The role of remnants of Amazon savanna for the conservation of Neotropical mammal communities in eucalyptus plantations

In this study, we investigated the effects of the partial conversion of native Amazon savanna into a eucalyptus plantation on the richness, composition, and abundance of medium and large mammals. Considering these plantations as an integral component of a patchwork savanna landscape, we verified how the negative effects of these plantations can be buffered by the conservation of remnants of native habitat within their area. We analyzed the contribution of each type of Amazonian savanna to the maintenance of the mammalian fauna and the potential of eucalyptus plantations to substitute these native habitats. A total of 23 mammal species were recorded in line-transect surveys conducted within the conserved savanna. By contrast, only eight species were recorded in the eucalyptus plantation and none of them were exclusive to this vegetation. However, the landscape patchwork formed by plantations and savanna was more diverse and contained 19 species of mammals, highlighting the potential importance of remnant savanna vegetation. The maintenance of remnants of savanna habitat may thus be essential for ensuring the conservation of mammals in the anthropogenic landscape of this region. It will also be important to include as many different subtypes of native savanna vegetation as possible and to consider the connectivity between habitats.     

Floral species richness,structural diversity and conservation value of vanilla agroecosystems in Madagascar

Agricultural landscapes provide financial livelihoods for farming communities in rural areas. However, such agroenvironments can significantly impact the local floral biodiversity and introduce harmful invasive species to the ecosystem. Despite the prominence of plantations throughout the tropics, their effects on local flora are limited to only a few specific cash crops and geographical regions. Here, we compared the species richness and structural diversity of vegetation in natural forest fragments and three types of vanilla plantation within the Sava region of north-east Madagascar ranging from those within or adjacent to existing forests, to intensively cultivated plantations. We recorded data on plant species abundance, diameter at breast height and canopy cover within multiple sites of each habitat. We used abundance data to calculate species richness indices, and we compared these metrics between habitats. Forested habitats contained a significantly higher floral species richness, structural diversity and more endemic and regionally native species than nonforested, anthropogenic vanilla plantations. However, our results suggest that the high floral species richness and structural diversity of natural forests can be partially achieved in vanilla plantations, depending on the site's management regime; traditionally managed vanilla plantations located close to natural forests can support diverse floral communities. These encouraging findings for plant conservation and sustainable agroforestry in Madagascar suggest that that newly created vanilla plantations and already existing nonforested plantations should endeavour to follow the more traditional forested approach to enhance the future sustainability and promote floristic diversity.     

Synergistic effects of habitat configuration and land-use intensity shape the structure of bird assemblages in human-modified landscapes across three major neotropical biomes

Maximizing biodiversity persistence in heterogeneous human-modified landscapes is hindered by the complex interactions between habitat quality and configuration of native and non-native habitats. Here we examined these complex interactions considering avian diversity across 26 sampling sites, each of which comprised of three sampling points located across a gradient of disturbance: core native habitat fragment, fragment edge, and non-native adjacent matrix. The 78 sampling points were further nested within three neotropical biomes—Amazonia, Cerrado and Pantanal—in central-western Brazil. Matrix type consisted of cattle pastures in the Amazon and teak plantations in the Pantanal and Cerrado. We considered the interactive effects of (1) disturbance-context: fragment core, edge and adjacent matrix, (2) matrix type: tree plantation or cattle pastures, both subject to varying land-use intensity, and (3) native habitat configuration (fragment size, shape and isolation) on bird species richness, abundance and composition. Based on point-count surveys, we recorded 210 bird species. Bird species richness and abundance declined across the disturbance gradient, while genus composition only differed within the adjacent matrix, particularly cattle-pastures. The effect of native habitat area was positive but only detected at fragment edges. Overall bird diversity increased at sites characterized by higher availability of either relict trees within pasture landscapes or old-growth trees within teak plantation landscapes. The core of native fragments played a primary role in ensuring the persistence of bird diversity, regardless of fragment size. In contrast to pastures, tree plantations likely harbour a higher proportion of forest-dependent species while bird diversity can be further enhanced by reduced management intensity in both matrix types. Strategies to maximize avian persistence should not only include retaining native habitats, but also maximizing the size of core native habitats. Likewise, more structurally complex matrix types should be encouraged while maintaining low levels of land-use intensity.

