Comparisons of Community Structure Among Small Mammals of North-American and Australian Deserts

1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 501 ◽  
Author(s):  
SR Morton ◽  
JH Brown ◽  
DA Kelt ◽  
JRW Reid
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
North America ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
North American ◽  
Median Number ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Structure Of Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities

Data on the presence of small mammal species at 201 sites in North American deserts and 245 in arid Australia were used to quantify similarities and differences in community structure between the two continents. In all, 41 species of rodents were sampled in North America and 26 species, both rodents and marsupials, in Australia. On both continents, each species occurred throughout its geographic range with many other species and as a member of many different combinations. The number of species with which each species coexisted was positively correlated with its area of geographic range, although most species occurred at less than half the sites within their ranges. The median number of species at a site was three in North America and two in Australia, but the numbers of species per site on the two continents were not significantly different. Despite the relatively small numbers of species per site, numerous different combinations of species were observed (North America, 158; Australia, 108). Communities in North America were dominated by granivores and in Australia by omnivores; insectivores were also prominent in Australia. These results support conclusions of an earlier study of granivorous rodents in North America, in suggesting that there is substantial spatial variation in the composition of small mammal communities. The magnitude of this variation indicates that species and communities tend to be individualistic in spatial distribution, such that communities are not tightly restricted to particular specific combinations. There is evidence from North America that deterministic processes play a limited role in determining community structure; no such analyses have yet been undertaken for communities in arid Australia. Trophic structure of communities is markedly different on the two continents. Not all trophic differences can presently be explained, but they may be due to differences between the continents in temporal patterns of food supply.

Patterns in the structure of Asian and North American desert small mammal communities

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 825-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Kelt ◽  
Kontantin Rogovin ◽  
Georgy Shenbrot ◽  
James H. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
North American ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities

Key to Adults of North American Genera of the Subfamily Cecidomyiinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4392 (3) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAYMOND J. GAGNÉ
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
North American ◽  
General Distribution ◽  
Number Of Species

Keys to the subfamilies of Cecidomyiidae and to the 150 genera of Cecidomyiinae known to occur in North America are presented. Information is given within the key for each of the genera on distribution, number of species and habits. Patterns of general distribution for the subfamily are discussed. A glossary to anatomical terms is included. 

Keratella armadura (Rotifera: Brachionidae), a new rotifer from a Michigan bog lake

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (11) ◽  
pp. 2306-2309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Stemberger
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
North American ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dorsal Plate ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Keratella Cochlearis ◽  
Posterior Spine ◽  
The Common ◽  
Lower Peninsula

The rotifer Keratella armadura n.sp. is described from a shallow alkaline bog lake from Michigan's lower peninsula. The facet pattern of the dorsal plate is similar to that of the common North American phenotype of Keratella cochlearis and K. taurocephala. The rigid, thickened lorica, long recurving posterior spine, and constriction of the body near the base of the anterior spines is distinctive from known congenors. The species was abundant (> 300 individuals/L) within a well-defined habitat, and appears to have a narrow geographic range. Keratella armadura occurred in spring and summer months and was absent from fall and winter collections. This restricted distribution, if common among rotifers, suggests that many undescribed species still exist in Michigan and in North America.

Greater bilby burrows: important structures for a range of species in an arid environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Hofstede ◽  
Martin A. Dziminski
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Ecosystem Engineers ◽  
Gopher Tortoise ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Text Book ◽  
Invertebrate Species ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Remote Cameras ◽  
Kangaroo Rat

Greater bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) have been described as ecosystem engineers and their burrows are significant structures across an often featureless and harsh arid landscape. Remote cameras were deployed at bilby burrows to determine whether bilby burrows were important structures for other species. Cameras detected two mammal species, brush-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus blythi) and spinifex hopping mice (Notomys alexis), permanently occupying bilby burrows, and a further two species, short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus acanthion) and sand goannas (Varanus gouldii), regularly using bilby burrows for shelter. An additional suite of 16 mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species were detected interacting with bilby burrows. There was no difference in the number of species using disused or occupied bilby burrows, indicating that even disused bilby burrows are important structures for other species. We show that bilby burrows are used by a range of species and are analogous to the traditional, mostly North American, and commonly provided text book examples of the gopher tortoise and kangaroo rat. The disappearance of bilbies across at least 80% of their former range and thus the disappearance of their burrows as important structural resources in a harsh, arid environment may have had important consequences for a range of species.

