Investigation of habitat preferences of Iranian jerboa (Allactaga firouzi Womochel 1978)

Habitat selection of Williams’ Jerboa (Allactaga williamsi Thomas, 1897) in Ardabil Province, Iran

“…Our observations regarding the habitat associations of Williams' Jerboa, especially the effect of vegetation structure on its habitat use, have also been reported for some other jerboas. Naderi et al (2011) concluded that the Iranian jerboa's activity is limited somewhat to barren areas, although some environmental factors also affect its activity patterns, such as moon phases or the presence of Anabasis aphylla and Peganum harmala as the main feeding items (Naderi et al, 2009). Yiğit et al (2003) reported that vegetation structure, Table 1.…”

“…The first step towards understanding and exploring ecological interactions between a species and its environment is to determine the selection or avoidance of one particular microhabitat in relation to its availability (Neu et al, 1974). Rodents, especially the members of the family Dipodidae, have been studied frequently as model species for investigations of habitat selection in their distributional range (Shenbrot, 1992;Rogovin and Shenbrot, 1995;Shenbrot and Rogovin, 1995;Hemami et al, 2011;Naderi et al, 2011). The results of such studies are more or less similar; for example, many of the investigations concluded that the habitat selection of many small rodents relies primarily on structural characteristics of their environment such as vegetation structure, cover, and height (Brown and Lieberman, 1973;M'Closkey, 1976;Nel, 1978;Stamp and Ohmart, 1978;Çolak and Yiğit, 1998;Yiğit et al, 2003).…”

“…The results of such studies are more or less similar; for example, many of the investigations concluded that the habitat selection of many small rodents relies primarily on structural characteristics of their environment such as vegetation structure, cover, and height (Brown and Lieberman, 1973;M'Closkey, 1976;Nel, 1978;Stamp and Ohmart, 1978;Çolak and Yiğit, 1998;Yiğit et al, 2003). Jerboas select areas that facilitate entry into their burrows (for example, more barren areas with less dense vegetation cover) while providing them with sufficient food items Naderi et al, 2011). Williams' Jerboa was described for the first time by Thomas (1897) from Turkey.…”

New records of the William’s Jerboa, Paralactaga cf. williamsi (Thomas, 1897) (Rodentia: Dipodidae) from northeastern Iran with notes on its ecology

“…Habitat selection in the distributional range of the members of the family Dipodidae, have been studied frequently (Shenbrot 1992;Rogovin and Shenbrot 1995;Shenbrot and Rogovin 1995;Hemami et al 2011;Naderi et al 2011). Many of these investigations concluded that the habitat selection of these rodents relies mainly on the vegetation cover, climate, and elevation of their environment (Colak and Yiğit 1998;Yiğit et al 2003).…”

“…Many of these investigations concluded that the habitat selection of these rodents relies mainly on the vegetation cover, climate, and elevation of their environment (Colak and Yiğit 1998;Yiğit et al 2003). Parallactaga williamsi like other jerboas prefer areas that facilitate faster bipedal locomotion, and better entrance to the burrow, so it avoids dense vegetation cover and selects more barren areas while providing it with sufficient food items Colak and Yiğit 1998;Yiğit et al 2003;Naderi et al 2011). Some other studies on its habitat selection have shown that William's Jerboa selects steppes and semi-arid areas of up to 2,500 m above sea level (Ognev 1948), or areas with sparse vegetation (Toyran and Albayrak 2009).…”