Island Populations of Rodents: Their Organization and Functioning

Abstract

As there is not a better term for non-isolated populations, i.e. inhabiting environments with borders open for dispersing individuals, these populations will be called here open populations. I I 0 JOANNA GLIWICZ at that time of the year, cause very high mortality (up to 90 % for mice) and as a result Islmd populations of rodents 113 area of the central part of the island was unfavourable for the mice and acted as a ' dispersal sink ', thus reducing the numbers.On the whole, it can be said that confined populations, the density of which is not reduced strongly by external factors or by a constant emigration of individuals, have a higher density than open populations; the smaller is the size of an island the higher the density of its population. 8-2

Ecological corridor as a factor determining the structure and organization of a bank vole population

“…Thus, typically, these were dominant individuals. A greater difference in trappability between these two groupscf individuals in the isolated population signifies that the social organisation of this population is "more distinct" (Gliwicz, 1980) as compared with the semi-isolated population.…”

“…Thus it can be assumed that reduction of migration by at least partial isolation of a population should yield important consequences. Semi-isolated populations include those inhabiting the so-called habitat islands, that is, patches of a suitable habitat surrounded by other, less suitable habitats (MacArthur, 1972;Diamond & May, 1976;Gliwicz, 1980). Attempts are made to apply the biogeographic theory of MacArthur and Wilson (1967) to such habitat islands, and to use it as a basis for planning nature reserves (Simberloff & Abele.…”

“…The isolation of the populations occupying habitat islands can be reduced by the socalled ecological corridors connecting different habitat patches. Their important role was emphasized by many authors (Wilson & Willis, 1975;Gliwicz, 1980;Forman, 1983, and others) but studies on this subject are rare.…”

Biodiversity, Species Interactions and Ecological Networks in a Fragmented World

“…due to degradation of the landscape matrix around a fragment) can alter migration rates, as well as several other ecological and demographic processes. For instance, population densities within the fragment may be elevated, maturity delayed, and reproductive and growth rates reduced Tracy, 1979, 1980;Gliwicz, 1980;Lidicker, 1985;Myers and Krebs, 1971;Stamps et al, 1987b).…”

Denning behaviour of ship rats (Rattus rattus) on Taukihepa, a seabird breeding island

“…Very little is known about ship rat ecology on seabird islands, as most research in New Zealand has been carried out in mainland forest habitats (Daniel 1972;Dowding & Murphy 1994;innes et al 2001;harper et al 2005). Population ecology of island rodents differs from that of mainland populations (Gliwicz 1980;Polis et al 1997), so it is surprising that more research has not been conducted on islands. Generalist feeding habits and adaptability have allowed ship rats to colonise a wide range of habitats (Clark 1981) and a flexible social structure will facilitate exploitation and rapid population growth when ecological conditions permit.…”