     

Beetle and wētā community responses to mammal eradication on Maungatautari,Waikato, New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Predation by introduced mammals frequently limits abundance of New Zealand’s native invertebrates. We investigated responses of beetle and wētā communities to mammal eradication at two fenced forest sites at Maungatautari. Ground-dwelling beetle abundance, but not species richness, increased inside the southern exclosure two years after all mammals were eradicated. In the next 5 years, when all mammals except mice were eradicated from all of Maungatautari, beetle abundance and species richness were frequently higher in the mouse-free southern exclosure. Beetle community composition changed after mammal eradication, and over time with increasing mice densities outside the southern exclosure. Large, predatory, and native beetles showed the most differences between inside and outside the southern exclosure over some years. Wētā were more responsive to mammal removal than beetles. Wētā abundances both inside and outside the southern exclosure were similar when most mammals were eradicated and mice were controlled to low numbers. However, wētā declined in the following 2 years outside the southern exclosure when mouse abundance increased. Abiotic and biotic factors affecting the beetle and wētā communities are complex and interactions poorly understood. This study indicates that climate and predation by native fauna are likely to be important factors.     

Mammals of the northern Philippines: tolerance for habitat disturbance and resistance to invasive species in an endemic insular fauna

Aim Island faunas, particularly those with high levels of endemism, usually are considered especially susceptible to disruption from habitat disturbance and invasive alien species. We tested this general hypothesis by examining the distribution of small mammals along gradients of anthropogenic habitat disturbance in northern Luzon Island, an area with a very high level of mammalian endemism. Location Central Cordillera, northern Luzon Island, Philippines. Methods  Using standard trapping techniques, we documented the occurrence and abundance of 16 endemic and two non‐native species along four disturbance gradients where habitat ranged from mature forest to deforested cropland. Using regression analysis and AIC_c for model selection, we assessed the influence of four predictor variables (geographic range, elevational range, body size and diet breadth) on the disturbance tolerance of species. Results Non‐native species dominated areas with the most severe disturbance and were rare or absent in mature forest. Native species richness declined with increasing disturbance level, but responses of individual species varied. Elevational range (a measure of habitat breadth) was the best predictor of response of native species to habitat disturbance. Geographic range, body size and diet breadth were weakly correlated. Main conclusions The endemic small mammal fauna of northern Luzon includes species adapted to varying levels of natural disturbance and appears to be resistant to disruption by resident alien species. In these respects, it resembles a diverse continental fauna rather than a depauperate insular fauna. We conclude that the long and complex history of Luzon as an ancient member of the Philippine island arc system has involved highly dynamic ecological conditions resulting in a biota adapted to changing conditions. We predict that similar responses will be seen in other taxonomic groups and in other ancient island arc systems.     

Oil palm and rubber expansion facilitates earthworm invasion in Indonesia

Deforestation, plantation expansion and other human activities in tropical ecosystems are often associated with biological invasions. These processes have been studied for above-ground organisms, but associated changes below the ground have received little attention. We surveyed rainforest and plantation systems in Jambi province, Sumatra, Indonesia, to investigate effects of land-use change on the diversity and abundance of earthworms—a major group of soil-ecosystem engineers that often is associated with human activities. Density and biomass of earthworms increased 4—30-fold in oil palm and rubber monoculture plantations compared to rainforest. Despite much higher abundance, earthworm communities in plantations were less diverse and dominated by the peregrine morphospecies Pontoscolex corethrurus, often recorded as invasive. Considering the high deforestation rate in Indonesia, invasive earthworms are expected to dominate soil communities across the region in the near future, in lieu of native soil biodiversity. Ecologically-friendly management approaches, increasing structural habitat complexity and plant diversity, may foster beneficial effects of invasive earthworms on plant growth while mitigating negative effects on below-ground biodiversity and the functioning of the native soil animal community.

     

Enhancing structural complexity: An experiment conducted in the Black Forest National Park,Germany

