Ecology and Conservation of Small Mammals: Exploring Biodiversity, Climate Resilience, and Ecosystem Dynamics Through Small Mammal Monitoring and Research: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Diversity and Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 3878

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
CSO “TYTO—Association for the Management and Conservation of Biodiversity in Agricultural Ecosystems”, 41335 Larisa, Greece
Interests: wildlife ecology and biology; small mammals; raptor ecology and biology; biodiversity; multivariate statistics; agricultural ecosystems; avifauna; wildlife management
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Guest Editor
Section of Animal Biology, Biology Department, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: recording and monitoring of the biodiversity of vertebrates, focusing on small mammals; protection and conservation of endemic, rare and threatened mammals of the Greek fauna; faunistic studies, based on diet analysis (owl pellets, fecal matter, etc.); study of phylogenetic relationships, with the use of chromosomal and other approaches; protection and sustainable management of protected areas of Greece
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Small mammals play critical roles in ecological systems, occupying diverse niches and contributing to ecosystem functioning. They are highly abundant in all ecosystems and assume multiple roles. For instance, they can serve as secondary consumers on plant communities to the extent of becoming pests in agriculture, they comprise a primary food source for a large range of predators, and they function as pathogen transmitters. Through long-term research of small mammal communities and the study of their diversity, abundance, community assembly and interactions, important insights can be generated with respect to ecological processes and mechanisms in nature. Small mammals constitute an ideal animal group to explore critical research questions, which include how they respond to climate change, how they react to land use changes and habitat transformation, and how they adapt to but also shape ecosystem processes. Addressing these questions can also shed light on how small mammals adjust their ecological and population dynamics, their community structure, intra and interspecific competition, in reaction to a continuously changing landscape and environment.

This Special Issue aims to broaden the understanding of small mammal ecology by approaching them as biodiversity indicators, factors and indicators of climate resilience in ecosystems, and essential links of ecosystem dynamics. We invite contributions that delve into these ecological aspects of small mammals, encompassing not only monitoring efforts but also broader ecological approaches.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  1. Biodiversity and community ecology of small mammals in different ecosystems, ranging from natural habitats to anthropogenic landscapes.
  2. Assessing the responses of small mammals to climate change, including shifts in distribution patterns, phenology, and population dynamics.
  3. Investigating the ecological impacts of small mammals as seed dispersers, pollinators, and predators in diverse ecological networks.
  4. Understanding the role of small mammals in shaping ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling, vegetation dynamics, and trophic interactions.
  5. Examining the effects of land use change and habitat fragmentation on small mammal communities and their ecological functions.
  6. Exploring the mechanisms underlying small mammal adaptation and resilience to environmental stressors, including both abiotic and biotic factors.
  7. Integrating technological advances, such as molecular techniques and remote sensing, in the study of small mammal ecology and conservation.

By encompassing these ecological dimensions, this Special Issue seeks to emphasize the significance of small mammals as indicators of ecosystem health, drivers of ecological processes, and potential targets for conservation strategies. We encourage researchers to contribute original research, review articles, and case studies that advance our understanding of the ecological complexities surrounding small mammal communities and their conservation in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

Dr. Vasileios A. Bontzorlos
Dr. George P. Mitsainas
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • small mammals
  • biodiversity
  • indicators
  • monitoring
  • assessment
  • communities

