scholarly journals Small mammal community composition varies among Ozark glades

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1774-1782
Author(s):  
Emily M Beasley ◽  
Sean P Maher
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Patch Area ◽  
Imperfect Detection ◽  
Community Model ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Ecological Patterns ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract Island biogeography theory (IBT) explains and estimates large-scale ecological patterns among islands and isolated habitat patches. Specifically, IBT predicts that the number of species per habitat patch differs as a function of area and isolation as a result of local colonization and extinction. Accurate estimates of species richness are essential for testing predictions of IBT, but differences in detectability of species can lead to bias in empirical data. Hierarchical community models correct for imperfect detection by leveraging information from across the community to estimate species-specific occupancy and detection probabilities. Using the fragmented Ozark glades as our model system, we constructed a hierarchical community model to 1) estimate site-level and regional species richness of small mammals while correcting for detection error, and 2) determine environmental covariates driving occupancy. We sampled 16 glades in southwestern Missouri in summer 2016–2017 and quantified mammal community structure within the glade network. The detected species pool included eight species, and the model yielded a regional species estimate of 8.6 species, with a mean of 3.47 species per glade. Species richness increased with patch area but not isolation, and effects of patch shape varied between species in the community.

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

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

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

The potential utility of rodents and other small mammals as indicators of ecosystem 'integrity' of South African grasslands

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico Avenant
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
South African ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Ecosystem Integrity ◽  
Combining Data ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Grassland Biome ◽  
Mammal Community

Context The expansive grassland biome is one of the most extensively transformed in South Africa, yet no strategy for monitoring its integrity is in place. A grassland health program, incorporating different ecosystem levels, was recently initiated. The suitability of three taxonomic groups as indicators has been tested so far: vegetation (by calculating an ecological index value, El), insects (using the South African grassland scoring system, SAGraSS) and small mammals (this study). All of these methods aim to be rapid and easy to perform. Whereas SAGraSS still needs further refinement, several factors already indicate the importance of including small mammal community parameters in integrity assessments. Aims This contribution reports on more than 12 years of results from various studies on small mammals in the Free State Grasslands, with the aim of exploring the utility of small mammal survey for assessment of ecosystem integrity. Methods The hypothesis was based on the outcomes of several short-term studies conducted in the grassland biome. Combining all previous results, this paper re-evaluates the parameters of trap success, species richness, diversity, evenness and individual species as bio-indicators. Key results By combining data from many sites and years, the effect of seasonal and inter-annual variations in habitat and population parameters was diminished, and a more general picture of small mammal community structure revealed. New insights were gleaned into the status of several indicator species. By providing a summary of small mammal community parameter scores and indices, the study establishes a benchmark for future small mammal assessments and monitoring. To be effective, small mammal surveys in the grassland biome of southern Africa should be carried out in autumn and early winter. Conclusions This study suggests that small mammal species richness and diversity decline with habitat degradation; that the generalist rodent Mastomys coucha dominates community numbers at low ecological integrity; that the number of specialist species increases towards ecological climax; and that specific species act as indicators during the successional process. Implications This study should benefit the monitoring, conservation and management of grassland ecosystems, make environmental impact assessments more effective, and identify new topics for ecological research.

scholarly journals Community structure and population dynamics of small mammals in an urban-sylvatic interface area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Rosana Gentile ◽  
Thiago S. Cardoso ◽  
Sócrates F. Costa-Neto ◽  
Bernardo R. Teixeira ◽  
Paulo S. D'Andrea
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Interface Area ◽  
Small Mammal Community ◽  
Mammal Community