We report on a structural complexity enhancement (SCE) experiment that was designed to test ecological restoration measures in the Black Forest National Park, Germany. The main goal was to understand as to whether the creation of standing and downed deadwood within previously managed, single-layered Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forests accelerates the development of forest structure, richness, and diversity of a range of taxonomic groups. Here we introduce the experimental design and describe the development of stand structure including abundance and richness of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) within 5 years after initiation of the experiment in October 2016. To enhance structural complexity in treatment plots, 10 trees per plot were toppled using a skidder winch, and another 10 trees were ring barked at a height of around 60 cm above ground level with a chainsaw. To monitor stand structure, we collected data on common forest attributes such as diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and TreMs of all trees in the six experimental and six control plots measuring 0.25 ha in size before the treatments were carried out in 2016 and again in 2020/21. We analyzed the abundance and richness of TreMs using generalized linear mixed models with DBH and treatment vs. control as predictors. The SCE treatment resulted in a significant increase in deadwood volumes (4.2 vs. 439.5 m³) as well as in TreM abundance and richness (increase of 0.74 TreMs per tree). This indicates that the SCE treatment was effective to increase biodiversity-relevant structures such as deadwood and TreMs, in previously managed Norway spruce-dominated stands. The ongoing monitoring of a range of taxonomic groups (birds, bats, small mammals, coleoptera, fungi, mosses, and vascular plants) in this experiment will demonstrate to what extent the enhancement in structural complexity will lead to an enrichment in species richness and diversity.     

Lichen diversity and composition in Araucaria forests and tree monocultures in southern Brazil

Tree plantations for commercial use have been replacing native ecosystems all over the world. We investigated how forest conversion to plantations of exotic and native tree species may influence lichen diversity and composition in a southern Brazilian landscape. The lichen community from the National Forest of São Francisco de Paula was studied using three stands of each of the four vegetation types: native Araucaria forest and plantations of Araucaria, Pine and Eucalyptus trees. All plantation stands were surrounded by native Araucaria forest, were of smaller size and were allowed to endure longer than commercially managed plantations. Lichen species and their cover abundance were recorded on tree trunks from 30 to 150 cm above soil level in ten host-trees that were randomly selected in each replication. Seventy-eight lichen species, from 18 genera and 9 families, were registered. Conversion of native forest to plantations of exotic tree species altered species composition by reducing the occurrence of shade tolerant lichens. Plantations of Araucaria angustifolia sustained the highest lichen diversity measured, because this is an excellent host species. These results suggest that a greater diversity of lichens can be preserved in the landscape, if plantations of the exotic Pinus and Eucalyptus genera are replaced by plantations of this native species.     

Multitaxonomic diversity patterns along a desert riparian-upland gradient

Riparian areas are noted for their high biodiversity, but this has rarely been tested across a wide range of taxonomic groups. We set out to describe species richness, species abundance, and community similarity patterns for 11 taxonomic groups (forbs & grasses, shrubs, trees, solpugids, spiders, scarab beetles, butterflies, lizards, birds, rodents, and mammalian carnivores) individually and for all groups combined along a riparian-upland gradient in semiarid southeastern Arizona, USA. Additionally, we assessed whether biological characteristics could explain variation in diversity along the gradient using five traits (trophic level, body size, life span, thermoregulatory mechanism, and taxonomic affiliation). At the level of individual groups diversity patterns varied along the gradient, with some having greater richness and/or abundance in riparian zones whereas others were more diverse and/or abundant in upland zones. Across all taxa combined, riparian zones contained significantly more species than the uplands. Community similarity between riparian and upland zones was low, and beta diversity was significantly greater than expected for most taxonomic groups, though biological traits explained little variance in diversity along the gradient. These results indicate heterogeneity amongst taxa in how they respond to the factors that structure ecological communities in riparian landscapes. Nevertheless, across taxonomic groups the overall pattern is one of greater species richness and abundance in riparian zones, coupled with a distinct suite of species.     

Leaf-Litter Arthropods in Restored Forests in the Colombian Andes: A Comparison Between Secondary Forest and Tree Plantations

Tree monocultures of native and exotic species are frequently used as tools to catalyze forest recovery throughout the tropics. Although plantations may rapidly develop a canopy cover, they need to be evaluated as habitat for other organisms. We compared samples of leaf‐litter arthropods from two elevations in restored forest in the Colombian Andes. At the upper elevation (2,430 m), we compared native Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) plantation and secondary forest, and at the lower elevation (1,900 m) exotic Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis) plantation and secondary forest. Samples were obtained in two periods, March–April and September 1995. Species richness and abundance of arthropods were highest in secondary forest at the lower elevation. There were no differences in richness between both plantations and high‐elevation forest. Arthropod richness and abundance increased in the second sampling period in both secondary forest types and the ash plantation but not in the alder plantation, reflecting population recovery after the dry season. Alder leaf litter apparently buffered seasonal variations in arthropod richness and abundance. Composition of morphospecies was different among forest types. Although arthropod richness was lower in ash plantations compared to secondary forest, plantations still provided habitat for these organisms. On the other hand, the alder plantation was not different from secondary forest at the same elevation. At our site, plantations are embedded in a forested landscape. Whether our results apply to different landscape configurations and at different spatial scales needs to be established. The use of plantations as a restoration tool depends on the objectives of the project and on local conditions of forest cover and soils.     

