The importance of considering both taxonomic and habitat guild approaches in small mammal research

Studies on the effects of habitat fragmentation on small mammals often lead to confounding results as they only consider taxonomic groups in their analysis and neglect functional diversity of the communities. Here we describe the structure and composition of small mammal communities at 22 sites, ranging from 41 to 7035 ha, in a hyper‐fragmented landscape of an Amazonia‐Cerrado ecotone. Also, in considering a taxonomic and habitat guild approach, we report the effects of habitat structures and patch spatial attributes on richness, abundance and species composition. Small mammal richness reported in southern Amazonia (N = 23 species) is greater than most previous studies in the tropics. All rare small mammals captured in this study were forest interior species. Richness of forest interior species was positively related to larger patches, as shown by the species–area relationship. However, 52% of the small mammal species were in forest fragments smaller than 50 ha, highlighting the importance of preserving both large and small forest fragments in a landscape with accelerated habitat reduction. Richness of edge‐tolerant species was not associated with the tested variables, yet edge‐tolerant species were more abundant in degraded environments. Marsupials were positively associated with vertical habitat structures, while rodents were more strongly related to a ground‐level habitat structure. The landscape studied is extremely variable and has contributed to the difficulty in detecting clear patterns, particularly when considering only one approach. Because of the complementary outputs when analysing either taxonomic groups or habitat guilds, we recommend the use of multi‐taxa studies of different guilds to assist decision makers in designing conservation strategies and appropriate management of small mammal populations.     

寒温带牧林交错区生境复杂度对啮齿类物种多样性的影响

采用铗日法对嫩江流域牧林交错区5个生境梯度中啮齿动物的多样性水平进行了研究,以探讨栖息地复杂程度对地面啮齿类物种多样性的影响.结果表明,黑线姬鼠、黑线仓鼠和大林姬鼠是嫩江流域牧林交错区中的优势种和常见种,不同物种在不同生境类型中呈明显的不均匀分布,反映了它们对不同生境的选择倾向性.同时,地面草本植物的覆盖度和丰富度对地面活动的小型哺乳动物的物种组成和群落结构具有较大的影响,啮齿动物的捕获率和生物量与草本植物的多样性水平呈现出显著的相关性关系,其物种丰富度随草本植物多样性指数的增加呈递增的趋势.此外,各生境中啮齿动物的物种多样性指数与草本植物多样性的相关关系并不显著,可能是因为灌丛区和林-灌交错区内大量的低矮灌丛与萌生丛改善了生境的隐蔽条件与食物资源,为更多物种的共存创造了良好的微环境,使得两生境中啮齿动物的物种多样性水平尤为突出.研究表明,小型啮齿动物的物种组成与栖息地的复杂程度有关,但地面植被对小型兽类生物量和物种多样性的影响力度并不是等同的,对地面小型兽类物种多样性影响的研究,统计生境复杂度或异质性时应考虑不同植被型/生境类型距地面的高度,不同植被型对小型兽类物种多样性的贡献程度随其距地面高度的增加而降低.     

