Small mammals reduce activity during high moon illumination under risk of predation by introduced predators

Taylor, Peter G.; Swan, Matthew; Sitters, Holly; Smith, Andrew B.; Stefano, Julian Di

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37166-1

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Site conditions ranged from pristine (i.e., protected wildlife areas) to highly disturbed (i.e., recently harvested agricultural fields). Trapping occurred during nights with the least amount of moon illumination [ 43 ]. At each site, 500 Sherman traps (H.B.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and prevalence of Sin Nombre hantavirus in rodent species in eastern New Mexico

Banther-McConnell,

Suriyamongkol,

Goodfellow

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Orthohantaviruses are diverse zoonotic RNA viruses. Small mammals, such as mice and rats are common chronic, asymptomatic hosts that transmit the virus through their feces and urine. In North America, hantavirus infection primarily causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), which has a mortality rate of nearly 36%. In the United States of America, New Mexico (NM) is leading the nation in the number of HCPS-reported cases (N = 129). However, no reported cases of HCPS have occurred within eastern NM. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in rodent assemblages across eastern NM, using RT-qPCR. We screened for potential rodent hosts in the region, as well as identified areas that may pose significant infection risk to humans. We captured and collected blood and lung tissues from 738 rodents belonging to 23 species. 167 individuals from 16 different species were positive for SNV RNA by RT-qPCR, including 6 species unreported in the literature: Onychomys leucogaster (Northern grasshopper mouse), Dipodomys merriami (Merriam’s kangaroo rat), Dipodomys ordii (Ord’s kangaroo rat), Dipodomys spectabilis (Banner-tailed kangaroo rat), Perognathus flavus (Silky pocket mouse), and Chaetodipus hispidus (Hispid pocket mouse). The infection rates did not differ between sexes or rodent families (i.e., Cricetidae vs. Heteromyidae). Generalized linear model showed that disturbed habitat types positively influenced the prevalence of SNV at sites of survey. Overall, the results of this study indicate that many rodent species in east New Mexico have the potential to maintain SNV in the environment, but further research is needed to assess species specific infectivity mechanisms and potential risk to humans.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and prevalence of Sin Nombre hantavirus in rodent species in eastern New Mexico

Banther-McConnell,

Suriyamongkol,

Goodfellow

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…Each site was trapped for four nights per survey, and trap nights were consecutive except for when inclement weather (e.g., excessive rainfall, heat) precluded trapping. Trap nights were scheduled to coincide with periods of low moonlight where possible (Taylor et al, 2023). We opened traps each evening at dusk and checked them each morning at dawn.…”

Section: Small Mammal Trappingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial refuges did not increase small mammal abundance after fire

Watchorn,

Doherty,

Wilson

et al. 2024

Conservat Sci and Prac

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The interacting threats of invasive predators and altered fire regimes are key conservation issues for many native species globally. Artificial refuges have been proposed as a potential conservation tool to provide prey species with protection from invasive predators after fire, but we do not yet know whether they improve animal survival. To address this knowledge gap, we experimentally tested how small mammal abundance and species richness were influenced by the provision of artificial refuges after prescribed burns. We surveyed small mammals across five unburnt sites, seven burnt sites with artificial refuges, and eight burnt control sites following two prescribed fires in southeastern Australia. There were negative and neutral responses of small mammals to the burns, and relative abundance was positively correlated with structurally complex vegetation. Artificial refuges had no impact on abundance or species richness, irrespective of burn coverage. These findings suggest that this artificial refuge design may not be an effective tool for improving small mammal population persistence postfire, and as such we should not yet scale up their application. However, given the inherent context‐dependency of field experiments involving fire, which include difficult‐to‐control variables such as fire severity, predator activity, and population dynamics, we encourage researchers to undertake further experiments with artificial refuges in fire‐affected areas, including after severe wildfires when less vegetation cover remains. Such studies will help to build our understanding of their utility as a conservation tool across different ecosystems and fire types.

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From fire to recovery: temporal-shift of predator–prey interactions among mammals in Mediterranean ecosystems

Tomassini,

Massolo

2024

Mamm Biol

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Fires are becoming increasingly frequent, intense, severe and prolonged worldwide, and such situation is worsening. As a result, extreme fire conditions will increase, with consequences for wildlife, including increased mass mortality and changes in trophic relationships in natural communities. This intensification is expected to be particularly pronounced in the Mediterranean ecosystems. In this scoping review, we summarized current knowledge and gaps in understanding the effects of fires on wildlife, focusing on predator–prey interactions. These interactions play a critical role in animal communities and their understanding is fundamental for appropriate management and conservation. Mammals were chosen as a model group because of their remarkable ecological role. We grouped and analysed the post-wildfire changes in the predator–prey relationships into three-time intervals: immediate, short- and long-term effects. This is relevant as vegetation restoration, by altering cover and habitat structure, may affect hunting strategies and anti-predatory behaviour. Our review showed that studies generally had several limitations, the most common of which were the lack of replication, the strong geographical bias, and the focus on few target species. Nevertheless, we could formally describe how fire affects predator–prey relationships in Mediterranean ecosystems through processes that exert different cascading effects at different times after the fire event. We encourage long-term studies on communities, including as many components of the food chain as possible, using an interdisciplinary approach, and prioritising investigations in high-risk ecosystems.

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Small mammals reduce activity during high moon illumination under risk of predation by introduced predators

Cited by 6 publications

References 71 publications

Distribution and prevalence of Sin Nombre hantavirus in rodent species in eastern New Mexico

Distribution and prevalence of Sin Nombre hantavirus in rodent species in eastern New Mexico

Artificial refuges did not increase small mammal abundance after fire

From fire to recovery: temporal-shift of predator–prey interactions among mammals in Mediterranean ecosystems

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