Influence of roads on small rodents population in fragmented forest areas, South Korea

Abstract

The road effect on small rodent population is investigated at 8 fragmented forest areas in the Baekdudaegan mountain range, South Korea in September 2001. We especially focused on the distribution and body condition of small rodents near the roads. Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) seems to be more sensitive to the existence of a road than striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Korean field mouse prefers interior forest area to around road. Striped field mouse is a habitat generalist and has wide distributional range around road, but Korean field mouse is forest-inhabiting species and their distribution is limited in forest area. These results suggest the effect of road is different on each small rodent species and their habitat preferences.

Keywords

Fragmented forest area / Road / Small rodents / South Korea / S718.6 / A

References

[1] Adams L.W., Geis A.D. Effects of roads on small mammals [J]. Journal of Applied Ecology, 1983, 20: 403-415.

[2] angold P.G. The impact of a road upon ajacent heathland vegetation: effects on plant species composition [J]. Journal of Applied Ecology, 1997, 34: 409-417.

[3] Bellamy P.E., Shore R.F., Ardeshir D. et al. Road verges as habitat for small mammal in Britain [J]. Mammal Review, 2000, 30: 131-139.

[4] Forman R.T.T., Deblinger R.D. The ecological road-effect zone of a Massachusetts (U.S.A.) suburban highway [J]. Conservation Biology, 2000, 14: 36-46.

[5] Laursen K. Birds on roadside verges and the effect of mowing on frequency and distribution [J]. Biological Conservation, 1981, 20: 59-68.

[6] Meunier F.D., Verheyden C., Jouventin V. Bird communities of highway verges: influence of adjacent habitat and roadside management [J]. Acta Oecologia, 1999, 20: 1-13.

[7] Noss R.F., Cooperrider A.Y. Saving nature’s legacy [M], 1994 Washington, D.C.: Island Press

[8] Reed R.A., Johnson-Barnard J., Baker W.L. Contribution of roads to forest fragmentation in the Rocky Mountains [J]. Conservation Biology, 1996, 10: 1098-1106.

[9] Rhim, S.J. 1997. Changes in breeding bird communities and small mammal populations due to different habitat structures [M]. MSc thesis of the Graduate School, Seoul National University. 60 pp. (In Korean with an English summary).

[10] Rhim S.J., Lee W.S. Relationship between the density of small mammals and the habitat structure due to different altitude in Chiri National Park [J]. Research Bulletin of the Seoul National University Forests, 1998, 34: 37-47. (in Korean with an English summary)

[11] Rhim S.J., Lee W.S. Habitat preferences of small rodents in deciduous forests of north-eastem South Korea [J]. Mammal Study, 2001, 26: 1-8.

[12] Rhim S.J., Lee W.S. Relationships between forest understory habitat and small rodents. in Mt. Chrisan National Park [J]. Journal of Korean Forestry Society, 2001, 90: 236-241.

[13] Rondinini C., Doncaster C.P. Roads as barriers to movement for hedgehogs [J]. Functional Ecology, 2002, 16: 504-509.

[14] Warner R.E. Nest ecology of grassland passerines on road rights-of-way in central Illinois [J]. Biological Conservation, 1992, 59: 1-7.

[15] Won P.H. Illustrated encyclopedia of fauna and flora of Korea Vol. 7 Mammal [M], 1967 Seoul: Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea

[16] Yoon M.H. Wildlife [M], 1992 Seoul: Daewon Publishing Company