都江堰地区小型哺乳动物群落与生境类型关系的初步研究

于2000年10月底至11月初,对都江堰地区中亚热带常绿阔叶林带不同生境类型中小型哺乳动物群落的多样性变化进行了初步研究。其捕获小型哺乳动物12种,其中啮齿目（Rodentia）鼠科（Muridae）10种,食虫目（Insce-tivora）JuQin科（Soricidae）2种,总捕获率为10.67%,在所调查的7个生境中,以干扰较轻的次生林中小型哺乳动物物种多样性指数（1.8438）和均匀度（0.9475）最高,灌丛、次生林1、原生林和弃耕地均有较高的多样性指数,农田受人类的干扰最严重,物种单一,优势度（0.5703）明显;柳杉林中的多样性指数（1.3380）和均匀度(0.8313）均较低。但原生林的物种多样性指数（1.4305）略低于次生林（1.8475和1.4610）,灌丛（1.6398）和弃耕地(1.6566）。根据不同生境内群落相似性指数进行系统聚类,7个生境在相似性指数0.0952处全部聚合在一起,灌丛、原生林和次生林中主要分布有森林型小型哺乳动物,聚为一类,为森林群落型;柳杉林和农田以大足鼠（Rattus nitidus）为优势种,聚为一类,为农田群落型;弃耕地一方面由于群落多样性指数较高（1.6566）,另一方面其农田型小型哺乳动物仍占较高比例（46.67%）,所以在聚类图中另成一类,为农林交错型。结果表明,人类活动过度干扰的生境（如农田、柳杉林）多样性指数最低,适度干扰的生境（如次生林、灌丛、弃耕地）多样性指数最高,干扰较少的生境（如原生林）多样性指数略低。     

森林生态系统年净初级生产力和生境复杂度对小型兽类物种多样性影响

本研究主要探讨黄龙自然保护区森林生态系统年净初级生产力水平和栖息地复杂程度对小型兽类物种多样性的影响。将调查区按海拔高度分为4 个调查点,每点的年净初级生产力水平各不相同,分别为: 24.9 MJ / (m²·a) ; 21.5 MJ / (m²·a) ; 17.5 MJ / (m²·a) 和14.1 MJ / (m²·a) 。在选择调查点时,同时考虑栖息地复杂程度,在生产力水平较高的调查点选择栖息地复杂程度较低的地点,而在生产力较低的调查点选择栖息地复杂程度较高的地点调查,以便分析森林生态系统年净初级生产力水平与栖息地复杂程度对小型兽类物种多样性的影响。采用鼠铗捕获小型兽类。结果表明,小型兽类物种多样性与森林生态系统年净初级生产力水平有密切关系,随着海拔升高,森林生态系统年净初级生产力的降低,所捕获的小型兽类生物量随之降低,其物种多样性也随之下降。小型兽类物种多样性也与栖息地复杂程度有关,森林生态系统年净初级生产力水平在一定范围内,大于17.5 MJ / (m²·a) ,栖息地复杂度的增加可以降低年净初级生产力水平对小型兽类物种多样性的影响。然而,森林生态系统年净初级生产力水平降低到一定程度时,小于14.1 MJ / (m²·a) ,生产力水平则为影响小型兽类物种多样性的主要因子。此外,小型兽类的生物量与森林生态系统年净初级生产力和栖息地复杂程度也有类似的关系。     

A preliminary study of the biodiversity of ground-dwelling small mammals in Badagongshan National Nature Reserve,Hunan Province

Little is known about the diversity patterns of mammals in the Badagongshan National Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, although the reserve was established in 1982. During September and October of 2012, the diversity of ground-dwelling small mammals was investigated using live traps, pitfalls and camera traps in a permanent forest dynamics plot and other nearby vegetation types. We captured 12 species of ground-dwelling small mammals, including eight species of Rodentia and four species of Insectivora. Presently, there are 20 species of ground-dwelling small mammals recorded in the Badagongshan National Nature Reserve, including six new species recorded in this study, i.e., Eothenomys melanogaster, Typhlomys cinereus, Apodemus draco, Anourosorex squamipes, Blarinella griselda, and Sorex thibetanus. The body mass of the individuals captured by live traps was much larger than that of the individuals captured by pitfall traps. Our study also indicates that the diversity patterns of ground-dwelling small mammals are affected by the habitat types. Therefore, we recommend that a combination of different methods be used to effectively monitor mammal diversity in the Badagongshan National Nature Reserve.     

