Use of arboreal and terrestrial space by a small mammal community in a tropical rain forest in Borneo, Malaysia

摘要: Aim  Small mammals were live-trapped in a primary rain forest to evaluate the relative distribution of species each other and microhabitat properties on ground canopy. Location  Kinabalu National Park Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia. Methods  Seven trapping sessions conducted along two grids with 31 trap points at distances 20 m lower canopy an average height 13.5 m. Results  Species diversity abundance small proved be high: 20 families Muridae, Sciuridae, Tupaiidae, Hystricidae, Viverridae Lorisidae trapped, murids being dominant both habitat layers. The terrestrial community was significantly more diverse 16 captured (Shannon–Wiener's index  = 2.47), while 11 trapped ( = 1.59). Whitehead's rat, Maxomys whiteheadi, red spiny surifer, dominated whereas large pencil-tailed tree mouse, Chiropodomys major, by far most abundant canopy. Other community, dark-tailed Niviventer cremoriventer, lesser treeshrew, Tupaia minor, also ground, there no clear boundary between arboreal occurrences. Main conclusions  As not confined specific microhabitats or layers, seemed rely resources necessarily restricted certain separation probably resulted mainly from species’ concentrated activity preferred rather than principal adaptations habitats. Ecological segregation stronger though selection generally sufficient explain co-occurrences variability local assemblages. Constraints mammal foraging efficiency three-dimensional complex may responsible for similarity use all common species. Community composition characterized mobile low persistence rates, resulting high degree assemblages similar turnover rates