Influence of microhabitat and landscape-scale factors on the richness and occupancy of small mammals in the northern Western Ghats: A multi-species occupancy modeling approach

Bajaru, Sameer B.; Kulavmode, Amol R.; Manakadan, Ranjit

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2019.10.003

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Contrastingly, the R package landscapemetrics overcomes these drawbacks. Thus, it improves the transparency and reproducibility of research (Powers and Hampton, 2018) and facilitates the consideration of environmental heterogeneity in ecological studies, as already confirmed by its usage in various studies (Bajaru et al, 2019;Gasparini et al, 2019;Heisler et al, 2019;Kendall et al, 2019;Lucash et al, 2019;Maxence et al, 2019). The importance of considering environmental heterogeneity even in apparently fairly homogenous conditions was clearly demonstrated by chapter 2 and chapter 3 of this thesis.…”

Section: Chapter 5 -General Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Analysing and modelling spatial patterns to infer the influence of environmental heterogeneity using point pattern analysis, individual-based simulation modelling and landscape metrics

Hesselbarth¹

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Section: Chapter 5 -General Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Analysing and modelling spatial patterns to infer the influence of environmental heterogeneity using point pattern analysis, individual-based simulation modelling and landscape metrics

Hesselbarth¹

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“…In our study area, M. kondana, M. saxicola, M. booduga, and S. murinus were the species with high abundance. We anticipated their high abundance, as the first two species are reported to prefer grassland while the other two favor agriculture (Bajaru et al 2019), and both habitat types were dominant in the study area. Though S. murinus is a generalist species (Prakash & Singh 2005), it was trapped mainly in agricultural fields in our study area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammals in the human-dominated landscape in the northern Western Ghats of India

2021

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The Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot is under huge anthropogenic pressure, with unique flora and fauna facing severe threats from habitat fragmentation, loss, and degradation. The northern Western Ghats has been poorly studied for its small mammal fauna, hence we examined small mammals near Pune from 2014 to 2017. Live trapping was carried out in irrigated and rainfed agriculture fields, forests, and grasslands at low, mid, and high elevations. A total of 538 individuals were trapped, representing 17 species of rodents and one shrew. Most abundantly captured species were Millardia kondana (23%), Mus saxicola (19%), Suncus murinus (17%), and Mus booduga (13%). Species richness and abundance of small mammals varied across the habitats. High elevation grasslands were species-rich relative to low elevation grasslands and forests. Our observations indicate that human disturbances play a role in determining the richness and abundance of small mammals in the area, where populations are under threat from urbanization, tourism, agriculture, grazing, and fire. Habitat and species specific conservation measures need to be taken, coupled with in-depth species–habitat relationship studies, for the conservation of small mammal diversity of the northern Western Ghats.

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“…Microhabitat has been described as environmental variables that affect the species behavior from an individual per-spective and determine portions of the home range that are more intensively used (Morris, 1987;Warrick et al, 1998;Akers et al, 2013;Schirmer et al, 2019). It's use has been specially related to resource availability (e.g., Hodara & Busch, 2010;Pinotti et al, 2011;Sponchiado et al, 2012;Corrêa et al, 2018) and protection against predators (e.g., Lima et al, 2010;Melo et al, 2013;Law et al, 2018;Bajaru et al, 2019). Highlighting the importance of microhabitat characteristics in forest fragments, Delciellos et al (2016) found that the quality of vegetation structure had a comparative effect over small mammal richness and composition with fragment isolation and climate seasonality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammals and microhabitat selection in forest fragments in the transition zone between Atlantic Forest and Pampa biome

Skupien

Rodrigues²,

Sausen

et al. 2022

Pap. Avulsos Zool.

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Natural resources are depleted in fragmented landscapes that have their vegetation also altered. As a result, the microhabitat diversity and the composition and distribution of local species are affected. In this study, we evaluated the small mammals' community diversity, composition and microhabitat selection in two Atlantic Forest fragments, in an ecotone area with the Pampa biome, southern Brazil. We recorded five rodents (Akodon montensis, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Sooretamys angouya, Juliomys pictipes and the exotic Rattus rattus) and one marsupial (Didelphis albiventris). Both fragments were dominated by the generalist rodent A. montensis. Akodon montensis and O. nigripes showed similar habitat preferences: ground covered by rocks and higher values of vegetation obstruction. Sooretamys angouya preferred places with higher abundance of trees. Fruit availability was important for A. montensis and D. albiventris, highlighting the importance of this food resource for local wildlife, and the potential role of these species as seed predators and dispersers. Small species richness, the presence of an exotic species and high dominance level suggest that the study area is highly degraded.

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Influence of microhabitat and landscape-scale factors on the richness and occupancy of small mammals in the northern Western Ghats: A multi-species occupancy modeling approach

Cited by 8 publications

References 56 publications

Analysing and modelling spatial patterns to infer the influence of environmental heterogeneity using point pattern analysis, individual-based simulation modelling and landscape metrics

Analysing and modelling spatial patterns to infer the influence of environmental heterogeneity using point pattern analysis, individual-based simulation modelling and landscape metrics

Small mammals in the human-dominated landscape in the northern Western Ghats of India

Small mammals and microhabitat selection in forest fragments in the transition zone between Atlantic Forest and Pampa biome

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