八大公山自然保护区地栖性小兽多样性初步研究

湖南省八大公山自然保护区自1982年设立以来, 尚未进行过兽类资源的深入研究。为此, 作者于2012年9–10月, 采用笼捕法、陷阱法和红外相机法等对保护区内森林动态永久监测样地及周边常见植被类型中的地栖性小型兽类多样性进行了初步研究。共捕获小型兽类12种, 其中啮齿目8种, 食虫目4种。结合以往记录, 该保护区现已记录的小型兽类有20种, 而本次调查新增分布记录物种6种, 即黑腹绒鼠(Eothenomys melanogaster)、猪尾鼠(Typhlomys cinereus)、中华姬鼠(Apodemus draco)、四川短尾鼩(Anourosorex squamipes)、灰黑齿鼩鼱(Blarinella griselda)和藏鼩鼱(Sorex thibetanus)。陷阱法所捕获个体的体重显著小于笼捕法。此外, 不同生境类型对小兽多样性有重要影响。建议综合采用多种调查方法对整个保护区兽类多样性资源进行深入监测与研究。     

Termites, Large Herbivores, and Herbaceous Plant Dominance Structure Small Mammal Communities in Savannahs

Large herbivores and termites are important functional groups in African savannahs. Both groups affect small mammals, which are also important determinants for savannah structure and function. Because vegetation on Macrotermes mounds are preferentially grazed by large herbivores, and mounds represent resource-rich distinct habitat patches for small mammals in relatively resource-poor savannahs, termite mounds are ideal sites for studies of how grazing by large mammals and productivity affect communities of small mammals. We conducted an experiment in Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda, with four treatments: large vegetated Macrotermes mounds (with and without large herbivores) and adjacent savannah areas (with and without large herbivores). We replicated the treatment blocks nine times and trapped small mammals regularly over a period of almost 2 years. Small mammal species assemblages differed considerably between mounds and savannah areas. Grazing had a substantial effect on small mammal species assemblages in the resource-poor savannah, but not in the relatively resource-rich termitaria. Small mammal species abundance, biomass, and richness were higher on termite mounds than adjacent savannah areas. Excluding large herbivores caused a major increase in species abundance, biomass, and richness both on savannah and termitaria. Herbaceous plant species evenness was an important determinant of the small mammal community. Small mammal biomass increased with high plant dominance, indicating that a few dominant plant species are important for biomass production of small mammals. Small mammal diversity was not related to any of the treatments, but increased with plant species evenness as well as richness. Fencing increased species dominance in the small mammal community on both savannah and termitaria, probably because competitive patterns shift from inter-guild (that is, between large and small mammals) to intra-guild (that is, between small mammals) when large mammals are excluded. The study highlights the complex interactions among large herbivores, termites, herbaceous plants, and small mammals in African savannahs. When studying the structure and function of small mammal communities it is therefore important to consider several coexisting functional groups.     

Ecology of mites (Acarina) on small mammals (Eulipotyphla, Rodentia) in Podunajská nížina plain

This study deals with the species distribution and structure of mite communities living in the fur of small mammals. Mesostigmatic mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata) of several small mammal species were studied at several sites of Slovakia situated in the Podunajská ní?na lowland. The aims deal with ecological evaluation of mesostigmatic mites and their small mammal hosts. The research was done from 2005 to 2007. Several small mammal species were caught at 16 sites in the research area. These represent 13 types of biotopes. On the captured small mammals we recorded 3,141 individuals of mesostigmatic mites (7 families and 22 species). The dominance and the diversity of the recorded mites were analysed. Mites being interpreted as the variable one were evaluated by cluster analysis and multifactor analysis (detrended correspondence analysis, principal components analysis, redundancy analysis). Small terrestrial mammals as hosts of mites represent “holders” of environmental factors, in the analysis they are being evaluated as explanatory variable mainly. They transform direct impact of the environment and for that reason the ecological evaluation of mites is specific comparing to other taxonomical and ecological groups of animals.     

