Temporal Partitioning between Forest-Dwelling Small Rodents in a Mediterranean Deciduous Woodland

oleh: Andrea Viviano, Manuel Scarfò, Emiliano Mori

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-01-01

Deskripsi

Temporal partitioning is reported as one of the main strategies adopted by coexisting mammal species to limit interspecific competition and behavioural interference. In the last decades, camera-trapping surveys have provided valuable insights in assessing temporal niche and activity rhythms of medium and large-sized mammalian species. Conversely, this method has been poorly applied to small rodents. In this work we aimed at assessing temporal niche partitioning between two species of forest-dwelling small rodents—<i>Apodemus flavicollis</i> and <i>Clethrionomys glareolus</i>—by means of intensive camera-trapping. Camera traps were placed in areas where previous genetic analyses have confirmed the only presence of <i>A. flavicollis</i> amongst wood mice species, to prevent misinterpretation of records. We collected 124 independent records of <i>A. flavicollis</i> and 67 records of <i>C. glareolus</i> over three years. The former was mostly nocturnal, with activity peaking after midnight, whereas the latter was mostly active at dawn and dusk. Therefore, a limited temporal overlap was observed, confirming the potential for interspecific competition. Intraguild interference competition between <i>A. flavicollis</i> and <i>C. glareolus</i> may play a pivotal role forcing <i>C. glareolus</i> to be more active in daylight hours where, the more strictly nocturnal <i>A. flavicollis</i> is present. Nocturnal activity of <i>C. glareolus</i> was limited and not influenced by moon phases, whereas <i>A. flavicollis</i> was mostly active in the darkest nights, avoiding bright moonlight nights.