The Ecology of Pseudomys novaehollandiae (Waterhouse, 1843)

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
BA Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Population Ecology ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Floristic Diversity ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Patchy Distribution ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Small Mammal Species

The distribution, habitat preferences and population ecology of Pseudomys novaehollandiae in the Eastern Otways, Victoria, were studied from 1985 to 1989. The species has a patchy distribution and was captured at only four sites in heathy woodland-open forest. The population density of the species was low (0-3.1 ha-1) and the breeding season was from spring to summer. The vegetation on two trapping grids was classified into five floristic groups. Four small mammal species (Rattus lutreolus, Antechinus stuartii, Mus musculus and P. novaehollandiae) exhibited preferences for different floristic groups. There was evidence that P. novaehollandiae interacted, or competed, with M. musculus in one floristic group. Pseudomys novaehollandiae preferred two floristic groups which had high floristic diversity. Within these groups the species was associated with low dense vegetation cover. The decline of populations of P. novaehollandiae in this study is likely to be related to post-fire successional changes in the vegetation: either to loss of plant species diversity, or to loss of particular species or to low vegetation cover. Strategic burning of small areas within the preferred floristic vegetation is recommended to maintain a mosaic of suitable successional ages for the conservation of this endangered species.

An attempt to determine the size of the Common Barn-owl’s (Tyto alba) hunting area based on its prey composition

2021 ◽  
pp. 175815592110660
Author(s):  
Jenő J Purger ◽  
Dávid Szép
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Prey Composition ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
Owl Pellets

The relative abundance of small mammal species detected from Common Barn-owl pellets reflects the landscape structure and habitat pattern of the owl’s hunting area, but it is also affected by the size of the collected pellet sample and the size of the supposed hunting area. The questions arise: how many pellets should be collected and analyzed as well as how large hunting area should be taken into consideration in order to reach the best correspondence between the owl’s prey composition and the distribution of habitats preferred by small mammals preyed in supposed hunting areas? For this study, we collected 1045 Common Barn-owl pellets in a village in southern Hungary. All detected small mammal species were classified into functional groups (guilds) preferring urban, open, forest and wetland habitats. The proportion of functional groups was compared to the proportion of these habitats around the pellet collection site within circles of one, two, and three km radius. Saturation curves showed that at least 300 pellets or ca. 600 mammalian remains are required for the detection of the 19 small mammal species. The share of small mammals detected in the prey and their functional groups according to their habitat preference showed an increasing consistency with the distribution of real habitats in the potential hunting area of a radius of 3 km around the owl’s breeding or resting place.

Population-Changes in Sminthopsis-Leucopus (Gray) (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae), and Other Small Mammal Species, in Forest Regenerating From Logging and Fire Near Bega, New-South-Wales

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 275 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Lunney ◽  
E Ashby
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Management Option ◽  
Population Changes ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Disturbed Habitat ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Small Mammal Species

A population of the white-footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus was studied from 1981 to 1983 in a forest that had been logged in 1979, burnt in 1980, and was drought-affected throughout the study. S. leucopus bred in this disturbed habitat but did not persist when the vegetation regrew and became dense. Pouch young were present in August, September and October 1981. There was no evidence of polyoestry in the field, although breeding potential may have been suppressed by a combination of the drought and habitat change. There were few brown antechinus Antechinus stuartii present at any time. The population of the bush rat Rattus fuscipes increased as its preferred habitat of dense vegetation grew. An irruption of the house mouse Mus rnusculus in autumn 1982 coincided with a brief respite from the drought. The differing responses of these species to the same set of environmental conditions illustrates that no one management option in such forests will be optimal for all species of small mammals. The conclusion drawn here for the conservation of S. leucopus in forests subject to woodchip logging and fire is to stagger the forestry operations to ensure that not all parts of the forest are covered with dense regrowth at any one time.

scholarly journals Temporal variation in small nonvolant mammal (Cricetidae and Didelphidae) microhabitat associations in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 663-681
Author(s):  
Robert Owen
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Interannual Variation ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ◽  
Small Mammal Species

