Special Issue "Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability, Biodiversity and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Linas Balčiauskas
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Mammalian Ecology, Nature Research Centre, LT08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: hoofed, semi-aquatic, carnivore and small mammal ecology; population management; biodiversity; human dimensions; threatened species; large carnivores; spatial distribution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Sustainability is publishing a Special Issue “Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics” focusing on contemporary mammal investigations. This Special Issue will collect high-quality research articles, including reviews, field studies, modeling, theory, and implementations in all fields of mammal science. We seek clearly and succinctly written contributions, addressing contemporary challenges.

Having nearly 6400 extant species [1], mammals are far from being the most diverse group of vertebrates. Multiple problems facing this group, including loss of habitats, climate change (both resulting shifts in species distribution ranges), roadkills, poaching, and illegal trade, all result in decreases in numbers and abundance, the rapid spread of invasive species that threaten local ones, and human–mammal conflicts, this last being dependent not only upon the damage but also upon poor communication. To help small mammals’ survival in the European agricultural landscapes, support mechanisms enhancing land capacity, such as the Entry Level Scheme Tier of Environmental Stewardship were developed. However, success in restoring populations of large carnivores [2] and otters face controversy, as some stakeholders still maintain hostility, now based on socioeconomic issues. Finally, even the distribution of mammals in Europe (not considering less-investigated continents) requires updating, and, therefore, a second edition of the Atlas of European Mammals is underway.

This Special Issue is focused on mammal science, targeting, but not limited to country-level issues. We welcome reviews and papers, based on extensive field studies, questionnaires, database analyses, investigations of road ecology, and human dimensions of wildlife. Contributors from different fields are invited to submit their articles on this topic. Specifically, we welcome papers focused on, or dealing with, the topics listed in the keywords, or other mammal-related issues.

[1] Burgin, C.J., Colella, J.P., Kahn, P.L. and Upham, N.S. How many species of mammals are there? J. of Mammal., 2018, 99(1), 1–14.

[2] Chapron G., Kaczensky P., Linnell J.D., von Arx M., Huber D., Andrén H., López-Bao J.V., Adamec M., Álvares F., Anders O. and Balčiauskas L. Recovery of large carnivores in Europe’s modern human-dominated landscapes. Sci., 2014, 346(6216), 1517–1519.

