Mice and Habitat Complexity Attract Carnivorans to Recently Burnt Forests

Faunal responses to wildfire depend on the fire effects on direct mortality, habitat structure, and resource availability for animals. Despite the importance of large predators in terrestrial trophic webs, little is still known about how fire affects carnivorans (the mammalian order Carnivora). To evaluate the responses of the carnivoran community to fire, we studied three recently burnt forest areas in the western Mediterranean basin. Line transects were used to quantify evidence of carnivorans (mainly feces) and to measure environmental variables and resources (small mammal abundance, fleshy fruit availability, and plant cover). Throughout the study, we found 212 carnivoran field signs, 93% of them produced by red fox and stone marten. Immediately after fire, carnivoran occurrence was more frequent close to the perimeter of the burnt area, where fire severity was low, and in places with greater small mammal abundance. Small mammal abundance and plant cover had the greatest effect on the frequency of occurrence of red fox in the burnt area surroundings, and this increased with time-since-fire in the burnt area. Furthermore, the presence of red fox did not affect stone marten occurrence. Stone martens were found around the burnt area perimeter, probably because of their preference for high plant cover, and they were not significantly affected by small mammal abundance. The scat frequency of occurrence of both species was not significantly related to fleshy fruit availability. Accordingly, rodents and carnivorans were more abundant where the habitat was more complex. Our results show that the responses of some carnivorans to fire are influenced, directly and indirectly, by habitat structure and resource availability.

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Spatial distribution models in a frugivorous carnivore, the stone marten (Martes foina): is the fleshy-fruit availability a useful predictor?

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075610x523297 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 423-436 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Sara Cabezas-Díaz ◽

Emilio Virgós ◽

Jorge Lozano ◽

Julián Mangas

Keyword(s):

Habitat Structure ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Scale Model ◽

Fleshy Fruit ◽

Small Scale ◽

Stone Marten ◽

Martes Foina ◽

Habitat Models ◽

Fruit Availability

AbstractFleshy-fruit availability is rarely used as a predictor in stone marten (Martes foina) habitat models, despite its frugivorous carnivore diet. Data on stone marten occurrence, habitat structure and fleshy-fruit species abundance was collected along 2 km long survey routes within 2 × 2 km sample plots (n = 30). Two different spatial scales were considered: 1) the entire survey route; and 2) 200 m segments within each 2 km survey route. Data analyses included Poisson General Linear Models (GLM) and Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) for the first and second approaches, respectively.Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) availability was significantly and positively correlated to stone marten occurrence at both spatial scales, particularly for the large-scale model. At the larger scale, a lower correlation to the traditional habitat structure variables was observed. Tree cover was the most important variable in the small-scale model, but strawberry tree availability was also an important predictor. Stone marten abundance was low in areas of high tree cover and absence of strawberry trees; emphasising the prominent role of strawberry trees per se in the abundance of stone martens. Our results indicated that including fine, field-derived estimates of key food resources for species can increase the utility of habitat models.

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Reproductive phenology in a riparian rainforest in the south of Santa Catarina state, Brazil

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências ◽

10.1590/0001-37652013105112 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 1449-1460 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

MAINARA F. CASCAES ◽

VANILDE CITADINI-ZANETTE ◽

BIRGIT HARTER-MARQUES

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Resource Availability ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Riparian Forests ◽

Reproductive Phenology ◽

Environmental Restoration ◽

Fruit Availability ◽

One Year ◽

Riparian Plant

Phenological studies assist in forest ecosystems comprehension and evaluation of resource availability for wildlife, as well as in improving the understanding of relationships between plants and their pollinators and dispersers. This study aims to describe the reproductive phenophases of riparian plant species and correlate them with climatic variables. The reproductive phenology was analyzed biweekly throughout one year, recording the absence or presence of flowers/fruits. The flowering phenophase occurred throughout the year, with an increase in number of species in blossom in October, November, and December. The flowering peak of the community was observed in November. The fruiting phenophase also occurred throughout the year and showed an increase of species fruiting in June with a slight decrease in August and September. The data obtained in this study, when compared with other studies in different Atlantic Rainforest areas, indicates a seasonal pattern for the flowering phenophase and a variation in fruit availability throughout the year as well as in the fruiting peaks. Therefore, studies that observe flowering and fruiting events in loco are of main importance because they provide information on reproductive seasons of species for use in environmental restoration projects and thus alleviate the situation of degradation of riparian forests.

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Habitat, food, and small mammal community structure in Namaqualand

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v49i1.103 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

M. Van Deventer ◽

J.A.J. Nel

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Food Availability ◽

Small Mammal ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Plant Litter ◽

Shrub Cover ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Habitat Differences ◽

Elephant Shrew ◽

Density And Biomass

The effect of habitat differences and food availability on small mammal (rodent and elephant shrew) species richness, diversity, density and biomass was investigated in Namaqualand, South Africa. Species richness in the three habitats sampled, namely Upland Succulent Karoo, Dry Riverine Shrub and North-western Mountain Renosterveld was low, with only 2–4 species per habitat. Rodents trapped were predominantly Gerbillurus paeba and Aethomys namaquensis, with fewer Mus minutoides and Petromyscus sp. The only non-rodent was the elephant shrew Elephantulus edwardii. Ten habitat features, the percentage of total plant cover, tree cover, shrub cover, grass cover, plant litter, total basal cover, sand, gravel or rock cover, and the dominant plant height were recorded at 30 randomly chosen points on five sampling grids in each habitat. Small mammal density and biomass was significantly correlated with food availability (green foliage cover, seeds, and relative density and biomass of insects). Species richness and diversity of small mammals were significantly correlated with shrub cover. Numbers and biomass of specific species correlated significantly with different habitat features in each case.

