Community structure and distribution of small non-volant mammals along elevational vegetation zones in Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines
2024
Sanchez, R.G.
This study contributes to the limited information about community structure of small non-volant mammals in the Philippines. This was conducted in the southern portion of Mt. Malindang to determine community structure, distribution patterns, and environmental factors that affect the distribution of small non-volant mammals along elevational vegetation zones. Community structure was examined using ANOSIM, PERMANOVA, and SIMPER analyses to determine similarity of community between habitats, and species contributing to the dissimilarities in the community structure, respectively. A total of six species with 253 individuals were recorded based on 3,200 trap nights. These include endemic species Bullimus bagobus, Rattus everetti, and Urogale everetti, and invasive alien species R. exulans, R. tanezumi, and Suncus murinus. Results showed that vegetation zones are drivers of species richness in MMRNP. The agroforest has the most dissimilar community structure since it is inhibited by invasive species that are absent in other vegetation zones such as the lower montance and upper montance rain forest. Habitat species association using CCA [Canonical correspondence analysis] showed that invasive species inhabit distributed forests while endemic species tend to be associated with less distributed forests with cooler environments. Results of this study highlight the effects of continuous expansion of agroforest in the forest edges of MMRNP that may eventually create a community structure of small non-volant mammals dominated by invasive species through the displacement of endemic species.
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