Efficiency of pitfall traps and snap traps in small terrestrial mammals depends on their diet composition

Authors : Ladislav CEPELKA, Radek MICHALKO, EMANUEL KULA

Pages : 297-304

View : 15 | Download : 4

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :We compared the monitoring of small terrestrial mammals among forest stands by pitfalls and snap traps. The captures took place in the Czech Republic in the Moravskoslezske Beskydy Mts. insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2007?2012); on 16 plots in adult beech and spruce stands between 910 and 1220 m a.s.l. In total, 14 species of small mammals were captured insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(12 in the snap traps and 10 in the pitfalls);. Snap traps captured the broader species spectrum and they were more successful in capturing larger species of small terrestrial mammals consuming a higher proportion of plant food insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(mice, and in particular voles);. The pitfalls were more effective in capturing smaller species with a predominance of animal food insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(shrews);. To cover the widest species spectrum of small mammals, it is appropriate to use both types of traps. To observe the functional diversity of the community in terms of food composition, it is sufficient to use snap traps.
Keywords : Snap trap, pitfall, small terrestrial mammal, diet composition, rodent, shrew