Dr. Linas Balčiauskas
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mammals and climate change
  • long term changes in mammal fauna
  • road ecology
  • invasive mammal species
  • threatened species and mammal conservation
  • mammal damage and human dimensions
  • mammals as sources of pathogens
  • agriculture, forest management and mammals
  • mammal hunting and population management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Article
Closer to Carrying Capacity: Analysis of the Internal Demographic Structure Associated with the Management and Density Dependence of a Controlled Wolf Population in Latvia
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9783; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179783 (registering DOI) - 31 Aug 2021
Abstract
Large carnivores are essential components of natural ecosystems. In populated areas, their conservation depends on preserving a favorable status in coexistence with humans, which may require the elimination of excess carnivores to minimize public concerns. As the Baltic region currently hosts a thriving [...] Read more.
Large carnivores are essential components of natural ecosystems. In populated areas, their conservation depends on preserving a favorable status in coexistence with humans, which may require the elimination of excess carnivores to minimize public concerns. As the Baltic region currently hosts a thriving wolf population, locally sustainable management of wolves is important for preserving biodiversity at a European scale. In this paper, we provide a dynamic assessment of the Latvian wolf subpopulation from 1998 until 2020. This study is based on age composition and fecundity data from teeth, uteri, and ovaria inspections obtained from samples of legally culled or accidentally killed individuals. The abundance estimates indicated population growth that exceeded the previously predicted carrying capacity. The proportion of juveniles among the culled individuals increased in recent years, but the mean age of culled adults exhibited a stable trend. In presumably nonselective hunting, the juveniles and individuals older than 3 years had greater culling mortality estimates in comparison with other age classes, and the culling rates for adult females of particular age classes were higher than for males of the same age. While creating significant hunting pressure, wolf management in Latvia may have contributed to the population growth by affecting its demographic processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics)
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Article
Does the Presence of Shade Trees and Distance to the Forest Affect Detection Rates of Terrestrial Vertebrates in Coffee Home Gardens?
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8540; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158540 - 30 Jul 2021
Viewed by 471
Abstract
Complex agroforestry systems can host similar biodiversity levels to adjacent continuous forests and can offer important ecosystem services for wildlife. Species inhabiting adjacent forests, as well as species that prefer agroforestry systems, can benefit from this habitat matrix. It is necessary, however, to [...] Read more.
Complex agroforestry systems can host similar biodiversity levels to adjacent continuous forests and can offer important ecosystem services for wildlife. Species inhabiting adjacent forests, as well as species that prefer agroforestry systems, can benefit from this habitat matrix. It is necessary, however, to understand the species-specific adaptability to such a complex matrix. Indonesia is a biodiversity hotspot and hosts many endemic species that are threatened with extinction. Its human population relies heavily on agriculture, meaning that finding a balance between crop productivity and biodiversity is key for the long-term sustainability of local communities and wildlife. We aim to determine the influence of the presence of shade trees and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife in coffee home gardens. In West Java, Indonesia, we monitored 23 gardens between April 2018 and March 2021 via camera traps, totalling 3856 days of monitoring in shade-grown and 3338 days in sun-exposed gardens. We also collected data in the nearby montane rainforest, totalling 1183 days of monitoring. We used Generalized Additive Models to estimate the influence of shade cover and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife. The Sunda leopard cat Prionailurus javanensis was found more frequently in shade-grown gardens and used both the forest and agroforest matrix. Wild boars Sus scrofa mostly occurred in gardens adjacent to the forest, while barred buttonquails Turnix suscitator were associated with gardens far (>1 km) from the forest. Several species (civets Viverricula indica and Paradoxus musangus javanicus, Horsfield’s treeshrew Tupaia javanica, Javan ferret badger Melogale orientalis, Javan mongoose Herpestes javanicus) were not influenced by shade cover and distance to the forest, suggesting they are well adapted to the agroforestry system. Still, species of high conservation importance, such as Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas, Sunda porcupine Hystrix javanica, and grizzled langur Presbytis comata, were present in the forest but not in the agroforest, suggesting that the replacement of the forest by the agroforestry matrix is still detrimental. Nevertheless, it is important to maintain the complexity of the agroforestry system and connectivity with the neighbouring continuous forest to favour the long-term sustainability of this environment and the conservation of endemic species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics)
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Article
Distribution, Population Size, and Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, Rodentia, Mammalia) in Its Southernmost Range
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158411 - 28 Jul 2021
Viewed by 253
Abstract
The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe, inhabiting burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural land-use changes and increased urbanization have largely contributed to a severe population decline [...] Read more.
The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is an endangered species, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe, inhabiting burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In recent years, agricultural land-use changes and increased urbanization have largely contributed to a severe population decline across its range, particularly in its southernmost edge. Assessing the population and habitat status of this species is essential for prioritizing appropriate conservation actions. The present study aims to track population size changes and identify habitat characteristics of the species in Greece via a literature search, questionnaires, and fieldwork for assessing trends in population size as well as spatial K-means analysis for estimating its relation to specific habitat attributes. We found that both distribution size (grid number) and colony numbers of the species decreased in the last decades (by 62.4% and 74.6%, respectively). The remaining colonies are isolated and characterized by low density (mean = 7.4 ± 8.6 ind/ha) and low number of animals (mean = 13 ± 16 individuals). Most of the colonies are situated in lowlands and did not relate to specific habitat attributes. Habitat aspect and system productivity (NDVI) were the main factors contributing mostly to the clustering of the existing colonies. These results demonstrate that the species is confined to small, isolated anthropogenic habitats. Specific conservation actions such as population reinforcement, habitat improvement, and specific common agricultural policy measures could effectively improve agroecological zones that are suitable for the maintenance and protection of existing and potential habitats for populations of the species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics)
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Article
Citizen Scientists Showed a Four-Fold Increase of Lynx Numbers in Lithuania
Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9777; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229777 - 23 Nov 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 556
Abstract
By the early 2000s, Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) were nearly extirpated in Lithuania. To determine their status, we used snow-track counts in 2006–2012 and volunteer monitoring in 1999–2005 and 2015–2018. Using simple questionnaires, we collected incidental observations from hunters, foresters, and [...] Read more.
By the early 2000s, Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) were nearly extirpated in Lithuania. To determine their status, we used snow-track counts in 2006–2012 and volunteer monitoring in 1999–2005 and 2015–2018. Using simple questionnaires, we collected incidental observations from hunters, foresters, and other interested citizens to estimate lynx distribution, abundance and extent of breeding. Citizen scientists provided 206 reports of 278 individual lynx that suggested expanding lynx distributions in central, western, southwestern, and southern parts of Lithuania. A decrease in range fragmentation has also been observed since 2015. Nationwide, the lynx population quadrupled from 2010 to 162 individuals in 2018. The number of breeding individuals reported was just seven in both 2007 and 2008, limited to two forests in the very north and central part of the country. This increased to 46 in 2015–2018. Our results indicate that the lynx population in Lithuania has increased and its conservation status should be reconsidered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics)
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Article
Moose Management Strategies under Changing Legal and Institutional Frameworks
Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8482; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208482 - 14 Oct 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 496
Abstract
Moose (Alces alces) management strategies in Lithuania, East Europe, were analyzed. The study was intended to show the (un)sustainability of the current management approach in relation to changes in hunting rules, hunting organization and development of the responsible administrative bodies. Moose [...] Read more.
Moose (Alces alces) management strategies in Lithuania, East Europe, were analyzed. The study was intended to show the (un)sustainability of the current management approach in relation to changes in hunting rules, hunting organization and development of the responsible administrative bodies. Moose population and bag dynamics were analyzed using I index in connected scatterplots and compound annual growth rates (CAGR). In 1962–2020, the CAGR of the moose population was 3.84%, resulting in a population size increase of nearly 10 times. The seesaw principle in moose management was confirmed, showing three periods of population decrease (1973–1977, 1989–1995, 2000–2005), and two periods of hunting bag decrease (1976–1978 and 1990–1993). All decline phases were related to legal and administrative issues in the country. Since 2006, population growth has not been controlled. Lithuania has no long-term strategy of the moose population management at any administrative level. The current management approach is not sustainable, as it has not ensured long-term stability of the moose population. The current continuous growth of population, followed by only a moderate increase in the hunting bag, is related to the possibility for owners to adopt long-term planning of the hunting plot units. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mammal Status: Diversity, Abundance and Dynamics)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Agreed authors:

