Distribution of Small Mammals (Eulipotyphla, Rodentia) under Organicand Conventional Farming Conditions

Vladimír Langraf, Karolína Kolláriková, Kornélia Petrovičová

Distribution of Small Mammals (Eulipotyphla, Rodentia) under Organicand Conventional Farming Conditions

Číslo: 1/2025
Periodikum: Acta Fytotechnica et Zootechnica
DOI: 10.15414/afz.2025.28.01.21-27

Klíčová slova: agroecosystems, management crops, small mammals, diversity, Slovakia

Pro získání musíte mít účet v Citace PRO.

Přečíst po přihlášení

Anotace: Agricultural land is important for the biodiversity of small mammals, their modifications in the spatial structure also indicates the quality of the agroecosystem. Different methods of land management (organic and conventional) affects their heterogeneity, which also affects crop yield. The goal of our research was to determine changes in the spatial structure of small mammals under conditions of organic and conventional farming. Crops grown in organic farming were Pisum sativum, Triticum spelta, Clover grass mix and Zea mays, Triticum aestivum and Brassica napus in conventional farming. Between the years 2019 and 2023, with the help of pitfall traps, they recorded a total of 195 individuals and 6 species (Apodemus sylvaticus, Micromys minutus, Microtus arvalis, Crocidura leucodon, Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus). We confirmed 6 species and 95 small mammal individuals in organic farming; 5 species and 100 small mammal individuals in conventional farming. Multivariate analysis (PCA) confirmed the preference of small mammals for organic farming crops. A significant influence of temperature and moisture on the spatial dispersion of small mammals was found using redundancy analysis (RDA). One more species in each type of management was predicted using the rarefaction curves. From the results of our research, we can say that small mammals preferred the conditions of organic farming, which points to better topical and tropical conditions for them in this type of farming.