Revisiting the late Pleistocene mammal extinction record at Tight Entrance Cave, southwestern Australia

2011 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Tyler Faith ◽  
James F. O'Connell
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Large Mammal ◽  
Southwestern Australia ◽  
Drying Trend ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities

AbstractTight Entrance Cave (TEC) in southwestern Australia provides a Pleistocene sequence documenting the extinction of 14 large mammal species. This record has been interpreted as indicating that extinctions did not occur during or before the penultimate glacial maximum (PGM) and that humans played a primary role in the extinctions. However, it remains possible that the majority of extinct megafauna persisted no later than the PGM. The TEC extinctions correspond with vegetation change, a cooling/drying trend, increased biomass burning, and increasingly unstable small mammal communities. The initiation of these trends predates human arrival on the continent and implies environmentally mediated extinctions.

scholarly journals Mow the Grass at the Mouse’s Peril: Diversity of Small Mammals in Commercial Fruit Farms

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linas Balčiauskas ◽  
Laima Balčiauskienė ◽  
Vitalijus Stirkė
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
The Common ◽  
Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Diversity

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.

scholarly journals Biotic and abiotic correlates of small mammal community structure in the Groendal Wilderness Area, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.M. Els ◽  
G.I.H. Kerley
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Wilderness Area ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Communities

We investigated the relations between environmental features (biotic and abiotic) and small mammal communities in the Groendal Wilderness Area, South Africa. Habitat architecture (expressed as both horizontal and vertical foliage density) and total plant canopy cover (especially shrub canopy cover) are the most important correlates of small mammal community structure at this site. The mechanisms for these relationships are complex, probably involving physiological, social and anti-predator effects as well as reflecting nutritional resources. Furthermore, man and fire influence small mammal community structure. These effects are as a result of altered plant community composition and structure by plantation and pasture establishment and burning. In order to maintain a diversity of small mammal communities, management should ensure a mosaic of diverse vegetation communities.

scholarly journals Changes within Small Mammal Communities since the 1988 Huckleberry Mountain Fire

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
M. Burt ◽  
R. Seville ◽  
Zachary Roehrs ◽  
Rachel Henley
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Pocket Gopher ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Sorex Cinereus ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities ◽  
Over Time

This study is a continuation of investigations conducted at Huckleberry Mountain to determine the effect of the 1988 Greater Yellowstone fire on the small mammal community, and document changes in this community over the 22 years since this natural disturbance. Previous research was conducted in 1993, 1994, 1997, and 1998 and we sampled the same communities in 2009 and again in 2010 using the identical sampling methodology. During the summer of 2010 we live trapped 252 Southern Red-backed Vole (Myodes gapperi), 57 North American Deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatu), 22 Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus), 12 Western Jumping Mouse (Zapus princeps), four Montane Vole (Microtus montanus), one Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides), four Cinereus Shrew (Sorex cinereus), and five Dusky Shrew (S. monticolus). These results are similar to our results from 2009 and corroborate findings from other investigations indicating early dominance of P. maniculatus in burned forests and M. gapperi in control unburned areas. M. gapperi and P. maniculatus accounted for the majority (87%) of captures. In addition more M. gapperi were found in control sites than P. maniculatus, and as the burned habitat recovers over time, the relative numbers of P. maniculatus are decreasing, and the number of M. gapperi are increasing, suggesting that the burned habitats are returning to a more natural pre-disturbance community structure. However, community diversity indices (which include all mammal species and their relative proportions) suggest that there are still considerable differences between burned and unburned sites. Despite the numbers of voles and deermice changing over time (as predicted), the burned and control small mammal communities are still quite different from one another even after 22 years.

Small mammal communities in a pyrogenic habitat mosaic

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl W. Larsen ◽  
Ian T. Adams ◽  
Diane L. Haughland
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Deer Mice ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Habitat Mosaic ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Small Mammal Communities ◽  
Mammal Communities

We studied the small mammal community across a mosaic of habitats created by a large wildfire in the mixed-wood boreal forest of Alberta, Canada, 5 years after the fire occurred. We focussed on four habitat types within this landscape mosaic, namely burnt stands, stands of unburnt forest within the burn, unburnt forest on the periphery of the fire, and areas harvested before the fire (and subsequently burnt). The abundance of the two most common species – red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) – often differed inside v. outside the burn’s perimeter; however, reproduction, survival and abundance showed little to no correlation with habitat. Year-to-year changes in the relative abundance of these two species appeared greater within the burn’s periphery; the heterogeneity of the burnt landscape also supported a higher diversity of small mammal species than seen at the periphery. Comparison of our results with those collected by a coincidental study of forest harvesting suggests that the responses of the communities and populations of the animals to the two disturbance types were relatively similar. The value of long-term and chronosequence studies notwithstanding, detailed study of the wildlife communities shaped by individual wildfires improves our overall understanding of the ecological effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances.

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