Relationship between dwarf-bamboo growth and small rodents on Mt. Ohdaigahara, central Japan, with special reference to construction of deer-proof fences
2006
Tanaka, M.(Nagoya Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | ; Saito, M. | ; Ohi, K. | ; Fukuda, H. | ; Shibata, E.
We examined the relationship between dwarf-bamboo growth and small rodents on Mt. Ohdaigahara where the population density of sika deer (Cervus nippon) has been increasing and trunk debarking by the deer has become a serious problem, causing dieback of barked trees. As a result, deer-proof fences have been erected to protect the vegetation on Mt. Ohdaigahara from further damage. We established six plots with different types of dwarf-bamboo growth. Three rodent species were caught in Sherman traps: Apodemus speciosus, A. argenteus, and Eotheleomys smithii. A significant negative correlation was found between the number of captured Apodemus argenteus per 100 trap-nights and dwarf-bamboo density. In areas where the deer population density has been high, the densities of Apodemus speciosus and A. argenteus inside the fence tended to be higher than those outside the fence. Eothenomys smithii was trapped inside the fence. The dwarf-bamboo (Sasa nipponica), which is the main forage of sika deer, inside the fence was higher in culm height, lower in density, and heavier in biomass than that outside the fence. The results suggest that thick dwarf-bamboo inside the fence acted as cover for rodents.
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