The road effect on small rodent population is investigated at 8 fragmented forest areas in the Baekdudaegan mountain range, South Korea in September 2001. We especially focused on the distribution and body condition o...The road effect on small rodent population is investigated at 8 fragmented forest areas in the Baekdudaegan mountain range, South Korea in September 2001. We especially focused on the distribution and body condition of small rodents near the roads. Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) seems to be more sensitive to the existence of a road than striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Korean field mouse prefers interior forest area to around road. Striped field mouse is a habitat generalist and has wide distributional range around road, but Korean field mouse is forest-inhabiting species and their distribution is limited in forest area. These results suggest the effect of road is different on each small rodent species and their habitat preferences.展开更多
This study was conducted to investigate the population characteristics of small rodents in different habitats with the artificial presence and absence of dead wood, and understory vegetation after forest cutting at na...This study was conducted to investigate the population characteristics of small rodents in different habitats with the artificial presence and absence of dead wood, and understory vegetation after forest cutting at natural deciduous forest in north-eastern South Korea from April to December in 1997 and 1998. Two forests, one hectare each (100 100 m), were se-lected and designated as the control and the treatment area. Forest structure of mid and high canopy layers in both study areas was similar. But number and volume of fallen trees, and coverage of understory vegetation were higher in the control area than in the treatment area. Total captures of small rodents in two areas combined comprised Eothenomys regulus (55.5%, n = 211) and Apodemus peninsulae (44.5%, n = 169). Total abundance of E. regulus and A. peninsulae, and population stability were sig-nificantly greater in the control area than in the treatment area. The difference in the captured number of two small rodents be-tween the two sites was caused by the difference in reproduction and residency. The structure of forest floor appears to be im-portant to small rodents. The presence of dead wood and understory vegetation after the forest cutting would be necessary for the maintenance of small rodent population in the forest cutting areas.展开更多
Some rodent-dispersed seeds have a hard seed-coat(e.g.woody endocarp).Specific scrapes or dental marks on the hard seed-coat left by rodents when they eat these seeds can be used to identify seed predators.In this stu...Some rodent-dispersed seeds have a hard seed-coat(e.g.woody endocarp).Specific scrapes or dental marks on the hard seed-coat left by rodents when they eat these seeds can be used to identify seed predators.In this study we measured the morphological traits of endocarp-remains of seeds of wild apricot Prunus armeniaca used by Chinese white-bellied rats Niviventor confucianus and Korean field mice Apodemus peninsulae.We established their Fisher's linear discriminant functions to separate endocarp-remains between the two predators.A total of 90.0% of the endocarp-remains left by Korean field mice and 88.0% of those left by Chinese white-bellied rats were correctly classified.The overall percentage of correct classification was 89.0%.One hundred and sixty endocarp-remains of unknown what species predated them were classified using the functions.The method may allow more reliable quantitative studies of the effects of Chinese white-bellied rats and Korean field mice on seed consumption and dispersal of wild apricot and this study might be used for reference in other studies of seed predators identification on hard seeds.展开更多
文摘The road effect on small rodent population is investigated at 8 fragmented forest areas in the Baekdudaegan mountain range, South Korea in September 2001. We especially focused on the distribution and body condition of small rodents near the roads. Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) seems to be more sensitive to the existence of a road than striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Korean field mouse prefers interior forest area to around road. Striped field mouse is a habitat generalist and has wide distributional range around road, but Korean field mouse is forest-inhabiting species and their distribution is limited in forest area. These results suggest the effect of road is different on each small rodent species and their habitat preferences.
文摘This study was conducted to investigate the population characteristics of small rodents in different habitats with the artificial presence and absence of dead wood, and understory vegetation after forest cutting at natural deciduous forest in north-eastern South Korea from April to December in 1997 and 1998. Two forests, one hectare each (100 100 m), were se-lected and designated as the control and the treatment area. Forest structure of mid and high canopy layers in both study areas was similar. But number and volume of fallen trees, and coverage of understory vegetation were higher in the control area than in the treatment area. Total captures of small rodents in two areas combined comprised Eothenomys regulus (55.5%, n = 211) and Apodemus peninsulae (44.5%, n = 169). Total abundance of E. regulus and A. peninsulae, and population stability were sig-nificantly greater in the control area than in the treatment area. The difference in the captured number of two small rodents be-tween the two sites was caused by the difference in reproduction and residency. The structure of forest floor appears to be im-portant to small rodents. The presence of dead wood and understory vegetation after the forest cutting would be necessary for the maintenance of small rodent population in the forest cutting areas.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30800120) and the Foundation for New Teachers of Huazhong Normal University
文摘Some rodent-dispersed seeds have a hard seed-coat(e.g.woody endocarp).Specific scrapes or dental marks on the hard seed-coat left by rodents when they eat these seeds can be used to identify seed predators.In this study we measured the morphological traits of endocarp-remains of seeds of wild apricot Prunus armeniaca used by Chinese white-bellied rats Niviventor confucianus and Korean field mice Apodemus peninsulae.We established their Fisher's linear discriminant functions to separate endocarp-remains between the two predators.A total of 90.0% of the endocarp-remains left by Korean field mice and 88.0% of those left by Chinese white-bellied rats were correctly classified.The overall percentage of correct classification was 89.0%.One hundred and sixty endocarp-remains of unknown what species predated them were classified using the functions.The method may allow more reliable quantitative studies of the effects of Chinese white-bellied rats and Korean field mice on seed consumption and dispersal of wild apricot and this study might be used for reference in other studies of seed predators identification on hard seeds.