Similarity in occupancy of different-sized forest patches by small mammals on clearcuts: conservation implications for red-backed voles and small mustelids

Many mammalian species decline on forest sites that are harvested by clearcutting because of a loss of food, cover, and other components of stand structure. Small mustelids are impacted negatively as is the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi), a principal prey species, that disappears from clearcuts within a year of harvest. These effects may be potentially ameliorated by aggregated retention harvests that leave unlogged patches on clearcuts. We tested three hypotheses (H) that (H₁) abundance, reproduction, and survival of M. gapperi populations, (H₂) total abundance, species richness, and diversity of the forest-floor small mammal community, and (H₃) the presence of small mustelids would be greater in large than small patches of retention forest on new clearcuts. We measured demographic responses of M. gapperi, total small mammals, and the presence of small mustelids (American marten, Martes americana, and small weasels (Mustela spp.)) from 2014 to 2016 in replicated treatments of four sizes (ha) of retention patches (means of 0.53, 1.50, 4.13, and 18.73) near Elkhart in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Mean abundance, reproduction, and survival attributes of M. gapperi were similar among treatment sites over the 3-year study. Overall mean abundance ranged from 3.5 to 5.3 voles per line in patches while this microtine was extirpated on clearcut sites (i.e., no forest patches). The similarity in population dynamics among the various forest patches across a gradient of increasing patch size of 4.5 to 35.3 times did not support H₁. Mean abundance, species richness, and diversity of total forest-floor small mammals were similar among treatment sites, and hence did not support H₂. Although not formally significant, mean species diversity did show a consistent increase from the largest (0.82) to the smallest (1.11) patch size, owing primarily to the presence of several generalist species such as Neotamias amoenus, Microtus, and Sorex in nearby early successional habitat. Small mustelids were present at similar levels among patch sizes, presumably in response to abundance of small mammal prey, and hence did not support H₃. Although our results were relatively short-term, the detailed assessment of population dynamics of M. gapperi indicated that habitat quality was sufficient to maintain this species regardless of patch sizes, ranging from 0.3 to 20.0 ha. Similarly, the total forest-floor small mammal community and presence of small mustelids also followed this pattern. All sizes of forest patches have conservation value and will help to maintain abundance and diversity of forest mammals, both predator and prey species, on clearcuts. Longer-term studies (e.g., at 5- to 10-year intervals) are essential to determine if our results are sustainable in augmenting forest restoration.

     

Maintenance of small mammals using post-harvest woody debris structures on clearcuts: linear configuration of piles is comparable to windrows

Management of post-harvest woody debris structures (e.g., piles and windrows) may help conserve mammal diversity in commercial forest landscapes. A windrow (continuous woody debris) provides a linear habitat to connect patches and reserves of uncut forest and riparian areas to maintain forest-floor small mammals and allow some of their avian and mammalian predators to access and traverse clearcut openings. However, most post-harvest residues are arranged in independent piles of woody debris (separated by 20–30 m, on average) and we asked if a linear configuration of piles would provide similar habitat conditions for small mammals as that achieved by a windrow of continuous woody debris. We tested two hypotheses (H) that piles of woody debris arranged in a linear configuration, on newly clearcut sites, would (H₁) enhance (a) abundance of the major small mammal species (Myodes gapperi and Microtus spp.), and (b) total abundance, species richness, and species diversity of the forest-floor small mammal community; compared with dispersed (conventional) treatment of woody debris. H₂ predicted that, because of the continuity of habitat, responses of small mammals in windrows would be greater than those in piles of woody debris. Three study areas were monitored in southern British Columbia, Canada, and each had three treatments of woody debris: dispersed, in a linear set of piles, and as a windrow. Forest-floor small mammals were sampled by live-trapping in spring and fall periods from 2010 to 2012. Woody debris in a linear configuration of piles and in windrows enhanced mean abundance of the southern red-backed vole (M. gapperi), total voles, and total abundance of small mammals compared with the dispersed treatment. Small mammal responses were variable between spring and fall periods, but overall mean values ± 95% CIs indicated that abundance of M. gapperi, total voles, and total small mammals were reasonably similar in piles and windrows.     

