. These data were also used to examine the distribution of small mammals in the region. Rodents were the dominant prey items, forming more than 74% of prey biomass in all samples. The dominant rodent species were those that undergo large fluctuations in population size. Notomys alexis was the dominant prey item in 15 of the 17 samples. In all samples, one or two species of rodents formed 47-100% of prey biomass. Dasyurids were relatively minor prey items, forming less than 12% of prey biomass in all samples. It is suggested that this is a reflection of their abundance relative to rodents. Bats, birds, lizards and insects combined formed less than 14% of prey biomass in all but one sample (24%). Behavioural and life-history characteristics of prey appear to affect their susceptibility to predation. The analysis of pellets proved to be a useful supplementary technique to conventional methods of surveying small mammals. All species of small mammal that could be expected were identified in owl pellets. Notomys amplus was recorded in pellets but not collected by conventional techniques.

scholarly journals Effect of fragmentation of kerangas forest on small mammal community structure in Brunei Darussalam

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Salwa Abd Khalid ◽  
Ulmar Grafe
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Brunei Darussalam ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Forest Size ◽  
Fragmented Forests

Widespread and rapid forest loss and disturbance have resulted in increased fragmentation of tropical forests. The impacts of forest disturbance and fragmentation on small mammals have been widely studied across the tropics and these studies have highlighted the detrimental effects. However, there is limited understanding on the impacts on small mammals in Borneo. This study investigated the impacts of fragmentation on small mammal community structure in lowland coastal heath forests known as kerangas forests, in Brunei Darussalam. Twelve study sites were compared in three forest types: fragmented (2.07-17.6 ha), disturbed (443.55-483.79 ha) and undisturbed (>500 ha) forests. In addition, the correlations between species richness, abundance and biomass of small mammals, and forest size were investigated. There was a clear change in species composition in the different forest types. Fragmented forests had the lowest species richness but the highest pooled abundance and biomass compared with disturbed and undisturbed forests. Species richness increased with forest size as predicted by the theory of island biogeography. In contrast, abundance and biomass was negatively correlated to forest size. Factors that contribute to the pronounced decline in species richness in fragmented forests include loss of rare and native forest species, reduced forest size in fragmented forests and distance effect. We suggest that a release from top-down control by predators and favourable conditions as a result from forest fragmentation are responsible for higher abundance and biomass of small mammals in fragmented forests.

scholarly journals Metapopulations of Montane and Long-Tailed Voles (Microtus montanus and M. longicaudus), and Hantavirus and Plague in the Jackson Hole Small Mammal Community

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 52-56
Author(s):  
Frederick Jannett, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Habitat Patches ◽  
Microtus Montanus ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
Jackson Hole ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Study Sites

The purpose of the long-term research begun in 1971 on metapopulations of voles is to enumerate patterns in survivorship, reproduction, and morphology across the sections of the metapopulations. The study sites for Microtus montanus were chosen to represent primary and secondary habitat, and proximate and isolated habitat patches. The purpose of the research on hantavirus begun in 1994 is to ascertain the extent of hantavirus among as many species of small mammals as possible, to identify the strain(s), to understand the presence of hantavirus across species and among the metapopulations of voles, and to assess the potential for human contact. The purpose of the research on plague begun in 1995 is to test the long-standing hypothesis that voles are a reservoir in the intervals between plague outbreaks among ground squirrels.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document