Harvest miceMicromys minutus and common dormiceMuscardinus avellanarius live sympatric in woodland habitat

Abstract

The harvest mouse Micromys minutus (Pallas, 1771) and the common dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus, 1758) have several similarities in their life histories. They both are adept climbers, able to exploit a three-dimen-sional environment, and they both make similar closed ball-shaped nests among vegetation above the ground. However, these two species usually live in completely different habitats.M. avellanarius is a woodland species, which prefers early successional stages of woody vegetation (eg Bright and Morris 1990, Berg 1996). Their ball-shaped nests were found abundantly [349] Acta Theriologica 52 (4): 349-354, 2007. PL ISSN 0001-7051 Harvest mice Micromys minutus and common dormice Muscardinus avellanarius live sympatric in woodland habitat Rimvydas JUŠKAITIS and Rimantas REMEISIS Juškaitis R. and Remeisis R. 2007. Harvest mice Micromys minutus and common dormice Muscardinus avellanarius live sympatric in woodland habitat.

Seasonal patterns in habitat use by the harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) and other small mammals

“…Additionally or alternatively, it is possible that the perceived decline in numbers in any one habitat is caused by a seasonal change in habitat preference. Although harvest mice are found most reliably in reedbeds, they have also been found in other habitats with tall and dense vegetation, such as cereal fields, field margins, and woodlands (Bence et al 2003;Haberl and Kryštufek 2003;Harris 1979;Juškaitis and Remeisis 2007). Hence, the disappearance of the species from core habitat in spring and summer could be the result of harvest mice moving to other habitats.…”

Harnessing practitioner knowledge to inform the conservation of a protected species, the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius

“…Dormice are known to create summer nests in a variety of locations, including in natural cavities, and woven nests in hedgerows and scrub (Bright et al., 2006; Juškaitis & Remeisis, 2007; Wolton, 2009). However, one participant suggested that dormice tend to be outcompeted for natural cavities in mature trees by nesting birds.…”

Stealthy at the roadside: Connecting role of roadside hedges and copse for silvicolous, small mammal populations

“…It occurs in small population densities (Juškaitis, 2005) and requires well networked forests as it avoids open land (Bright & Morris, 1990, 1991Mortelliti, et al, 2013;Ramakers et al, 2014;Sozio et al, 2015;Trout et al, 2012). Habitats should have a high plant-species diversity with various deciduous trees and shrubs (Juškaitis & Remeisis, 2007) since M. avellanarius needs seeds with high caloric but low tannin content to cover high energy expenditure during the active season (Pretzlaff et al, 2014) and to build fat reserves for hibernation (Ancillotto et al, 2014). It is highly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation (Büchner, 2008;Zapponi, et al, 2013) as it moves arboreally among branches (Di Cerbo & Biancardi, 2013) in 2-5 m height avoiding the floor (Bright, 1998;Bright & Morris, 1991).…”