Habitat patch and matrix effects on small-mammal persistence in Amazonian forest fragments

Tropical forest mammal assemblages are widely affected by the twin effects of habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. We evaluated the effects of forest patch metrics, habitat structure, age of patch isolation, and landscape metrics on the species richness, abundance and composition of small mammals at 23 forest fragments (ranging in size from 43 to 7,035 ha) in a highly deforested 3,609-km² landscape of southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Using pitfall traps and both terrestrial and arboreal traplines of Sherman, Tomahawk and snap traps, we captured a total of 844 individuals over 34,900 trap-nights representing 26 species and 20 genera of small-mammals, including 13 rodent and 13 marsupial species. We also consider the effects of distance from forest edges on species occupancy and abundance. Overall small mammal abundance, species richness and species composition were primarily affected by the quality of the open-habitat matrix of cattle pastures, rather than by patch metrics such as fragment size. Ultimately, small mammal community structure was determined by a combination of both landscape- and patch-scale variables. Knowledge of the anthropogenic factors that govern small mammal community structure is of critical importance for managing the persistence of forest vertebrates in increasingly fragmented neotropical forest landscapes.     

广西猫儿山自然保护区的兽类和鸟类多样性初步调查-基于红外相机监测数据

红外相机技术是监测兽类和鸟类的重要方法,目前已广泛应用于野生动物资源调查、种群评估和行为生态学等研究领域。2014年7月至2015年1月期间,在广西猫儿山国家级自然保护区布设51个红外相机监测位点（分别位于4种生境和7个海拔区域）,对区内大中型兽类及林下鸟类资源多样性进行了初步调查。研究期间共记录到兽类17种、鸟类30种,包括2种国家I级和7种II级重点保护野生动物。小泡巨鼠（Leopoldamys edwardsi）、红腿长吻松鼠（Dremomys pyrrhomerus）、隐纹松鼠（Tamiops swinhoei）、野猪（Sus scrofa）和赤腹松鼠（Callosciurus erythraeus）的相对丰富度居于兽类前5位,白鹇（Lophura nycthemera）、紫啸鸫（Myophonus caeruleus）、红嘴相思鸟(Leiothrix lutea)的相对丰富度居于鸟类前3位。在不同生境和海拔,兽类和鸟类物种数、多样性指数和均匀度指数存在显著差异。混交林中兽类和鸟类的物种数量、多样性和均匀度指数明显高于其它生境;海拔1400-1600 m鸟类物种数明显高于其它海拔区域。本次监测结果初步了解了猫儿山保护区内大中型兽类及林下鸟兽物种组成、相对数量及空间分布,为后期的科研工作及保护管理提供了丰富的基础资料。     

Exposure of small mammals to ticks and rickettsiae in Atlantic Forest patches in the metropolitan area of Recife, North-eastern Brazil

Between December 2007 and March 2009, small mammals were captured in 6 Atlantic Forest patches in Brazil. We assessed tick-host associations and whether they differ among forest strata, sites, seasons, and host age classes or between sexes. Moreover, we assessed the exposure of animals to Rickettsia spp. In total, 432 animals were captured and 808 ticks were found on 32·9% of them. Significant differences were found among host species, collection sites, and forest strata; microhabitat preference was a strong risk factor for tick infestation. The highest tick density rates were recorded in forest fragments settled in rural areas; 91·3% of the ticks were collected from animals trapped in these forest fragments. A high prevalence (68·8%) of antibodies to Rickettsia spp. was detected among animals. This study suggests that disturbed Atlantic Forest fragments provide an environment for ticks and small mammals, which are highly exposed to rickettsiae. It also indicates that forest patches settled in rural areas are usually associated with higher small mammal diversity as well as with higher tick density rates.     

珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠在保护区与非保护区各年龄松林内的种群动态

2004年6~7月,在云南省大理白族自治州苍山和洱海国家自然保护区选取4种年龄段(6~10、11~15、16~20、31~40年)的松林和保护区周围的非保护区选取7种年龄段(1~5、6~10、11~15、16~20、21~30、31~40、50年以上)的松林,每种松林设3个重复,共33个样地,在样地内随机选取3个5m×5m的样方,调查并记录样方内草本植物和灌木的种类、数量、覆盖度。在每个样地按5条样线布笼100个捕捉小兽,每天检查捕获的种类和数量。计算珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠在小兽群落中物种优势度、时间生态位宽度、两种小兽的时间生态位重叠度;用逐步回归分析两种松鼠与松林栖境因子的关系。上述结果表明,在保护区珀氏长吻松鼠出现的时间早于(6~10年的松林开始捕获到)赤腹松鼠(16~20年的松林内开始捕获到);在非保护区,分别在31~40年和21~30年的松林内才捕到珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠。保护区31~40年的松林内珀氏长吻松鼠和赤腹松鼠种群数量分别是同年龄段非保护区松林的3倍和3·75倍。松林底层的灌木对两种小兽的种群数量有重要影响。珀氏长吻松鼠种群数量与灌木密度呈正相关;赤腹松鼠种群数量与灌木覆盖度呈正相关,而与草本植物覆盖度呈负相关。非保护区树底植被的异质性降低,延迟了两种松鼠在松林里建立种群的时间。     

Community structure and diversity of tropical forest mammals: data from a global camera trap network

Terrestrial mammals are a key component of tropical forest communities as indicators of ecosystem health and providers of important ecosystem services. However, there is little quantitative information about how they change with local, regional and global threats. In this paper, the first standardized pantropical forest terrestrial mammal community study, we examine several aspects of terrestrial mammal species and community diversity (species richness, species diversity, evenness, dominance, functional diversity and community structure) at seven sites around the globe using a single standardized camera trapping methodology approach. The sites-located in Uganda, Tanzania, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Suriname, Brazil and Costa Rica-are surrounded by different landscape configurations, from continuous forests to highly fragmented forests. We obtained more than 51 000 images and detected 105 species of mammals with a total sampling effort of 12 687 camera trap days. We find that mammal communities from highly fragmented sites have lower species richness, species diversity, functional diversity and higher dominance when compared with sites in partially fragmented and continuous forest. We emphasize the importance of standardized camera trapping approaches for obtaining baselines for monitoring forest mammal communities so as to adequately understand the effect of global, regional and local threats and appropriately inform conservation actions.     

Geographic distribution patterns of small mammals in Swaziland in relation to abiotic factors and human land-use activity

Swaziland is a small, topographically diverse southern Africa country whose mammalian fauna has been poorly studied. The distributions of small mammals in Swaziland were surveyed at 39 localities. A total of 15 species of rodents and ten species of insectivores were captured during the survey. The number of species of insectivore captured at a locality was positively correlated with mean annual rainfall, while the number of rodent species captured was negatively correlated with altitude. The number of rodent species captured was lower on Swazi Nation Land compared with privately owned land or protected land (reserves). This was probably due to the radical habitat alteration that had taken place on Swazi Nation Land, inter alia overgrazing by livestock, cultivation of maize and deforestation. The effect of this habitat alteration on the number of rodent species was more pronounced in high-lying areas of Swaziland. This may have been due to the fact that a large number of the rodent species inhabiting high-lying areas require thick, tall grassland habitats, whereas many of the low-lying species prefer more open habitats with less grass cover. Since grazing acts to reduce grass cover, it is suggested that the species inhabiting high-lying areas would be more affected by overgrazing, than low-lying species.     

