The small-mammal community of a dry-tropical forest in central Thailand

Walker, Susan; Rabinowitz, Alan

doi:10.1017/s026646740000609x

Cited by 23 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In both habitats we found some common and many rare species, a pattern that is known from other studies (e.g. Walker & Rabinowitz, 1992; Chandrasekar & Sunquist, 1996; Wu et al. , 1996).…”

Section: Species Survey and Diversitysupporting

confidence: 86%

Use of arboreal and terrestrial space by a small mammal community in a tropical rain forest in Borneo, Malaysia

Wells

Pfeiffer

Lakim

et al. 2004

Journal of Biogeography

150

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Aim Small mammals were live‐trapped in a primary rain forest to evaluate the relative distribution of species to each other and to microhabitat properties on the ground and in the canopy. Location Kinabalu National Park in Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia. Methods Seven trapping sessions were conducted along two grids with 31 trap points at distances of 20 m on the ground and in the lower canopy at an average height of 13.5 m. Results Species diversity and abundance of small mammals proved to be high: 20 species of the families Muridae, Sciuridae, Tupaiidae, Hystricidae, Viverridae and Lorisidae were trapped, with murids being dominant in both habitat layers. The terrestrial community was significantly more diverse with 16 captured species (Shannon–Wiener's diversity index = 2.47), while 11 species were trapped in the canopy ( = 1.59). The Whitehead's rat, Maxomys whiteheadi, and the red spiny rat, Maxomys surifer, dominated the terrestrial community whereas the large pencil‐tailed tree mouse, Chiropodomys major, was by far the most abundant species in the canopy. Other abundant species of the canopy community, the dark‐tailed tree rat, Niviventer cremoriventer, and the lesser treeshrew, Tupaia minor, were also abundant on the ground, and there was no clear boundary between arboreal and terrestrial species occurrences. Main conclusions As most species were not confined to specific microhabitats or habitat layers, species seemed to rely on resources not necessarily restricted to certain microhabitats or habitat layers, and separation of species probably resulted mainly from a species’ concentrated activity in a preferred microhabitat rather than from principal adaptations to certain habitats. Ecological segregation was stronger in the more diverse terrestrial community, though microhabitat selection was generally not sufficient to explain the co‐occurrences of species and the variability between local species assemblages. Constraints on small mammal foraging efficiency in the three‐dimensional more complex canopy may be responsible for the similarity of microhabitat use of all common arboreal species. Community composition was characterized by mobile species with low persistence rates, resulting in a high degree of variability in local species assemblages with similar turnover rates in both habitats.

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“…In both habitats we found some common and many rare species, a pattern that is known from other studies (e.g. Walker & Rabinowitz, 1992; Chandrasekar & Sunquist, 1996; Wu et al. , 1996).…”

Section: Species Survey and Diversitysupporting

confidence: 86%

Use of arboreal and terrestrial space by a small mammal community in a tropical rain forest in Borneo, Malaysia

Wells

Pfeiffer

Lakim

et al. 2004

Journal of Biogeography

150

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show abstract

“…However, it was high compared to lower-elevation evergreen forests in southern India, such as Anamalais with three species (Chandrasekar-Rao and Sunquist 1996), Kalakkad-Mundanthurai with four species (D. Mudappa, personal communication) and Mudumalai with four species (Meena 1997). Other studies in evergreen forests in south-east Asia reported ®ve species (Wu et al 1996) and seven species (Walker and Rabinowitz 1992). Although a total of eight species were captured in this study, only four were common and two were represented by single captures.…”

Section: Community Structurecontrasting

confidence: 54%

Community structure and demography of small-mammal populations in insular montane forests in southern India

Shanker

Sukumar

1998

Oecologia

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Small mammals were studied in insular montane forest patches in the Upper Nilgiris in southern India from February 1994 to September 1996. Nine patches were selected at two sites, one with a single large 600-ha patch, the other with several small patches ranging in size from 0.2 to 60 ha. The population characteristics and community structure of small mammals were studied in relation to patch size and habitat structure within the patches. The two most abundant species were Rattus rattus (2-36 individuals/ha) and Suncus montanus (0-11 individuals/ha), while the abundance of seven other species recorded were very low. The population characteristics of R. rattus examined were density, biomass, proportions of juveniles, sub-adults and adults, mean weight of all animals, mean weight of adults, sex ratio and persistence. The proportion of adults, sub-adults, mean weight of animals, and mean weight of adult males were correlated with patch size. Persistence of sub-adult females in the large patch was especially high. The density and biomass of other small-mammal species were also studied. Two indices of diversity, species richness and proportion of R.␣rattus were compared as measures of community structure. Seven habitat characteristics were measured; of these, canopy cover, canopy height and tree density were correlated with the size of the patch. Density and biomass of species other than R. rattus and proportion of R. rattus were correlated with canopy height. Density and biomass of species other than R. rattus were highest in smaller patches. While the population characteristics of R. rattus may be affected by patch size, the density of rare species may be influenced by factors related to lower canopy height. Migration between patches may be an important factor in maintaining populations in these patches.

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“…That is, the annual influx of migratory antelope occurred each year between June and August, when rainfall was relatively low. Although rainfall is used as a cue to stimulate seasonal reproduction in some tropical mammals, for example rodents (Delaney and Neal, 1969;Taylor and Green, 1976;Walker and Rabinowitz, 1992;ChandrasekarRao and Sunquist, 1996), rainfall could be ruled out as a proximal cue for Crocuta since there was no apparent relationship in the current study between rainfall and either births or conceptions. The hypothesis that Crocuta time their births to minimize cub deaths from flooded dens or other mortality sources could also be ruled out because cub deaths showed no significant seasonal variation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Association of seasonal reproductive patterns with changing food availability in an equatorial carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)

et al. 1999

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Reproductive seasonality was examined in an equatorial population of free-living spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) in Kenya. The study population was observed continuously for 10 years, during which time the dates of all births, conceptions, weanings, and cub deaths were recorded. Local prey abundance was estimated two to four times per month, and rainfall was recorded daily throughout the study period. Births occurred during every month of the year, but a distinct trough in births occurred from February to May. This trough occurred approximately one gestation period after the phase of the annual cycle during which prey animals were least abundant in the home range of the hyaenas, and conceptions occurred most frequently when food abundance was greatest. Neither rainfall nor cub mortality were correlated with births or conceptions. Thus, although spotted hyaenas are capable of breeding throughout the year, they exhibit a moderate degree of seasonality that most likely reflects responses to seasonal variation in energy availability.

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The small-mammal community of a dry-tropical forest in central Thailand

Cited by 23 publications

References 29 publications

Use of arboreal and terrestrial space by a small mammal community in a tropical rain forest in Borneo, Malaysia

Use of arboreal and terrestrial space by a small mammal community in a tropical rain forest in Borneo, Malaysia

Community structure and demography of small-mammal populations in insular montane forests in southern India

Association of seasonal reproductive patterns with changing food availability in an equatorial carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)

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