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 12861 KiB  
Article
Comparative Phylogeography of Two Specialist Rodents in Forest Fragments in Kenya
by Alois Wambua Mweu, Kenneth Otieno Onditi, Laxman Khanal, Simon Musila, Esther Kioko and Xuelong Jiang
Life 2024, 14(11), 1469; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111469 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 915
Abstract
The fragmented forests of the Kenya highlands, known for their exceptional species richness and endemism, are among the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. However, detailed studies on the fauna of these ecosystems—especially specialist species that depend on moist forests, which are particularly threatened [...] Read more.
The fragmented forests of the Kenya highlands, known for their exceptional species richness and endemism, are among the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. However, detailed studies on the fauna of these ecosystems—especially specialist species that depend on moist forests, which are particularly threatened by habitat fragmentation—are still limited. In this study, we used mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and the displacement loop) and a nuclear marker (retinol-binding protein 3) to investigate genetic and morphological diversity, phylogenetic associations, historical divergence, population dynamics, and phylogeographic patterns in two rodent species—the soft-furred mouse (Praomys jacksoni) and the African wood mouse (Hylomyscus endorobae)—across Kenya’s forest landscapes. We found a complex genetic structure, with P. jacksoni exhibiting greater genetic diversity than H. endorobae. The Mt. Kenya P. jacksoni populations are significantly genetically different from those in southwestern forests (Mau Forest, Kakamega Forest, and Loita Hills). In contrast, H. endorobae presented no observable biogeographic structuring across its range. The genetic diversity and geographic structuring patterns highlighted selectively strong effects of forest fragmentation and differing species’ ecological and evolutionary responses to these landscape changes. Our findings further underscore the need for expanded sampling across Kenya’s highland forests to better understand species’ changing diversity and distribution patterns in response to the impacts of human-mediated habitat changes. These insights are critical for informing conservation strategies to preserve biodiversity better in this globally important region. Full article
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17 pages, 4219 KiB  
Article
The Long-Term Dynamics of Shrew Communities: Is There a Downward Trend?
by Linas Balčiauskas and Laima Balčiauskienė
Life 2024, 14(11), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111393 - 29 Oct 2024
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Abstract
Compared to other small mammals, shrews are understudied due to their limited impact on agriculture, lower biomedical importance, and difficulty to study. Based on trapping data from 1975–2023, we investigated changes in Lithuanian shrews (Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus, Neomys fodiens [...] Read more.
Compared to other small mammals, shrews are understudied due to their limited impact on agriculture, lower biomedical importance, and difficulty to study. Based on trapping data from 1975–2023, we investigated changes in Lithuanian shrews (Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus, Neomys fodiens, and Neomys milleri) over six decades. We analyzed the relative abundance of shrews and the proportion of their species within small mammal communities to assess temporal patterns and distribution in major habitat types. The first main finding was the confirmation of a decrease in S. araneus abundance in the 2020s compared to the 1990s and 2010s. The species proportion in 2020s was lower than in the 1970s–2000s; the decrease started in the 1980s and accelerated in the 2000s. Abundances and proportions of S. minutus and N. fodiens showed no significant trend. The abundance of N. fodiens was very low. The relative abundances and proportions of Sorex species were highest in commensal (human-related) and mixed (including forest, wetland, and meadow) habitats. Shrews were underrepresented in agricultural habitats, with the numbers of both S. araneus and S. minutus 4.1 times lower than expected. While the presence of S. minutus in commensal habitats could be explained by their diet specificity, the capture of N. fodiens and N. milleri in commensal habitats is a novel feature of their ecology. Full article
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14 pages, 5975 KiB  
Article
Habitat Suitability Assessment for Two Burrowing Rodents on the Island of Lesvos: A Niche-Based Approach
by Stylianos P. Zannetos, Konstantinos Theodorou, Yiannis G. Zevgolis, Eleni Galinou and Triantaphyllos Akriotis
Life 2024, 14(10), 1231; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101231 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1501
Abstract
We conducted a habitat suitability assessment for two burrowing rodents, Anatolian or Nehring’s blind mole rat (Nannospalax xanthodon) and Harting’s vole (Microtus hartingi), on the island of Lesvos using a niche-based approach. We collected data on the presence of [...] Read more.
We conducted a habitat suitability assessment for two burrowing rodents, Anatolian or Nehring’s blind mole rat (Nannospalax xanthodon) and Harting’s vole (Microtus hartingi), on the island of Lesvos using a niche-based approach. We collected data on the presence of the two species across the island and selected several environmental variables, including land cover, geology, and habitat topography, to assess their influence on habitat suitability. We used the Maxent species distribution modelling algorithm to predict suitable habitats. The results showed that both species preferred habitats with low slopes and specific geological substrates, i.e., alluvial deposits and volcanic rocks. M. hartingi showed a preference for open habitats such as saltmarshes and non-irrigated arable land, while N. xanthodon preferred non-irrigated arable land, pastures, and discontinuous urban fabric. The model predicted a wider area of suitable habitats for Microtus hartingi compared to N. xanthodon. Interestingly, the two species are absent from the southeastern part of the island despite our model predicting high suitability; this indicates that a natural barrier of hilly terrain, extensive pine forests, and limestone rock formations may exist that impedes dispersal. Our study provides valuable insights into the habitat preferences of these two burrowing rodents on the island of Lesvos, which can inform biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management strategies. Full article
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