Structure and diversity of small-mammal communities of lowland forests in the rural central European landscape     

Josef Suchomel  Luboš Purchart  Ladislav Čepelka 《European Journal of Forest Research》2012,131(6):1933-1941

Small-mammal communities were monitored over 4 years in South Moravian rural lowland forests in order to study relationships with various forest habitat types. Early successional sites (plantations) and forest edges maintained communities with higher abundance and diversity. Lowest total abundance was observed in unmanaged lowland forest and highest abundance in plantations with irregular undergrowth management. Low diversity was typical of non-fruiting monocultures. In plantations, both diversity and abundance were affected by herb layer removal, with sites subject to regular cutting, displaying lower levels. Significant differences in diversity and species richness were only detected between early and late successional sites, with the former showing higher values. Two basic small-mammal community groups were determined; (1) those inhabiting sites with a thick herb undergrowth and an open tree canopy (plantation) and (2) those inhabiting stands with sparse or no herb layer and a closed canopy (high forest). Forest stands support long-term populations of dominant small forest-dwelling mammal species and, as such, serve as reservoirs, even in rural landscapes dominated by intensive arable farming. Managed early succession lowland forests represent important refuges for a number of small open-habitat mammals negatively affected by intensive farming.  相似文献   

Structure and diversity of small mammal communities of mountain forests in Western Carpathians     

Josef Suchomel  Luboš Purchart  Ladislav Čepelka  Marta Heroldová 《European Journal of Forest Research》2014,133(3):481-490

We sampled the small mammal (SM) community in mountain forest ecosystems of the Beskydy Mountains over 5 years in order to study associations with different types of forest habitat. Fourteen species were determined, three being eudominant (yellow-necked mouse—Apodemus flavicollis (45 %), bank vole—Clethrionomys glareolus (23.3 %) and field vole—Microtus agrestis (15.7 %) and one dominant common shrew—Sorex araneus (9.3 %)). Highest abundance was observed in young succession sites (plantations) with dicotyledonous plants dominant (>50 %) in the undergrowth. Highest diversity was observed in plantations and primeval forests. Lowest total abundance and diversity were observed in mature monocultures. Significant differences in diversity were only found between old monocultures and other sites. Using a faunistic similarity index, two basic SM community groups were determined: those inhabiting (1) early (plantation) and late (reserve) successional forest ecosystems with a dense dicotyledonous plant herb layer, and (2) plantations with a dense grass herb layer and forests with a dense canopy closure (fruiting monoculture). Redundancy analysis confirmed separate habitat preferences of the three eudominant species. Generalised linear model indicated increasing preference of field vole for plantations with dominance of grass and <10–15 % admixed dicotyledonous plants while decreasing preference at ratios >10–15 %, and increasing preference of bank vole for plantations with a dicotyledonous plant ratio of >10–15 %. The biotopes monitored proved suitable for long-term survival of the dominant SM species. Early successional plantations and forest reserves also represent important refuges for a number of rarer SM species presently under threat.  相似文献   

Bark gnawing of forest trees by voles during the growing season     

Suchomel  Josef  Heroldová  Marta  Šipoš  Jan  Čepelka  Ladislav  Dokulilová  Martina  Purchart  Luboš 《European Journal of Forest Research》2021,140(6):1431-1440

This study investigated the impact of small rodents on young trees during three growing seasons (2018–2020) in the Czech Republic. Tree damage by small rodents, the quantity and quality of herbaceous plant biomass and the species composition of small mammals were monitored at two sites in European beech forest plantations. The number of trees damaged during three growing seasons correlated positively with fibre content and negatively with nitrogen content in herbaceous plant biomass. The importance of winter precipitation is reflected in the positive correlation with nitrogen content in herbaceous plant biomass. The observed tree-gnawing damage correlated positively with the abundance of one rodent species only—the bank vole. The highest damage occurred after the concurrence of a dry winter and a higher number of voles. Given current climate variability, this situation could become more common in the future. Gnawing may be a limiting factor for the successful restoration of trees with thin bark—in our case, European beech. In addition, the proportion of this woody species should be increased to achieve a more stable and closer composition in the Czech Republic.

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Factors influencing vole bark damage intensity in managed mountain-forest plantations of Central Europe     

Josef Suchomel  Luboš Purchart  Ladislav Čepelka  Marta Heroldová 《European Journal of Forest Research》2016,135(2):331-342

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