Broad‐headed spiny rats (<i>Clyomys laticeps</i>) as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian savannah

Lamberto, Jenifer Martins; Leiner, Natália Oliveira

doi:10.1111/jzo.12684

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…We did not register C. laticeps digging and hiding food but found cached food inside the shelters we provided. Studies with free-living populations cite burrows filled with stored food items (Lamberto and Leiner, 2019;Luchesi, 2019). Food hoarding strategy seems to be conservated in the three environments among echiymid species (tropical forest, Cerrado, and Caatinga).…”

Section: Digging and Catching Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral repertoire of the Brazilian spiny-rats, Trinomys setosus and Clyomys laticeps: different levels of sociality

et al. 2023

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Behavior is a useful trait for comparative studies that provide the comprehension of phylogenetic relationships among species. Here, we present a description of two spiny-rats species’ behavioral repertoire, Clyomys laticeps and Trinomys setosus (Rodentia: Echimyidae). The affiliative and agonistic behavioral patterns were sampled during a three-year study of captive populations of wild animals. Observational data were collected in two phases under different arrangements of individuals in groups. We also compare the behavioral traits of T. setosus and C. laticeps with the known behavioral patterns of Trinomys yonenagae. We add categories to the previous descriptions of T. setosus and a standard ethogram for C. laticeps. Trinomys setosus showed a visual and vocal display we called foot-trembling, which was not described in this form and function for other species studied until now. We discuss the differences in their sociality levels and similarities and differences among behavior patterns and repertoires.

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Section: Digging and Catching Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral repertoire of the Brazilian spiny-rats, Trinomys setosus and Clyomys laticeps: different levels of sociality

et al. 2023

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“…The one small-mammal taxon in common to TSE on all four continents are native species and genera of the most diverse of mammalian families, Muridae (Mammal Diversity Database, 2022). Small mammals are important and potentially abundant components of tropical savannas and play ecologically important roles including ecosystem engineers (e.g., by digging burrows and tunnel systems that are used by many commensals and help to aerate savanna soils), insect and plant regulators, food sources for mammalian, reptilian, and avian predators, and reservoirs for realized and potential zoonotic diseases (e.g., Wurm, 1998;Hagenah and Bennett, 2013;Byrom et al, 2014;Limongi et al, 2016;Lamberto and Leiner, 2019;Teman et al, 2021). TSE small rodents are important reservoirs for diseases that are and may be zoonotic, including the bacterial diseases bubonic plague and Bartonellosis, hantaviruses (which cause various hemorrhagic fevers), and adenoviruses (one of which causes Lassa fever; Lecompte et al, 2006;Luis et al, 2013;Young et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropical savanna small mammals respond to loss of cover following disturbance: A global review of field studies

Bergstrom

Scruggs²,

Vieira³

2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Small-mammal faunas of tropical savannas consist of endemic assemblages of murid rodents, small marsupials, and insectivores on four continents. Small mammals in tropical savannas are understudied compared to other tropical habitats and other taxonomic groups (e.g., Afrotropical megafauna or Neotropical rainforest mammals). Their importance as prey, ecosystem engineers, disease reservoirs, and declining members of endemic biodiversity in tropical savannas compels us to understand the factors that regulate their abundance and diversity. We reviewed field studies published in the last 35 years that examined, mostly experimentally, the effects of varying three primary endogenous disturbances in tropical savanna ecosystems—fire, large mammalian herbivory (LMH), and drought—on abundance and diversity of non-volant small mammals. These disturbances are most likely to affect habitat structure (cover or concealment), food availability, or both, for ground-dwelling small mammalian herbivores, omnivores, and insectivores. Of 63 studies (included in 55 published papers) meeting these criteria from the Afrotropics, Neotropics, and northern Australia (none was found from southern Asia), 29 studies concluded that small mammals responded (mostly negatively) to a loss of cover (mostly from LMH and fire); four found evidence of increased predation on small mammals in lower-cover treatments (e.g., grazed or burned). Eighteen studies concluded a combination of food- and cover-limitation explained small-mammal responses to endogenous disturbances. Only two studies concluded small-mammal declines in response to habitat-altering disturbance were caused by food limitation and not related to cover reduction. Evidence to date indicates that abundance and richness of small savanna mammals, in general (with important exceptions), is enhanced by vegetative cover (especially tall grass, but sometimes shrub cover) as refugia for these prey species amid a “landscape of fear,” particularly for diurnal, non-cursorial, and non-fossorial species. These species have been called “decreasers” in response to cover reduction, whereas a minority of small-mammal species have been shown to be “increasers” or disturbance-tolerant. Complex relationships between endogenous disturbances and small-mammal food resources are important secondary factors, but only six studies manipulated or measured food resources simultaneous to habitat manipulations. While more such studies are needed, designing effective ones for cryptic consumer communities of omnivorous dietary opportunists is a significant challenge.

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“…Excavated soil covers the organic matter on the soil surface, increasing its decomposition and consequently releasing nutrients into the soil (Austin et al 2009). In addition, bioturbation activities have the potential to provide safe sites for seeds to germinate, promoting seedling recruitment (Martin 2003, Radnan & Eldridge 2017), and provide important refuge habitat for many other animal species (Lamberto & Leiner 2019, Lindtner et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem roles and conservation status of bioturbator mammals

et al. 2021

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1. The action of biological reworking of soils is referred to as bioturbation, and many species of mammals globally have an important role in soil disturbance, modifying ecosystem characteristics. 2. We examined global patterns in the distribution, conservation status, and threats to the world's bioturbator mammals and illustrated the relevant roles these species play in ecosystem engineering related to soil processes and services. We searched the data available on 3932 non-flying land-dwelling mammals included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List. 3. Using existing literature and online databases, we determined that 869 (22%) of the non-flying land-dwelling mammals accessed can be considered as bioturbators in three distinct groups: foragers (n = 123), semi-fossorial species (n = 652), and strictly fossorial species (n = 94). Of the world's bioturbator mammal species, 16% are threatened, 2% are already Extinct, and 8% are classified as Data Deficient. Foragers have the highest percentage of threatened (35%) and Extinct (5%) species, while strictly fossorial species have the highest percentage of Data Deficient species (12%). Although the majority of bioturbator mammal species are found in Asia (32%), Oceania is the continent with the highest percentage of threatened (27%) and Extinct (11%) bioturbator species, while Central and South America have the highest percentage of species classified as Data Deficient (24%). The threats experienced by the greatest number of bioturbator mammal species are activities related to agriculture and aquaculture (29%), and biological resource use (22%). 4. Soil bioturbation can improve ecosystem health by reducing soil compaction, increasing nutrient cycling, soil moisture, microbe diversity, plant recruitment, and carbon storage. The loss of bioturbator mammals could trigger cascading effects throughout the ecosystems they inhabit. A better understanding of their conservation status is important so that effective conservation measures can be developed.

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Broad‐headed spiny rats (Clyomys laticeps) as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian savannah

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Behavioral repertoire of the Brazilian spiny-rats, Trinomys setosus and Clyomys laticeps: different levels of sociality

Behavioral repertoire of the Brazilian spiny-rats, Trinomys setosus and Clyomys laticeps: different levels of sociality

Tropical savanna small mammals respond to loss of cover following disturbance: A global review of field studies

Ecosystem roles and conservation status of bioturbator mammals

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