Experimental manipulation of habitat structure: a retrogression of the small mammal succession

Abstract

Summary1. The habitat accommodation model for animal succession proposed that animal species enter a succession when changes in the vegetation succession reach a threshold of habitat suitable to that species. As the vegetation succession moves on, the habitat becomes less suited to that species and it is competitively excluded by species better suited to the habitat. 2. The main species in the mammalian succession following fire for wet heath in eastern Australia are rodents, with Pseudomys gracilicaudatus (eastern chestnut mouse) being followed by Rattus lutreolus (swamp rat) which becomes dominant with increasing time since fire. The abundance of both species has been shown to correlate with vegetation density, but in markedly different ways, and asymmetric interspecific competition has been demonstrated using controlled, replicated removal experiments in the field. 3. We used this system to examine if vegetation density is causal, manipulating the habitat by clipping to remove 60-70% of the vegetative cover from the 10 m × 10 m area surrounding each of six trapping stations on each grid. There were four experimental plots clipped, each with two abutting grids, one clipped and one unclipped, and a further four control plots each with two abutting grids that remained undisturbed. 4. We monitored the effects on each species with three censuses in January 1993 (summer) before clipping in early February, and on five further censuses, three in February (late summer) to assess immediate, short-term effects, one in August (winter) and one in December 1993 (early summer). 5. The abundance of Rattus lutreolus was significantly reduced by clipping the vegetation, while the abundance of Pseudomys gracilicaudatus remained relatively unchanged by the clipping. 6. Two species that are abundant on early succession stages in dry heath succession, but occurred at very low abundance on these wet heath habitats before clipping, P. novaehollandiae (New Holland mouse) and Mus domesticus (house mouse), showed marked increases in abundance on clipped and control plots soon after clipping. 7. An abundance index based on the standardized difference between clipped and control plots, was used to assess responses to habitat manipulation. Rattus lutreolus demonstrated significant negative index values, Pseudomys gracilicaudatus had index values close to zero until the winter census, P. novaehollandiae and Mus domesticus showed positive abundance indices soon after clipping. The order of significant responses to the habitat manipulation was revealed as: Mus domesticus → Pseudomys novaehollandiae → P. gracilicaudatus → Rattus lutreolus . 8. The impact of a habitat manipulation experiment on these four species of rodents produced a retrogression of the small-mammal succession. This demonstrated a causal role for vegetation density, which provided insight into the mechanisms that operate during the succession following fire, and supported the habitat accommodation model for animal succession.

Untangling the roles of fire, grazing and rainfall on small mammal communities in grassland ecosystems

“…Fifty-six percent of small mammal species were influenced by grass-related variables, which were themselves directly affected by fire and grazing. This may be attributed to the importance of vegetation as food (Keesing 1998) and cover (Kerley 1992;Fox et al 2003). Fire and grazing had significant effects on nearly all vegetation variables by reducing the amount of cover and biomass via burning, grazing and trampling (compare Bowland and Perrin 1988;Kerley 1992;Kern 1981;Letnic 2003;Sutherland and Dickman 1999).…”

Reptile responses to fire and the risk of post-disturbance sampling bias

“…The habitat accommodation model of succession predicts that species enter a community when their preferred habitat type has developed, and then decline as the plant succession proceeds beyond their optimal habitat conditions (Caughley 1985;Fox 1982;Fox et al 2003;Letnic et al 2004). However, there may be circumstances where a consistent sequence or temporal pace is not observed.…”

Are the closed landfills recovered habitats for small rodents? A case study in a riparian site, Buenos Aires, Argentina

“…As plant succession proceeds, animal communities colonization depends on the local conditions generated by the landfill operation, the composition of the surrounding animal communities and their dispersal ability; all these variables act as a filter that determines the final species composition of the community and their relative abundance (Atkeson and Johnson 1979;Briani et al 2004;Churchfield et al 1997;Fox 1982Fox , 1990Fox et al 2003;Hirth 1959;MacMahon 1981;Pearson 1959;Schweiger et al 2000).…”