Dataset Information

A global database on non-volant small mammal composition in natural and human-modified habitats.

ABSTRACT: Non-volant small mammals, which include small-bodied representatives from several mammal orders, have been used as a model group to test the effects of habitat conversion and edge creation on biodiversity. Small mammals occupy a large variety of habitat types and vegetation strata, and have varied lifestyles and diets. They include species with slow-to fast-life history (the Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus and European Hare Lepus europaeus, respectively) and with very specialized to very generalist habits and diets (the Atlantic bamboo rat Kannabateomys amblyonyx and house mouse Mus musculus, respectively). There are no databases with global coverage focusing on small mammal composition in natural and human-modified habitats and that include neglected natural habitats (e.g. grasslands and savannas). Here, peer-reviewed articles were searched in the primary literature to synthesize almost half century (1973-2017) of research on small mammal composition in natural forests, grasslands and their natural edges, and in five types of human-modified habitats (human-induced forest edges, human-induced grassland edges, crop fields, clear-cuts and tree plantations). The complete database includes information from 199 peer-reviewed articles. Presence data were obtained for 534 species (including 30 unidentified) in 551 sites distributed in 45 countries, 92 ecoregions, 10 biomes and six realms. Measurements of sampling effort and number of species records (number of individuals, captures) per habitat were also obtained, from which researchers can calculate a measure of abundance standardized by the sampling effort. The database will be useful for researchers interested in local-to broad-scale patterns of alpha- and beta-diversity in natural and human-modified habitats.

SUBMITTER: Luza AL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6660613 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A global database on non-volant small mammal composition in natural and human-modified habitats.

Luza André Luís AL Graham Catherine Helen CH Hartz Sandra Maria SM

Data in brief 20190319

Non-volant small mammals, which include small-bodied representatives from several mammal orders, have been used as a model group to test the effects of habitat conversion and edge creation on biodiversity. Small mammals occupy a large variety of habitat types and vegetation strata, and have varied lifestyles and diets. They include species with slow-to fast-life history (the Etruscan shrew <i>Suncus etruscus</i> and European Hare <i>Lepus europaeus</i>, respectively) and with very specialized to ...[more]

PMID: 31372469

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Dataset Information

A global database on non-volant small mammal composition in natural and human-modified habitats.

Publications

A global database on non-volant small mammal composition in natural and human-modified habitats.

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