1. Prof. John Linnell, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway.

2. Prof. Dr. Mirko Di Febbraro, Dipartimento di Bioscienze e Territorio, Università degli Studi del Molise, Cda Fonte Lappone, s.n.c., 86090 Pesche (IS), Italy. 

3. Dr. Daniel Klich, Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland

Planned paper 1:

Title: Influence of habitat complexity and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife in coffee home gardens in Indonesia

Authors: Campera Marco, Katherine Hedger, Hélène Birot, B. Budiadi, M. Ali Imron, Vincent Nijman, K.A.I. Nekaris

Abstract: Complex agroforestry systems adjacent to continuous forest can host similar biodiversity levels to continuous forests. They can provide important ecosystem services for wildlife, such as providing key food resources. Species inhabiting adjacent forest as well as species preferring agroforestry systems can benefit from this habitat matrix. It is necessary, however, to understand the species-specific adaptability to such a complex matrix. Indonesia is a biodiversity hotspot and hosts many endemic species that are threatened with extinction. Its population relies heavily on agriculture (e.g., it is the fourth largest coffee producer in the world), meaning that finding a balance between crop productivity and biodiversity is key for the long-term sustainability of local communities and wildlife. We aim to determine the influence of habitat complexity (sun-exposed vs shade-grown coffee) and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife in coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia. We monitored 23 gardens between April 2018 and March 2021, totalling 3856 days of monitoring in shade-grown and 3338 days in sun-exposed gardens. We used Generalised Additive Models to estimate the influence of habitat complexity and distance to the forest on the detection rates of wildlife, and correlation matrices to determine whether there were spatial and temporal associations between species. The civets Viverricula indica and Paradoxus musangus javanicuswere abundant in most of the fields and were associated mainly with the presence of rodents. The Sunda leopard cat Prionailurus javanensis preferred shade-grown gardens close to the forest, but regularly visited the more distant gardens probably in search of food. Wild boars Sus scrofa preferred gardens in proximity to the forest, while barred buttonquails Turnix suscitator were associated with gardens far from the forest. Overall, several species (civets but also Horsfield's treeshrew Tupaia javanica, Javan ferret badger Melogale Orientalis, and Javan mongoose Herpestes javanicus were not influenced by habitat complexity and distance to the forest, suggesting they are well adapted to the agroforestry system. Nevertheless, it is important to maintain the complexity of the agroforestry system and the connectivity with the neighbouring continuous forest to favour the long-term sustainability of this environment and the conservation of endemic species.