The influence of a native tree species mix component on bird communities in non‐native coniferous plantations in Ireland

Capsule Norway Spruce plantations with Scots Pine as a secondary tree species had higher bird densities than pure Norway Spruce. Shrub cover was the most important structural variable, influencing bird density, species richness and Simpson’s diversity.

Aims To investigate whether incorporating a native tree component into non‐native coniferous plantations had any effect on bird communities or vegetation structure.

Methods Birds were surveyed in plantations of Norway Spruce mixed with Oak and Scots Pine, each paired with a plantation of pure Norway Spruce. distance was used to generate bird densities. Bird density, species richness and Simpson’s diversity were compared between each mix type and pure Norway Spruce. glms were used to investigate relationships between structural components of plantations and bird data.

Results Bird communities of mixed plantations differed only slightly in their composition from pure Norway Spruce. Bird density was significantly higher in Scots Pine mixes than in Oak mixes or pure Norway Spruce. Neither species richness nor Simpson’s diversity differed significantly between the plantation types. Some vegetation components differed between the plantations and shrub cover was positively associated with bird density, species richness and Simpson’s diversity. The presence of rides also increased bird density.

Conclusions There is a positive effect on bird communities of including a native tree species in non‐native coniferous plantations, but the magnitude of the effect is small. The influence of shrub cover on birds suggests that forest management may play an important role in determining the utility of plantations for birds. We recommend the establishment of mixed tree species plantations where possible, although, in the case of Oak mixes, the Norway Spruce appeared to suppress growth of the Oak and thus may be restricting its effect on birds. Changes in management, such as planting Oaks in clumps or heavier thinning of the coniferous component, could address this problem.     

A meta‐analysis of bird and mammal response to short‐rotation woody crops

Short‐rotation woody cropping (SRWC) refers to silvicultural systems designed to produce woody biomass using short harvest cycles (1–15 years), intensive silvicultural techniques, high‐yielding varieties, and often coppice regeneration. Recent emphasis on alternatives to fossil fuels has spurred interest in producing SRWC on privately owned and intensively managed forests of North America. We examined potential bird and small mammal response at the stand level to conversion of existing, intensively managed forests to SRWCs using meta‐analysis of existing studies. We found 257 effect sizes for birds (243 effect sizes) and mammals (14 effect sizes) from 8 studies involving Populus spp. plantations. Diversity and abundance of bird guilds were lower on short‐rotation plantations compared with reference woodlands, while abundance of individual bird species was more variable and not consistently higher or lower on SRWC plantations. Shrub‐associated birds were more abundant on SRWC plantations, but forest‐associated and cavity‐nesting birds were less abundant. Effects on birds appeared to decrease with age of the SRWC plantation, but plantation age was also confounded with variation in the type of reference forest used for comparison. Both guilds and species of mammals were less abundant on SRWC plantations. These conclusions are tentative because none of these studies directly compared SRWC plantations to intensively managed forests. Plantations of SRWCs could contribute to overall landscape diversity in forest‐dominated landscapes by providing shrubby habitat structure for nonforest species. However, extensive conversion of mature or intensively managed forests to SRWC would likely decrease overall diversity, especially if they replace habitat types of high conservation value.     

Richness and composition of terrestrial mammals vary in eucalyptus plantations due to stand age

Plantation forests substitute natural habitats and have rotation cycles of 7 years due to their high growth rates. This variation reflects on local and landscape changes, influencing habitat availability and affecting mammal communities. In this study, our general hypothesis was that the richness and composition of mammals varied in eucalyptus plantations in relation to native forest patches and in relation to the age of eucalyptus plantations. We predicted that (1) there would be lower mammalian richness and compositional differences in eucalyptus plantations compared to native vegetation due to monocultures having simplified environmental characteristics and (2) predicted that the richness and composition would vary according to eucalyptus age and that the highest values of richness would be found in plantations of up to middle age, considering that in these phases there are environmental characteristics that positively qualify these structures for a greater presence of fauna, such as the shrubby aspect of the plantations and the presence of undergrowth. We performed model selection to observe the effect of environmental variables on mammalian richness. We also performed a multivariate permutational analysis of variance, a non-metric multidimensional scaling and partitioned the beta diversity to observe how the composition was influenced by environmental variables. We found greater richness in the native vegetation compared to eucalyptus plantations. The richness of the plantations varied according to the age, with higher values up to middle age. The composition varied according to the land user/cover, with the eucalyptus age and with the management unit due to the nestedness of species. We suggest that eucalyptus plantations at early ages are more used by mammals due to the shrubby aspect of the stand, generating a positive visual effect for the search of resources and shelter, in addition to the possibility of the occurrence of grasses, some understory and lower anthropogenic disturbance.     

