The Role of Habitat Complexity and Heterogeneity in Structuring Tropical Mammal Communities
EcologyPublished 1 December 1983Open access
Peter V. August
Citations485
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TL;DR
There was little association between habitat structure and the richness, diversity, abundance, and biomass of small mammals, and new species were added to complex communities primarily through guild expansion rather than guild addition.
Abstract
The relationship between mammal community structure and vertical variation in habitat physiognomy (complexity) and horizontal variation in habitat form (heterogeneity) was examined in the llanos of Venezuela. There was little association between habitat structure and the richness, diversity, abundance, and biomass of small mammals. Abiotic factors, such as the degree of wet-season flooding, probably play an important role in patterns of small mammal distribution and abundance. The total number of mammal species was positively correlated with habitat complexity but not correlated with habitat heterogeneity. Increasing species richness across the complexity gradient was probably accommodated by increasing potential food resources. New species were added to complex communities primarily through guild expansion rather than guild addition.-from Author
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