Are recent changes in the terrestrial small mammal communities related to land use change? A test using pellet analyses

摘要: Human-induced landscape changes are expected to have strong effects on the composition and structure of terrestrial small mammal communities (Orders Rodentia Soricomorpha). However, testing such expectations is difficult due low detectability these animals. We used analyses barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets sampled in same roosting places during 1977–1991 again 2011–2014 (a) document community (b) relate them land use. Forest synanthropic mammals increased by a 7 % between both periods, whereas open-land species decreased 13 %. Man-made loss (crops meadows) expansion (forest urban) relevant habitat types were closely related changes. Localities with use opposite general trend showed also an change. Land heterogeneity dominance sampling this pattern was paralleled increasing diversity decreasing communities. Decreasing trends some generalist northern restricted ranges may been climate Diet monitoring owls thus valuable tools for documenting analyzing fine-grained responses global