Body size in (mostly) mammals: mass,speciation rates and the translation of gamma to alpha diversity on evolutionary timescales

This study tests the hypothesis that high species richness in small-bodied mammals results from higher speciation rates than in clades composed of large-bodied individuals. A right-skewed pattern is evident in size distributions of all mammal groups tested. Gaps between 100 g bins expand smoothly for the global mammal database. Less diverse mammal clades composed of large-sized individuals originated at relatively large size. Mechanisms promoting isolation and higher speciation rates in small mammals include the environmental mosaic, low absolute energy needs, small home range size, stenotopy, and intraspecific competition. A decline in diversity for the smallest size category in some clades suggests there is a lower limit in homoiotherms of about 1.5–2 g, possibly related to high metabolic rate and high surface area to volume ratio. Mammal size diversity from young Canadian ecosystems (≤19,000 years BP) is right-skewed, and diversity of species per unit area is approximately the same as for North America. Diversity and size distributions for mammals and select animal groups from southern Minnesota follow expected right-skewed patterns, suggesting the inverse relationship of body size and speciation rate is universal for complex metazoans. A logistic model is presented integrating γ and α diversity over evolutionary timescales.     

苦李山茱萸或板栗与茶间作增进昆虫多样性的效应

为探讨间作对于茶园昆虫群落多样性和群落结构的影响,遂于皖南山区石台县选苦李-茶、山茱萸-茶、板栗-茶间作茶园,邻近每类间作茶园、选择相同品种和同样立地条件的纯茶园作为对照,2007年1月-2009年1月,每月上旬调查这6块茶园昆虫、蜘蛛和捕食螨种数和个体数。结果表明:①与对照茶园相比,间作茶园昆虫的总物种数、总多样性指数稍大,间作茶园的天敌个体数稍多、益害生物的个体数量比值稍大;②间作对茶园昆虫的总个体数有影响。结果表明茶园间作可在一定程度上增加昆虫多样性。     

The effect of abandoned plantations of Pinus patula and Cupressus lusitanica on soilsand regeneration of a tropical montane rain forest in Colombia

Species richness and diversity and soil physical and chemical properties were compared between a mature lower montane rain forest (LMRF) and abandoned 21-year-old plantations of introduced Pinus patula and Cupressus lusitanica in the central Andes of Colombia (2000m). In 0.1ha plots, species richness (number of species) and diversity (Shannon and Simpson indexes) were higher in the LMRF, followed by P. patula and C. lusitanica plantations. There were 56species and 30families of higher plants in the LMRF, 26species and 15families in the P. patula plantation, and 18species and 10families in the C. lusitanica plantation. There were no statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in soil physical or chemical properties between P. patula, C. lusitanica and native LMRF. Nevertheless, soil carbon, the C/N ratio and total bases tended to be higher in the native forest than in the plantations. Available P tended to be higher in the P. patula plantation. These results show that, although abandoned plantations can support some native species, particularly in the understorey, species richness is far from that of the native forest.     

The effect of evergreen and deciduous coniferous plantations on the field layer and seed bank of native woodlands

Vegetation and seed bank changes due to the replacement of a native woodland 29 yr ago by coniferous plantations (evergreen coniferous Pinus: radiata and deciduous coniferous Larix kaempferi ) were studied in a replicated experiment in the Basque Country, northern Spain In the vegetation the species richness was lower in both coniferous plantations than in the native woodland but there was no significant difference in species richness between the two coniferous plantations The highest similanty between the vegetation and the seed bank was in the P radiata plantations (0 51) There was higher vegetation similarity between the native woodland and the larch plantation (0 65) than that with the pine plantation (0 58) Seed bank species richness was higher in the larch plantation than in the native woodland but species richness in the seed bank did not differ between the coniferous plantations The seed bank showed no difference in the species similarity between the plantations and the native woodland This was mainly due to the similanty between the broad ranged species In the coniferous plantations the vegetation diversity was lower than in the native woodland, however, in the seed bank the diversity was higher Coniferous plantations affected mainly the shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant vernals ( Caltha palustris, Galium odoratum, Heleborus viridis and Saxifraga hirsula ), which disappeared from the field layer of plantations while the shade-intolerant not vemals were favoured by the plantations ( Blackstonia perfoliata, Danthonia decumbens, Deschampsia flexuosa, Hypericum androsaemum, Holcus lanatus, Lotus cormiculatus and Plantago lanceolata ) There was no significant difference in vegetation or seed bank between the two types of coniferous plantations     

