Small mammals at forest plantations in the Jeseníky Mts. (Czech Republic)

Abstract

Small mammal community was studied at Fagus sylvatica plantations in 2007–2011. The animals were captured in snap traps once a year in autumn in the course of three consecutive nights. The abundance, species composition, dominance and diversity were assessed with the help of the Shannon (H) and Simpson (1/D) indexes. A total of 586 individuals of 11 species were captured, out of this 8 rodent species (Rodentia) and 3 insectivorous species (Soricomorpha). Four species, namely Apodemus flavicollis (30.2%), Myodes glareolus (27.1%), Microtus agrestis (24.6%) and Sorex araneus (12.6%), were eudominant, one species was dominant (Microtus arvalis, D = 3.7%) and the remaining six species were subrecedent (D < 1%). The structure of the small mammal community was strongly affected by the herb layer composition. Population dynamics of A. flavicollis and M. glareolus fluctuated strongly in relation to beech nut crops in the surrounding high forests. The overall diversity was H = 1.546 a 1/D = 0.757 with equitability of 0.427, which indicates a highly unbalanced community. Differences in diversity, both at individual plots and in relation to altitude, were inconclusive (p > 0.05). The monitored plantations represented important habitats of rodent species significant in terms of forest management, as well as refugia of an abundant population of the common shrew. With respect to the subrecedent species (Sicista betulina, Muscardinus avellanarius, Crocidura suaveolens), the paper extends the knowledge on their habitat preferences. The obtained values on biodiversity give evidence of the key importance of forest plantations for the small mammal biodiversity in our production forests.