Rodents in grassland habitats: does livestock grazing matter? A comparison of two Alpine sites with different grazing histories

Abstract

ABSTRACT Intensive livestock grazing is a major force in shaping ecosystems, especially where topography and soil features preclude other farmland practices. In subalpine landscapes, it may be the main disturbance agent. Nevertheless, information on the impact on some species, especially mammals, is lacking. Here, we investigate whether the abundance of rodents in subalpine grasslands of the Alps is related to the intensity of livestock grazing, determined according to the dominant pastoral types. Using Generalized Linear Models, we compared a site intensively grazed until recently (“formerly intensively grazed area”, Dactylis glomerata L. pastoral type), with an area that experienced little or no grazing in past decades (“lightly grazed area”, Carex sempervirens Vill. pastoral type). Data were collected during three trapping sessions during summer 2011, using a sampling design based on small trapping plots. Rodents (Apodemus spp. and Eliomys quercinus Linnaeus, 1766) were mainly trapped in the lightly gr...