J. For. Sci., 2008, 54(8):370-376 | DOI: 10.17221/33/2008-JFS

Contribution to the knowledge of Apodemus sylvaticus populations in forests of the managed landscape of southern Moravia (Czech Republic)

J. Suchomel
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

The population dynamics of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) was studied in three forest complexes differing in food supply in the intensively managed landscape of southern Moravia. They included an old semi-natural floodplain forest dominated by oak (HL), production broadleaved forest with the predominance of oak and robinia (HA) and a pheasantry with various forest stands consisting of diverse species and age categories of trees with a quantity of additional food for additional feeding of pheasants and roe deer (RB). The population fluctuation within six-year monitoring was affected by seed years (acorn crops in 2003 and 2006), which resulted in an increase in the species population density in the next year. Statistically significant effects of the crop of acorns on the body weight of monitored species were also detected (P < 0.01, F = 1.44). Relative abundance differed significantly between the floodplain forest (HL) and RB and HA (P < 0.01). The two last-mentioned sites did not differ and only a trend of greater preference to the most variable biotope in RB was noted. It evidences the unsuitability of floodplain forest for the species. In spite of the food specialization in small seeds significant effects of the excess crop of acorns can result in a rapid increase in the Apodemus sylvaticus population which can then cause damage to the natural regeneration of oak or artificial regeneration by seeding although to a substantially smaller extent than the more harmful A. flavicollis.

Keywords: wood mouse; forests in managed landscape; population dynamics; food supply