Non flying mammals and landscape changes in the tropical rain forest region of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico

The rapid and extensive conversion of Neotropical rain forests to a landscape consisting of pasture lands and other agricultural habitats has meant the local disappearance fragmentation and isolation of vertebrate populations To avoid further losses in biodiversity in Neotropical rain forests, it is imperative to determine how the different species that constitute the different vertebrate communities have responded to the anthropogenic alterations of their natural habitats To provide data in this direction we sampled non flying mammals in 35 forest fragments, in six disturbed forest sites in 12 regenerating forests, in 20 arboreal agricultural habitats (cacao coffee, mixed, citrus and allspice), in four live fence sites and in four pasture sites at Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz Mexico Sampling indicated that area of forest fragments and isolating distance were important variables influencing species richness Disturbed forest had fewer species and individuals present and supported a lower non flying mammal biomass than undisturbed and regenerating forests Shaded plantations (cacao coffee and mixed) were richer in species and in individuals than unshaded ones (citrus, allspice) Species richness in forests and agricultural habitats were associated to horizontal plant diversity and vertical foliage diversity Pasture habitats were the poorest man-made habitats in non flying mammal species Live fences supported a higher biomass and species of non flying mammals than pastures and were similar to forest and shaded man-made habitats in species assemblages     

Effects of roads on small mammal diversity and abundance in the northern Serengeti,Tanzania

The high biodiversity of small mammal species in the Serengeti ecosystem provides this ecosystem with important conservation value. However, whether the extensive development of roads has negative impacts on the small mammal population has not been tested. Small mammal population diversity and abundance were examined in this study using live trapping at sites close to (experimental) and away (control) from the main gravel road during the short rainy seasons in November and December 2011 and 2012. A total of 138 individuals from three orders representing six families and fourteen species were collected over 4,860 trap nights. There were no significant differences in the species richness, diversity or abundance of small mammals between the control and experimental sites (p > 0.05), suggesting that the current gravel road does not have a significant impact on the small mammal population. These findings were ascribed to the availability of favourable habitats at both distances as a result of little road usage due to poor conditions. Should the road be improved, the control of anthropogenic activities in the area should be given high priority. Continuous monitoring of the small mammal populations in the area is recommended.     

Mammal species richness and habitat use in rainforest and abandoned agricultural fields in Chiapas, Mexico

1. We evaluated the potential of small, isolated cornfields embedded in a large forest matrix as an appropriate compromise between conservation and sustainable development.
2. We examined the relationship between habitat structure and diversity with overall mammal species richness and abundance of six common small mammals in four 6-year-old abandoned cornfields (oldfields) and four continuous rainforest sites in the most speciose region in Mexico, the Selva Lacandona, Chiapas.
3. Species richness did not differ between forests and oldfields, indicating that forest-dependent mammals penetrate oldfields of size 0·9–2·9 ha, presumably because forest cover and resources are nearby. Even species which strongly selected forest habitat, such as H. desmarestianus and D. marsupialis , were present in oldfields, and only the latter showed a significant decline in the number of captures as a function of distance from forest edge.
4. The Lacandon Indian use of the land for agriculture in the form of small (> 3 ha) agricultural plots embedded in a large forest matrix increases spatial heterogeneity and promotes mammal diversity.
5. Those small plots (in agricultural production terms) are intermediate in size when the whole continuum of the local natural and anthropogenic disturbance sizes are considered; more common are the extensive clearings for agriculture or cattle ranching, whereas the most common forest disturbance is treefall gaps, at least 20 times smaller than oldfields.
6. This form of land use should be considered as an important, appropriate productive element when decisions are made about managing reserves and pursuing sustainable development.     

甘肃莲花山秋季森林小型哺乳类群落结构初步研究

对甘肃省莲花山自然保护区秋季森林小型哺乳类群落的种类组成、多样性和生物量进行了初步研究共捕获7种138只,其中洮州绒鼾、大林姬鼠、中国鼩鼱为群落优势种。区系组成上,东洋界物种偏多。洮州绒鼾、大林姬鼠两种的生物量占绝对优势,水份可能足决定研究区域群落生物量的重要因素。