The use of teak (Tectona grandis) plantations by large mammals in the Kilombero Valley, southern Tanzania

The establishment of plantations is impacting the large mammal populations of the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. Animal spoors were used as a proxy for activity to determine the influence of teak stand age on mammals. Habitat variables were compared between different aged stands to investigate the relationship between mammal activity and vegetation characteristics. Vegetation surveys found plantation composition to differ with age; with young stands characterized by slender teak trees, limited leaf litter, abundant grass layer and substantial bare ground. Older plantations contained a high leaf litter layer and dead wood, low grass abundance and minimal bare ground. Spoor transects revealed that mammal species number decreased as the teak matured. Of those vegetation variables tested, grass and bare ground abundance explained significantly the variation in species number and in individual species' habitat use between differently aged stands; therefore this habitat use was influenced by the foraging value of the plantation. This study showed that several species (some of which warrant conservation attention, such as elephant) use plantations <6 years old to a greater extent than plantations >6 years. Thus, there is a need for conservation measures, such as wildlife corridors and staggered teak planting to be continued, allowing large mammal movements in the valley.     

Landscape context of plantation forests in the conservation of tropical mammals

Plantation forests have been expanding in many tropical and subtropical environments. Howerver, even when they replace less wildlife friendly land uses such as pastures and annual crops, the biodiversity levels of pristine natural habitats often have not been recovered. Here we addressed how the landscape context of plantation forests located in South-eastern Brazil affects species richness and community resilience of medium and large size mammals. The area covered by native habitat fragments surrounding plantation forests is positively related to functional richness, including the presence of species more vulnerable to extinction in fragmented landscapes. In addition, the degree of aggregation of plantation forest stands is negatively related to more vulnerable species. No primates were recorded in our seven plantation forest sites (ranging from 272 to 24,921 ha), even when they were seen in native habitat fragments adjacent to commercial tree stands. Two invasive species (Sus scrofa and Lepus capensis) were recorded in four plantation forest sites. The impoverishment of fauna in plantation forests is due to two factors. First, plantation forests generally are structurally simplified habitats when compared to highly diverse tropical forests. Secondly, the isolation from habitat fragments which act as source of individuals in the landscape precludes the establishment of individual in plantation forest. We also highlighted the management practices to improve the complexity of vegetation in commercial tree stands should be taken cautiously, insofar as reduced productivity per area entails a greater demand for land. Thus, an alternative would be intensify the management of the commercial tree stands for wood production together with the restoration of adjacent areas set aside to conservation and native habitat fragments protection.     

Small mammal abundance in Mediterranean post-fire habitats: a role for predators?

We studied patterns of small mammal abundance and species richness in post-fire habitats by sampling 33 plots (225 m² each) representing different stages of vegetation recovery after fire. Small mammal abundance was estimated by live trapping during early spring 1999 and vegetation structure was sampled by visual estimation at the same plots. Recently–burnt areas were characterised by shrubby and herbaceous vegetation with low structural variability, and unburnt areas were characterised by well developed forest cover with high structural complexity. Small mammal abundance and species richness decreased with time elapsed since the last fire (from 5 to at least 50 years), and these differences were associated to the decreasing cover of short shrubs as the post-fire succession of plant communities advanced. However, relationships between vegetation structure and small mammals differed among areas burned in different times, with weak or negative relationship in recently burnt areas and positive and stronger relationship in unburnt areas. Furthermore, the abundance of small mammals was larger than expected from vegetation structure in plots burned recently whereas the contrary pattern was found in unburned areas. We hypothesised that the pattern observed could be related to the responses of small mammal predators to changes in vegetation and landscape structure promoted by fire. Fire-related fragmentation could have promoted the isolation of forest predators (owls and carnivores) in unburned forest patches, a fact that could have produced a higher predation pressure for small mammals. Conversely, small mammal populations would have been enhanced in early post-fire stages by lower predator numbers combined with better predator protection in areas covered by resprouting woody vegetation.