Planned paper 2:

Title: Habitat suitability for small mammals in Mediterranean landscapes: how and why shrubs matter

Authors: Ignasi Torre 1, Carlos Jaime-González 2, and Mario Díaz 3

Affiliations:
1 Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, c/ Francesc Macià 51, Granollers (Spain)
2 C/ Les Eres 10, Bajo 1 - Jesús Pobre, Denia (Alicante).
3 National Museum of Natural Sciences, BGC-MNCN-CSIC, C/Serrano 115 Bis, Madrid (Spain)

Abstract: Fires, either natural or man-made, simplify forest structure by eliminating slow-growing tree species and forest-dwelling animals, allowing the regrowth of fast-growing shrubby plants. Fires are usually seen as a major treat for biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean; however, the natural afforestation resulting from the abandonment of traditional land uses is leading to the disappearance of open spaces that benefit many species of conservation interest. Natural (and prescribed) fires may allow the maintenance of open habitats in which small mammals communities can be benefitted by lower predation pressure and predation risk and higher food availability. Nevertheless, small mammals also require protection against predators and extreme temperatures, which are typically provided by the Mediterranean shrubs suppressed by forest trees in closed forest. In this article we analyze the role of changes in shrub cover and shrub selection by small mammals along the Mediterranean post-fire succession. Our hypothesis is that shrubs are essential for the conservation of Mediterranean small mammal communities, and that shrub cover and shrub selection by small mammals is mainly determined by the port-fire succession. We used data obtained from the Spanish small mammals’ monitoring program (SEMICE; www.semice.org), that has been operative from 2008 until present. We used data for 17 plots representative for the forest, woodlands and port-fire shurblands present in the study area (Barcelona’s Natural Parks, Catalonia, NE Spain). Three-dimensional vegetation structure of sampling plots was assessed by LiDAR technology, since variables obtained were better predictors than field-based variables for modelling ground-dwelling small mammal preferences.
2,662 small mammals of five species were captured in 22.572 trap-nights (11.79% capture success), being Apodemus sylvaticus the most abundant (1,522 individuals, 57.2%), followed by Crocidura russula (763, 28.7%) and Mus spretus (361, 13.5%). The first PC of a Principal Component Analysis of LIDAR data represented a gradient from dense woodland (high canopy cover and low vegetation cover at the ground level) to open shrubland (no canopy cover and high ground-level vegetation cover). Overall mean small mammal abundance was positively associated to PC1, and the same pattern was observed for the average species density. Shannon diversity and equitability were positively associated to PC1, whereas dominance was negatively associated. Early post-fire stages, dominated by shrubs, held the most diverse and abundant small-mammal communities along the study period (2008-2018), with minor seasonal and interannual fluctuations. This pattern could be considered as robust and generalizable to similar areas/habitats and can be a consequence of the interplay of different biotic/abiotic factors and their interactions. Despite abiotic factors (climate) can be responsible of small mammals‘ abundance/diversity variations (either seasonal and interannual) along the study period, we hypothesized that biotic factors like vegetation profiles (providing food and shelter) and their interaction with predators (predation risk and predation pressure) could be responsible of the observed changes of small mammals diversity and abundance along port-fire Mediterranean forest structure gradients.

Planned paper 3:

Title: Distribution, population size and habitat characteristics of the endangered European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, Rodentia, Mammalia) in its southernmost range

Authors: Dimitra-Lida Rammou1, Dimitris Kavroudakis2, Dionisios Youlatos1*

Affiliations:
1 Laboratory of Marine and Terrestrial Animal Diversity, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; [email protected] (DLR)
2 Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, GR-81100 Mytilene, Greece; [email protected] (DK)

*Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel. +302310998734

Abstract: Spermophilus citellus is an endangered squirrel, endemic to Central and Southeastern Europe. The species lives in burrow colonies in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. In the recent years, agricultural land-use change and increased urbanization have largely contributed to severe population decline across its range, and more particularly in its southernmost edge. Assessing the population and habitat status of the species is central for prioritizing appropriate conservation actions. The present study aims to track population size changes and identify habitat characteristics of the species in Greece, via literature search, questionnaires, fieldwork for assessing trends in population size and spatial K-means analysis of estimating its relation to specific habitat attributes. In Greece, both distribution size and colony numbers of the species have decreased in the last decade (62.4% and 57.1% respectively). The remaining colonies are isolated and characterized by low density (mean = 7.4 ± 8.6 ind/ha) and a few animals (mean = 13 ± 16 individuals). Distance from urban areas, habitat aspect, and colony area were the main factors contributing mostly to the clustering of the existing colonies. The majority of the colonies were not related to specific habitat attributes. These results demonstrate that the species is confined to small, isolated, and generalized anthropogenic habitats. This critical situation indicates that specific conservation actions, such as habitat improvement and population reinforcement may be central for the survival of the species in Greece.

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