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Review of small mammal trophic structure in drylands: resource availability, use, and disturbance

Journal of Mammalogy ◽

10.1644/10-mamm-s-227.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 92 (6) ◽

pp. 1179-1192 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Barry J. Fox

Keyword(s):

Small Mammal ◽

Resource Availability ◽

Trophic Structure

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Effects of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) logging on small mammal communities, habitat structure, and seed predation in the southeastern Amazon Basin

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2004.11.012 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 206 (1-3) ◽

pp. 381-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Thomas D. Lambert ◽

Jay R. Malcolm ◽

Barbara L. Zimmerman

Keyword(s):

Small Mammal ◽

Seed Predation ◽

Habitat Structure ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

Swietenia Macrophylla ◽

Small Mammal Communities ◽

Mammal Communities

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Influence of habitat structure and fruit availability on use of a northeastern stopover site by fall songbirds

The Wilson Journal of Ornithology ◽

10.1676/13-060.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 125 (4) ◽

pp. 744-754 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Brad M. Mudrzynski ◽

Christopher J. Norment

Keyword(s):

Habitat Structure ◽

Stopover Site ◽

Fruit Availability

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Habitat quality versus spatial variables as determinants of small mammal assemblages in Atlantic Forest fragments

Journal of Mammalogy ◽

10.1093/jmammal/gyv175 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 97 (1) ◽

pp. 253-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Ana C. Delciellos ◽

Marcus V. Vieira ◽

Carlos E. V. Grelle ◽

Priscilla Cobra ◽

Rui Cerqueira

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Habitat Quality ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Small Mammal ◽

Habitat Structure ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Vegetation Density ◽

Matrix Properties ◽

Mammal Assemblages

Abstract Fragment size, isolation, and matrix properties have received considerable attention as predictors of species richness, abundance, and composition in habitat patches. However, measurements of habitat attributes or habitat quality are more directly related to the proximate effects of habitat fragmentation and may be more determinant of assemblages than traditional explanatory variables at local scales. We determine how habitat structure in fragments—a measure of habitat quality—compares to fragment size, isolation, and matrix properties as determinants of richness, abundance, and composition of non-volant small mammals in a fragmented landscape of Atlantic Forest. Small mammals were surveyed once in 25 fragments in the Macacu River watershed, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1999 to 2001 and 2005 to 2009. A total of 83 candidate models were formulated and compared by Akaike Information Criteria. Habitat structure was one of the main determinants of small mammal assemblages in fragments, as important as fragment isolation for species composition and climatic season for species richness. Rodents were more abundant in fragments with increased overstory and understory vegetation density and more fallen logs. The contrary pattern was found for overall species richness and for species of terrestrial habit, which were more abundant in fragments with more open forest: decreased overstory and understory vegetation density and less fallen logs. Habitat quality in fragments may be a more important determinant of assemblages of small mammals and other vertebrates than previously considered in landscape and land use studies. O tamanho e isolamento dos fragmentos e as propriedades da matriz têm recebido considerável atenção como preditores da riqueza, abundância e composição de espécies em manchas de habitat. Entretanto, medidas dos atributos do habitat ou da qualidade do habitat são mais diretamente relacionadas aos efeitos imediatos da fragmentação de habitat, e seriam mais determinantes das comunidades do que as variáveis explicativas tradicionais. Determinamos como a estrutura do habitat nos fragmentos—uma medida da qualidade do habitat—se compara ao tamanho e isolamento dos fragmentos, e às propriedades da matriz como determinantes da riqueza, abundância e composição de espécies de pequenos mamíferos não-voadores em uma paisagem fragmentada de Mata Atlântica. Os pequenos mamíferos foram amostrados uma vez em 25 fragmentos na Bacia do Rio Macacu, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, de 1999 a 2001 e de 2005 a 2009. Um total de 83 modelos foram formulados e comparados utilizando o Critério de Informação de Akaike. A estrutura do habitat foi um dos principais determinantes das comunidades de pequenos mamíferos nos fragmentos de mata, tão importante quanto o isolamento entre fragmentos para a composição de espécies e os efeitos das estações climáticas sobre a riqueza de espécies. Os roedores foram mais abundantes nos fragmentos com estratificação vertical e sub-bosque mais densos e com maior presença de troncos caídos. O padrão contrário foi encontrado para a riqueza total de espécies e para espécies de hábito terrestre, que foram mais abundantes em fragmentos com estratificação vertical e sub-bosque menos densos e menor presença de troncos caídos. A qualidade do habitat em fragmentos pode ser determinante das comunidades de pequenos mamíferos e outros vertebrados, mais importante do que considerado previamente em estudos de paisagens e uso da terra.

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