Published: August 31, 2008  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Suchomel J. Contribution to the knowledge of Apodemus sylvaticus populations in forests of the managed landscape of southern Moravia (Czech Republic). J. For. Sci. 2008;54(8):370-376. doi: 10.17221/33/2008-JFS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Dudich A., Štollman A., 1983. Micro-mammal communities in the tree species formation of the East Slovakian Lowlands. Ekológia (ČSSR), 2: 353-373.
    2. Erlinge S., Goränsson G., Hansson L., Högstedt G., Liberg O., Nilsson N.I., Nilsson T., von Schantz T., Sylvén M., 1983. Predation as a regulating factor on small rodent populations in southern Sweden. Oikos, 40: 36-52. Go to original source...
    3. Flowerdew J.R., 1972. The effect of supplementary food on a population of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). Journal of Animal Ecology, 41: 553-556. Go to original source...
    4. Flowerdew J.R., 1973. The effect of natural and artificial changes in food supply on breeding in the woodland mice and voles. Journal of Reproduction Fertility (Supplementum), 19: 259-269.
    5. Flowerdew J.R., 1985. The population dynamics of wood mice and yellow-necked mice. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 55: 315-338.
    6. Flowerdew J.R., 1987. Mammals. Their Reproductive Biology and Population Ecology. London, Edward Arnold: 241.
    7. Flowerdew J.R., Gardner G., 1978. Small rodent populations and food supply in a Derbyshire ashwood. Journal of Animal Ecology, 47: 725-740. Go to original source...
    8. Goszczyński J., 1977. Connections between predatory birds and mammals and their prey. Acta Theriologica, 22: 399-430. Go to original source...
    9. Gurnell J., 1985. Woodland rodent communities. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 55: 377-411.
    10. Heroldová M., 1994. Diet of four rodent species from Robinia pseudoacacia stands in South Moravia. Acta Theriologica, 39: 333-337. Go to original source...
    11. Holišová V., 1960. Potrava myšice křovinné Apodemus sylvaticus L. na Českomoravské vysočině. Zoologické listy, 9: 135-158.
    12. Jedrzejewska B., Pucek Z., Jedrzejewski W., 2004. Seed crops and forest rodents. In: JEDRZEJEWSKA B., WOJCIK J.M. (eds), Esseys on Mammals of Bialowieza Forest. PAS Bialowieza, Mammal Research Institute: 214.
    13. Jensen T.S., 1982. Seed production and outbreaks of noncyclic rodent populations in deciduous forests. Oecologia, 54: 184-192. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. KING C.M., 1985. Interactions between woodland rodents and their predators. In: Flowerdew S.R., Gurnell J., Gipps J.M.W. (eds), The ecology of woodland rodents bank voles and wood mice. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 55: 219-247.
    15. Krištofík J., 1999. Small mammals in floodplain forests. Folia Zoologica, 48: 173-184.
    16. Májsky J., 1985. Drobné zemné cicavce lužných lesov a vetrolamov hornej časti Žitného ostrova. Biologické práce, 31: 1-116. Go to original source...
    17. Mazurkiewicz M., Rajska-Jurgiel E., 1989. Spatial behaviour and population dynamics of woodland rodents. Acta Theriologica, 43: 137-161. Go to original source...
    18. Montgomery W.I., 1979. Seasonal variation in numbers of Apodemus sylvaticus, A. flavicollis and Clethrionomys glareolus. Journal of Zoology (London), 188: 183-186. Go to original source...
    19. Montgomery W.I., Gurnell J., 1985. The behaviour of Apodemus. In: Flowerdew S.R., Gurnell J., Gipps J.M.W. (eds), The ecology of woodland rodents bank voles and wood mice. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 55: 89-115.
    20. Niethammer J., Krapp F. (eds), 1978. Handbuch der Saugetiere Europas. Vol. 1. Rodentia. Wiesbaden, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft: 476.
    21. Ouin A., Paillat G., Butet A., Burel F., 2000. Spatial dynamics of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) in an agricultural landscape under intensive use in the Mont Saint Michel Bay (France). Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 78: 159-165. Go to original source...
    22. Pelikán J., 1964. Vergleich einiger populationsdynamischen Faktoren bei Apodemus sylvaticus L. und A. microps Kr. et Ros. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 29: 242-251.
    23. Pelikán J., 1975. K ujednocení odchytového kvadrátu a linie pro zjišťování populační hustoty savců v lesích. Lynx (Praha), 17: 58-71. Go to original source...
    24. Pelikán J., 1976. The estimation of population density in small mammals. In: Petrusewicz E.D.K. (ed.), Secondary productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. Warszawa, Panstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe: 167-273.
    25. Pelikán J., 1986. Small mammals in windbreaks and adjacent fields. Acta Scientarium Naturalium Brno, 20: 1-38.
    26. Pelikán J., 1989. Small mammals in fragments of Robinia pseudoacacia stands. Folia Zoologica, 38: 199-212.
    27. Pucek Z., Jedrzejewski W., Jedrzejewska B., Pucek M., 1993. Rodent population dynamics in a primeval deciduous forest (Bialowieza National Park) in relation to weather, seed crop, and predation. Acta Theriologica, 38: 199-232. Go to original source...
    28. Randuška D., Vorel J., Plíva K., 1986. Fytocenologie a lesnická typologie. Bratislava, Príroda: 399.
    29. Southern H.N., Lowe V.P.W., 1982. Predation by tawny owls (Strix aluco) on bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). Journal of Zoology (London), 198: 83-102. Go to original source...
    30. Suchomel J., 2007. Contribution to the knowledge of Clethrionomys glareolus populations in forests of managed landscape in Southern Moravia (Czech Republic). Journal of Forest Science, 53: 340-344. Go to original source...
    31. Suchomel J., Heroldová M., 2004. Small terrestrial mammals in two types of forest complexes in intensively managed landscape of South Moravia (The Czech Republic). Ekológia (Bratislava), 23: 377-384.
    32. Suchomel J., Heroldová M., 2006. Population of Apodemus flavicollis in three large isolated forests under various environmental conditions in Southern Moravia (Czech Republic). Ekológia (Bratislava), 25: 377-387.
    33. Suchomel J., Heroldová M., Purchart L., 2007. The study of changes in the synusia of small terrestrial mammals (Insectivora, Rodentia) of top parts of the Beskids (preliminary results). In: KULA E., TESAŘ V. (eds), Beskids Bulletin, 20. vyd. Brno, MZLU, LDF: 211-216.
    34. Tumur A., Halik M., Airoldi J.P., Abbas A., 2007. Population dynamics and structure of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) in the set aside area around the farmland. Acta Theriologica Sinica, 27: 96-100.
    35. Watts C.H.S., 1969. The regulation of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) numbers in Wytham woods, Berkshire. Journal of Animal Ecology, 38: 285-304. Go to original source...
    36. Watts C.H.S., 1970. Effect of supplementary food on breeding in woodland rodents. Journal of Mammalogy, 51: 169-171. Go to original source...
    37. Zejda J., 1973. Small mammals in certain forest type groups in southern Moravia. Zoologické listy, 22: 1-13.
    38. Zejda J., 1976. The small mammal community of a lowland forest. Acta Scientarium Naturalium Brno, 10: 1-39.
    39. Zejda J., 1981. The small mammal community of a spruce monoculture. Acta Scientarium Naturalium Brno, 15: 1-31.
    40. Zejda J., 1991. A community of small terrestrial mammals. In: Penka M., Vyskot M., Klimo E., Vašíček F. (eds), Floodplain Forest Ecosystem II. After Water Management Measures. Prague, Academia: 505-521. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content