Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China

Rodents are the main wildlife species in the Dongting Lake area and can even cause significant biological disasters. In order to investigate the relationship between rodent communities and vegetation, the relationship between rodent population characteristics and vegetation cover between 2000 and 20...

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Main Authors: Tian Huang, Yongcheng Tang, Yuwen Sun, Meiwen Zhang, Chen Zhang, Yunlin Zhao, Xiaoning Nan, Zhiyuan Hu, Zhenggang Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/7/867
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author Tian Huang
Yongcheng Tang
Yuwen Sun
Meiwen Zhang
Chen Zhang
Yunlin Zhao
Xiaoning Nan
Zhiyuan Hu
Zhenggang Xu
author_facet Tian Huang
Yongcheng Tang
Yuwen Sun
Meiwen Zhang
Chen Zhang
Yunlin Zhao
Xiaoning Nan
Zhiyuan Hu
Zhenggang Xu
author_sort Tian Huang
collection DOAJ
description Rodents are the main wildlife species in the Dongting Lake area and can even cause significant biological disasters. In order to investigate the relationship between rodent communities and vegetation, the relationship between rodent population characteristics and vegetation cover between 2000 and 2020 was analyzed. The results showed that the rodent community in Dongting Lake has obvious spatial and temporal variability, and that <i>Microtus fortis</i> and <i>Apodemus agrarius</i> are currently the main rodent species in the area, with a higher population density in eastern Dongting Lake. Meanwhile, rodent fatness varied significantly between seasons, with the highest rodent fatness in winter at most survey sites. There was also significant spatial and temporal variability in vegetation cover, and the overall trend was increasing. There was a significant relationship between vegetation cover and rodent population density and fatness, and the relationship varied by rodent species. <i>Microtus fortis</i> population density was significantly correlated with medium to high levels of vegetation cover, but fatness was significantly correlated with low to medium levels of vegetation cover. The relationship between population density, fatness, and vegetation cover of <i>A. agrarius</i> is opposite to that of <i>M. fortis</i>. The study confirms that <i>M. fortis</i> is still the main pest rodent species in the Dongting Lake area, but the monitoring of <i>A. agrarius</i> and vegetation cover should be strengthened.
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spelling doaj-art-d013f00b0f484b3b920cdb71dc038bf82025-08-20T03:35:27ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-07-0114786710.3390/biology14070867Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, ChinaTian Huang0Yongcheng Tang1Yuwen Sun2Meiwen Zhang3Chen Zhang4Yunlin Zhao5Xiaoning Nan6Zhiyuan Hu7Zhenggang Xu8Hunan Engineering Research Center of Ecological Environment Intelligent Monitoring and Disaster, Prevention and Mitigation Technology in Dongting Lake Region, College of Information and Electronic, Engineering, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, ChinaHunan Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Environmental and Resources Plant, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaHunan Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Environmental and Resources Plant, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, ChinaHunan Engineering Research Center of Ecological Environment Intelligent Monitoring and Disaster, Prevention and Mitigation Technology in Dongting Lake Region, College of Information and Electronic, Engineering, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, ChinaHunan Engineering Research Center of Ecological Environment Intelligent Monitoring and Disaster, Prevention and Mitigation Technology in Dongting Lake Region, College of Information and Electronic, Engineering, Hunan City University, Yiyang 413000, ChinaRodents are the main wildlife species in the Dongting Lake area and can even cause significant biological disasters. In order to investigate the relationship between rodent communities and vegetation, the relationship between rodent population characteristics and vegetation cover between 2000 and 2020 was analyzed. The results showed that the rodent community in Dongting Lake has obvious spatial and temporal variability, and that <i>Microtus fortis</i> and <i>Apodemus agrarius</i> are currently the main rodent species in the area, with a higher population density in eastern Dongting Lake. Meanwhile, rodent fatness varied significantly between seasons, with the highest rodent fatness in winter at most survey sites. There was also significant spatial and temporal variability in vegetation cover, and the overall trend was increasing. There was a significant relationship between vegetation cover and rodent population density and fatness, and the relationship varied by rodent species. <i>Microtus fortis</i> population density was significantly correlated with medium to high levels of vegetation cover, but fatness was significantly correlated with low to medium levels of vegetation cover. The relationship between population density, fatness, and vegetation cover of <i>A. agrarius</i> is opposite to that of <i>M. fortis</i>. The study confirms that <i>M. fortis</i> is still the main pest rodent species in the Dongting Lake area, but the monitoring of <i>A. agrarius</i> and vegetation cover should be strengthened.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/7/867wildlife managementfatnesspopulation densityNDVIMicrotus fortis<i>Apodemus agrarius</i>
spellingShingle Tian Huang
Yongcheng Tang
Yuwen Sun
Meiwen Zhang
Chen Zhang
Yunlin Zhao
Xiaoning Nan
Zhiyuan Hu
Zhenggang Xu
Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
Biology
wildlife management
fatness
population density
NDVI
Microtus fortis
<i>Apodemus agrarius</i>
title Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
title_full Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
title_fullStr Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
title_short Effects of Vegetation Cover on Community Structure of Rodents Based on Long Time Series from Dongting Lake, China
title_sort effects of vegetation cover on community structure of rodents based on long time series from dongting lake china
topic wildlife management
fatness
population density
NDVI
Microtus fortis
<i>Apodemus agrarius</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/7/867
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