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most disturbed Brazilian biomes, with 183 out of 298 species of mammals occurring in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In this study, we aimed to characterize the diversity, community structure, and habitat use of small mammals in the FIOCRUZ Atlantic Forest Campus (CFMA), including areas of Pedra Branca State Park (PBSP, subunit Pau da Fome), state of Rio de Janeiro. We also compared species diversity and composition between two moments 15 years apart (2001 and 2012–2015) and analyzed the population dynamics of the marsupial Didelphisaurita (Wied-Neuwied, 1826). Small mammal captures were made in different habitats: sylvatic-urban interface areas near human dwellings, disturbed forest, and preserved forest areas. Five marsupial species and four rodent species were captured in both periods. There was a reduction in species richness and β diversity between the two periods, indicating that disturbances in the environment over the years may have affected the small mammal community structure. The most altered environment showed the greatest species richness and abundance, while the forest areas showed the smallest values, which may be explained by the loss of mammal species, mainly specialist species in forested areas. We identified three groups of species according to habitat preferences: one related to environments with a higher density of vegetation in upper strata – Marmosaparaguayana (Tate, 1931) and Monodelphisamericana (Müller, 1776), another related to a higher density in lower forest strata – Akodoncursor (Winge, 1887), and another with no association with the investigated habitat variables – D.aurita and Oligoryzomysnigripes (Olfers, 1818). The small mammal community structure showed a low level of nestedness in both sampling periods. This study is the first report to evaluate the community structure of small mammals in the sylvatic-urban interface area of Pedra Branca State Park, the largest forest reserve within an urban area in Brazil. The surveys indicate that the small mammal diversity was low in both sampling periods and in both areas, and a species loss in the Pau da Fome locality was observed, despite it is a conservation unit. The greater species abundance and richness in the most disturbed areas suggest an increase of factors favoring the occurrence of synanthropic and opportunistic species.

Repeatability of Community Data: Species Richness versus Gradient Scores in Large-Scale Lichen Studies

1997 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce McCune ◽  
Jonathan P. Dey ◽  
JeriLynn E. Peck ◽  
David Cassell ◽  
Karin Heiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Community Data

Large-scale patterns in species richness and composition of temperate riverine fish communities, south-eastern Australia

2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Gehrke ◽  
John H. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
South Coast ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
River Types ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Riverine Fish

Riverine fish in New South Wales were studied to examine longitudinal trends in species richness and to identify fish communities on a large spatial scale. Five replicate rivers of four types (montane, slopes, regulated lowland and unregulated lowland) were selected from North Coast, South Coast, Murray and Darling regions. Fishwere sampled during summer and winter in two consecutive years with standardized gear that maximized the range of species caught. The composition of fish communities varied among regions and river types, with little temporal variation. Distinct regional communities converged in montane reaches and diverged downstream. The fish fauna can be classified into North Coast, South Coast, Murray and Darling communities, with a distinct montane community at high elevations irrespective of the drainage division. Species richness increased downstream in both North Coast and South Coast regions by both replacement and the addition of new species. In contrast, species richness in the Darling and Murray regions reached a maximum in the slopes reaches and then declined, reflecting a loss of species in lowland reaches. The small number of species is typical of the freshwater fish faunas of similar climatic regions world-wide. Fish communities identified in this study form logical entities for fisheries management consistent with the ecosystem-focused, catchment-based approach to river management and water reform being adopted in Australia.

Effects of Carrier Material and Design on Microalgae Attachment for Biofuel Manufacturing: A Literature Review

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Cui ◽  
Wenqiao Wayne Yuan ◽  
Zhijian Pei
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cell Attachment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Surface Wettability ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Algae Biofuels ◽  
Attachment Strength ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Continuous Use

Continuous use of petroleum derived fuels is widely recognized as unsustainable due to depleting supplies and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment. Renewable, carbon neutral transport fuels are needed for environmental and economic sustainabilities. Algae have been demonstrated to be one of the most promising sources for biofuel production. However, large-scale algae production and harvesting for energy manufacturing are too costly using existing methods. The approach of growing algae on solid carriers is innovative and can potentially lead to cost-effective manufacturing of algae biofuels. As cells approach to the solid surface, many factors come in to influence microbial attachment such as the surface wettability, free energy, polarity, roughness and topography. Surface wettability plays an important role in the initial cell attachment. For further contact, surface free energy and polarity are more directly related to cell-substratum attachment strength. Surface roughness and texture are species-specific parameters and have been applied widely in attachment studies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document