Altitudinal variation in the diversity and structure of the desert rodent community from Jebel Al Jais, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

In arid areas where organisms are subjected to environmental extremes, ecological communities are simple and provide useful models for studying community organisation. We used capture, mark and release methods between November 2014 and May 2015 to assess the rodent community in the Hajar Mountains of Ras Al Khaima along an altitudinal gradient from 460 m to 1650 m. We captured three rodent species; Arabian Spiny Mouse, Acomys dimidiatus, Wagner’s Gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus and a Black Rat, Rattus rattus (the latter only represented by a single specimen on one occasion). The structure of rodent communities varied altitudinally with the relative abundance of Spiny Mice decreasing and Wagner’s Gerbils increasing with altitude.