Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) of the wolf and the lynx was evaluated for 15 pelvic and sacral variables in 48 specimens from the Western Carpathians. Our data confirmed small male-biased SSD in the pelvic and sacral bones for both species. We suggest that this can be explained by the need for a compromise between requirements for locomotion and giving birth. We also confirmed that significant differences exist between the species in the size of the pelvic and sacral bones. We discuss our findings in light of the species' different life histories.
In 2005–2016, we investigated a secondary succession of small mammal communities in forest ecosystems in High Tatras (Slovakia) disturbed by windstorm and fire. This long-term ecological study confirmed the occurrence of significant temporal and spatial changes in species composition and number of dominant small mammal species. A comparison between disturbed and undisturbed plots indicated notable differences in species richness and abundance. The gradations of dominant small mammal species in disturbed habitats were asynchronous and showed a wider range of amplitude than in the undisturbed plots. An analysis of the temporal and spatial changes in the structure of small mammal communities in relation to selected environmental gradients confirmed the statistically significant effect of secondary succession on species composition, abundance, and exchange in forest ecosystems in the High Tatra Mountains following a disturbance.
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