Many questions concerning habitat preferences of Neotropical small mammals remain unanswered. These questions include where the animal lives within and among the available habitats, and the temporal (seasonal and interannual) variation in the habitat associations. The objectives of this research were: (1) to determine the associations of non-volant small mammal species (Rodentia and Didelphimorphia) with specific microhabitat characteristics including vegetation structure in an area near the western boundary of the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest, and (2) to evaluate seasonal and interannual variation in those associations. Three grids were sampled in three seasons (Dry, Wet, Variable) during two years (2015-2017). The four predominant small mammal species (Gracilinanus agilis, Akodon montensis, Hylaeamys megacephalus, and Oligoryzomys nigripes) were evaluated for seasonal and interannual variation in habitat preferences. Each of the four exhibited seasonal and/or interannual variation in microhabitat preferences for three to six of the 17 environmental variables analyzed. This is the first study to explicitly evaluate temporal variation in habitat associations of small mammals in the Atlantic Forest ecoregion. The temporal patterns of habitat association among these four predominant species reveal a complex spatially and temporally dynamic composition and structure in this small mammal community.

scholarly journals Investigating the relationship between the prey composition of Barn Owls (Tyto alba) and the habitat structure of their hunting range in the Marcal Basin (Hungary), based on pellet analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-43
Author(s):  
Dávid Szép ◽  
Ákos Klein ◽  
Jenő J. Purger
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Prey Composition ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
Wetland Habitats ◽  
Prey Items

Abstract Little was known about the small mammal fauna of the Marcal Basin to date, therefore we collected 1,144 Barn Owl pellets from 15 locations in 2017. After the analysis of the pellets, remnants of 3,063 prey items were identified, of which 97.5% were small mammals, belonging to 21 species, while the remaining 2.5% were birds, frogs and insects. Mammal prey items consisted of Cricetidae 41%, Muridae 31% and Soricidae 28%, and in some samples, we found the remnants of European Mole (Talpa europaea), Kuhl’s Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii), Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Small mammal species were classified into four functional groups based on their preferences for urban, open, forest or wetland habitats. We investigated whether their relative abundances match with the proportions of the four habitat types in the assumed Barn Owl hunting ranges (cca. 2 km radius circle) in five sample sites. The relative abundance of small mammal species preferring urban habitats showed concordance with the proportion of the appropriate habitat types in the hunting area in two samples, while such concordance was proved for species favouring open, forest and wetland habitats just in one out of five samples. Small mammal functional groups represented in the prey composition do not directly correspond to the proportion of their typical habitats. We conclude that the abundance of various prey types is not suitable for characterising the landscape within the Barn Owl’s hunting range.

scholarly journals Mammal Species Richness at a Catena and Nearby Waterholes during a Drought, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 387
Author(s):  
Beanélri B. Janecke
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Feeding Guilds ◽  
Feeding Guild ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Seasonal Movement ◽  
Herbivore Species ◽  
Small Mammal Species

Catenas are undulating hillslopes on a granite geology characterised by different soil types that create an environmental gradient from crest to bottom. The main aim was to determine mammal species (>mongoose) present on one catenal slope and its waterholes and group them by feeding guild and body size. Species richness was highest at waterholes (21 species), followed by midslope (19) and sodic patch (16) on the catena. Small differences observed in species presence between zones and waterholes and between survey periods were not significant (p = 0.5267 and p = 0.9139). In total, 33 species were observed with camera traps: 18 herbivore species, 10 carnivores, two insectivores and three omnivores. Eight small mammal species, two dwarf antelopes, 11 medium, six large and six mega-sized mammals were observed. Some species might not have been recorded because of drought, seasonal movement or because they travelled outside the view of cameras. Mammal presence is determined by food availability and accessibility, space, competition, distance to water, habitat preferences, predators, body size, social behaviour, bound to territories, etc. The variety in body size and feeding guilds possibly indicates a functioning catenal ecosystem. This knowledge can be beneficial in monitoring and conservation of species in the park.

The Disribution of Pseudomys shortridgei (Muridae : Rodentia ) and its Relevance to that of other Heathland Pseudomys

1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Cockburn
Keyword(s):  
Fire Regime ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Habitat Requirements ◽  
Habitat Association ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Survey Technique ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Heath Communities ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
Number Of Plant Species

Pseudomyine rodents today often show extremely restricted and disjunct distributions, yet evidence from subfossil deposits suggest these species were widely dispersed and abundant in Recent times. Previous explanations for this decline such as a widespread epidemic, climatic change, and competition with introduced rodents appear inadequate. A new survey technique was used to determine habitat preferences of small mammals in the Grampians region in western Victoria. The distribution of Pseudomys shovtvidgei was demonstrated to be principally confined to floristically rich treeless heath communities. This animal appeared to require the consistent presence within its habitat of a number of plant species, whose availability depends upon a specific fire regime. The habitat requirements of Pseudomys albocinereus and P. novaehollandiae are similar to those of P. shortridgei. Such close habitat association suggests that a change in vegetation may be catastrophic to the small mammal species. A relationship between the alteration and alienation of the Australian environment by European man, and the decline of the pseudomyines, is postulated.

