Pasoh pp 533-546 | Cite as

Small Mammal Community: Habitat Preference and Effects after Selective Logging

  • Masatoshi Yasuda
  • Nobuo Ishii
  • Toshinori Okuda
  • Nor Azman Hussein
Chapter

Abstract

Abstract: The present study of small mammals in a Malaysian tropical forest attempts to gain some insight into the correlation between their habitat preferences. A 10 ha study plot including primary, old regenerating, and riparian forests were established in the Pasoh Forest Reserve (Pasoh FR) and monthly live trapping employing a mark-and-recapture method was conducted over a period of four years. Thirteen out of the 17 species of the small mammals predominating at the Pasoh FR, including moonrat, treeshrew, squirrels, rats and porcupines, were subjected to statistical analysis to determine their habitat preferences. Based on their abundance in the three habitats, they were divided into four categories: 1) primary forest species, 2) regenerating forest species, 3) riparian species and 4) ubiquitous species, with all the squirrel species categorised as primary forest species. Several environmental factors may explain the observed habitat preferences of small mammals. The present results indicated that the primary forest habitat is rich in food resources and spatial heterogeneity, and should thus provide a higher carrying capacity than the other two habitats. Although 40 years have elapsed since selective logging was carried out in the 1950s, there are still distinct differences between disturbed and undisturbed forests with respect to the small mammal community. Food resources and spatial heterogeneity may account for the differences in mammalian community among the habitats.

Key words

community structure long-term population census small mammals species composition 
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Copyright information

© Springer Japan 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Masatoshi Yasuda
    • 1
  • Nobuo Ishii
    • 2
  • Toshinori Okuda
    • 3
  • Nor Azman Hussein
    • 4
  1. 1.Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI)TsukubaJapan
  2. 2.Japan Wildlife Research Center (JWRC)Japan
  3. 3.National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)Japan
  4. 4.Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)Malaysia

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