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Animals
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Small Mammals as Contributors to Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning
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Small Mammals as Contributors to Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Mammals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2092

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Linas Balčiauskas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Mammalian Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: hoofed, semi-aquatic, carnivore and small mammal ecology; threatened and invasive mammal species; large carnivores; spatial distribution; population management and computer modeling; biodiversity and ecological diversity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alexander Csanády

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 17. Novembra 1, SK-080 01 Prešov, Slovakia
Interests: biodiversity; Mammalia; small mammal ecology; morphometry of mammals and other vertebrates

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to bring together researchers to advance the understanding of the ecological importance of small mammals, thereby contributing to the knowledge of terrestrial ecosystem functioning and conservation efforts. We aim to explore and highlight the important role that small mammals play in terrestrial ecosystems. Small mammals are integral to various ecological processes, and, despite their small size, these mammals can have significant impacts on ecosystem structure and function, making them essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.

The essential topics of this SI include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Population dynamics and community structure of small mammals (with an emphasis on habitat use and selection and interactions with predators and parasites);
  • Ecological roles and functions of small mammals (such as burrowing activities, foraging behaviors, seed predation/dispersal);
  • Responses to environmental changes (evaluation of climate change impacts and anthropogenic influences);
  • Small mammal management and conservation.

We would like to emphasize long-term investigations of small mammals that are essential for a comprehensive understanding of their ecological roles, adaptive strategies, and responses to environmental changes. Such studies will enhance our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes, and will ultimately contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

Dr. Linas Balčiauskas
Dr. Alexander Csanády
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • small mammals
  • long-term studies
  • monitoring
  • climate change
  • environmental changes
  • disease ecology
  • trophic interactions
  • genetic diversity

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

33 pages, 39840 KiB  
Article
Potential Habitat and Priority Conservation Areas for Endangered Species in South Korea
by Soyeon Park, Hyomin Park and Sangdon Lee
Animals 2025, 15(8), 1158; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15081158 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 329
Abstract
Anthropogenic threats from human activity have significantly altered global ecosystems, resulting in habitat destruction and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. The identification and establishment of protected areas for the conservation of threatened species is thus required to mitigate the impacts of these [...] Read more.
Anthropogenic threats from human activity have significantly altered global ecosystems, resulting in habitat destruction and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. The identification and establishment of protected areas for the conservation of threatened species is thus required to mitigate the impacts of these threats. This study identified priority conservation areas (PCAs) for endangered mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles in South Korea using ecological modeling. In particular, we used the MaxEnt model to determine the potential distributions of endangered species and Zonation software to prioritize conservation areas. In doing so, we aimed to identify key environmental factors that influence the distributions of the target species and to identify ecologically critical areas using gap analysis based on the first-grade areas on the ecology and nature map (ENM). The results indicated that the highest priority areas for endangered species varied by taxon, with endangered mammals found primarily in forested areas, endangered birds on inland plains, and endangered amphibians and reptiles within marine and stream regions. The gap analysis revealed a very low overlap between ecological areas and high-priority areas for endangered birds and amphibians. This suggests that the first-grade areas on the ENM mainly represent areas with high vegetational coverage. These findings highlight the need to reassess existing protected areas and designate PCAs for endangered species independently from the ENM. This study represents a foundational assessment that can be used to inform conservation planning and prompt continued ecological research in support of biodiversity conservation efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Mammals as Contributors to Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning)
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19 pages, 1567 KiB  
Article
Effects of Climate and Land Use on the Population Dynamics of the Bank Vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) in the Southernmost Part of Its Range
by Lucía de la Huerta-Schliemann, Marc Vilella, Lídia Freixas and Ignasi Torre
Animals 2025, 15(6), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15060839 - 14 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 296
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of habitat structure and climatic variables on populations of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), a northern species with adaptations to cooler climate, at the southern end of their range in Western Europe over a 16-year period. This [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effects of habitat structure and climatic variables on populations of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), a northern species with adaptations to cooler climate, at the southern end of their range in Western Europe over a 16-year period. This is the first long-term analysis of its kind in this region. The study aims to understand how these variables influence the population dynamics and occupancy of bank voles. The results suggested that warmer years and extreme precipitation events lead to a reduction in bank vole abundance. Although changes in land use were minimal in the plots studied, changes in forest composition, particularly the expansion of coniferous forests at the expense of deciduous forests, were also related to lower bank vole abundance. Occupancy models, taking into account detectability, indicated stable occupancy in all regions. Our results suggest that climate change and habitat alterations, such as changes in forest composition, could pose threats to bank vole populations in these regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Mammals as Contributors to Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning)
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20 pages, 4132 KiB  
Article
Morphological Variation in the Striped Field Mouse Across Three Countries
by Linas Balčiauskas, Alexander Csanády, Michal Stanko, Uudo Timm and Laima Balčiauskienė
Animals 2025, 15(3), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030452 - 6 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 641
Abstract
We examined the morphological variation in the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) along south–north and west–east geographic gradients in Europe (Slovakia, Lithuania, and Estonia). Data collected over several decades (1980s–2020s) were analyzed, focusing on five traits: body mass, body length, tail [...] Read more.
We examined the morphological variation in the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) along south–north and west–east geographic gradients in Europe (Slovakia, Lithuania, and Estonia). Data collected over several decades (1980s–2020s) were analyzed, focusing on five traits: body mass, body length, tail length, hind foot length, and ear length, with GLM models assessing the influence of latitude, longitude, age, sex, and decade. Results revealed strong adherence to ecogeographic rules. Findings suggest that body size increased toward the north, following Bergmann’s rule, which links larger size to better heat conservation in colder climates. Conversely, appendage sizes (e.g., tail, ear) decreased, aligning with Allen’s rule to minimize heat loss. Longitudinal gradients revealed reductions in body length and appendages toward the east, potentially reflecting climatic and habitat variability. Temporal trends highlighted dynamic changes in body size, with increases in Slovakia and mixed trends in Lithuania and Estonia. Sex-based dimorphism varied by country and decade, with females often heavier and males displaying longer appendages. The findings underscore the influence of geographic and temporal factors on morphological variation, providing critical insights into the adaptability of A. agrarius. These results contribute to understanding species’ ecological plasticity and evolutionary responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Small Mammals as Contributors to Terrestrial Ecosystem Functioning)
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