The Distribution of small mammal species in relation to heath vegetation near Cape Otway, Victoria

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 605 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Moro
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Structural Description ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Vegetation Diversity ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Heath Community

A trapping study of small mammals within heath communities near Cape Otway was conducted during April-August 1989. The purpose was to describe the distribution patterns of several small mammals in relation to a floristic and structural description of the vegetation. Two species of rodent (Rattus lutreolus, R. fuscipes), two species of dasyurid (Antechinus stuartii, A. minimus) and one species of bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) were trapped frequently enough for statistical analysis. A. stuartii was trapped significantly more often in the Heathy Open-forest than in the Closed Heath community, in contrast to A. minimus and R. lutreolus, which were captured significantly more often in Closed Heath. There was no significant difference in the distributions of R. fuscipes and I. obesulus between communities. Within the Closed Heath community only R. fuscipes displayed significant distribution patterns between sub-communities. In the Heathy Open-forest the distribution of captures among sub-communities varied significantly for both species of Antechinus and for R. lutreolus. Floristic and structural cues, as well as ground cover, were associated with the spatial distribution of dasyurid and rodent species. Bandicoot dispersion was associated only with vertical vegetation diversity. The importance of interspecific avoidance in contributing to the observed distribution patterns of both dasyurid and rat species cannot be dismissed.

Long-term stress level in a small mammal species undergoing range expansion

Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien André ◽  
Johan Michaux ◽  
Jorge Gaitan ◽  
Virginie Millien
Keyword(s):  
Stress Level ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Range Expansion ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Distribution Ranges ◽  
Northern Edge ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
White Footed Mouse

Abstract Rapid climate change is currently altering species distribution ranges. Evaluating the long-term stress level in wild species undergoing range expansion may help better understanding how species cope with the changing environment. Here, we focused on the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), a widespread small mammal species in North-America whose distribution range is rapidly shifting northward. We evaluated long-term stress level in several populations of P. leucopus in Quebec (Canada), from the northern edge of the species distribution to more core populations in Southern Quebec. We first tested the hypothesis that populations at the range margin are under higher stress than more established populations in the southern region of our study area. We then compared four measures of long-term stress level to evaluate the congruence between these commonly used methods. We did not detect any significant geographical trend in stress level across our study populations of P. leucopus. Most notably, we found no clear congruence between the four measures of stress level we used, and conclude that these four commonly used methods are not equivalent, thereby not comparable across studies.

Response of wildlife to forest herbicide applications in northern coniferous ecosystems

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 2286-2299 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Lautenschlager
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sampling Techniques ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Herbicide Treatments ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
Coniferous Ecosystems

Reviewed studies of the effects of forest herbicide applications on wildlife often lacked replication, pretreatment information, and (or) were conducted for only one or two growing seasons after treatment. Because of these problems, as well as the use of dissimilar sampling techniques, study conclusions have sometimes been contradictory. A review of eight studies of the effects of herbicide treatments on northern songbird populations in regenerating clearcuts indicates that total songbird populations are seldom reduced during the growing season after treatment. Densities of species that use early successional brushy, deciduous cover are sometimes reduced, while densities of species which commonly use more open areas, sometimes increase. A review of 14 studies of the effects of herbicide treatments on small mammals indicates that like songbirds, small mammal responses are species specific. Some species are unaffected, while some select and others avoid herbicide-treated areas. Only studies that use kill or removal trapping to study small mammal responses show density reductions associated with herbicide treatment. It seems that some small mammal species may be reluctant to venture into disturbed areas, although residents in those areas are apparently not affected by the disturbance. Fourteen relevant studies examined the effects of conifer release treatments on moose and deer foods and habitat use. Conifer release treatments reduce the availability of moose browse for as long as four growing seasons after treatment. The degree of reduction during the growing season after treatment varies with the herbicide and rate used. Deer use of treated areas remains unchanged or increases during the first growing season after treatment. Eight years after treating a naturally regenerated spruce–fir stand browse was three to seven times more abundant on treated than on control plots (depending on the chemical and rate used). Forage quality (nitrogen, ash, and moisture) of crop trees increased one growing season after the soil-active herbicide simazine was applied to control competition around outplanted 3-year-old balsam fir seedlings.

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