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Mammals of the Mediterranean islands: homogenisation and the loss of biodiversity

Published/Copyright: September 15, 2009
Mammalia
From the journal Volume 73 Issue 3

Abstract

There is possibly no other location in the world which has been so intensively influenced by human activity over a prolonged period as the Mediterranean. Virtually no ecosystems have been left untouched. Since prehistory, the human settlers of the Mediterranean islands brought about a radical turnover between ancient and modern mammalian faunas, introducing a variety of allochthonous continental taxa. The data available for the Mediterranean islands point to endemic mammalian extinction being largely the result of human activities of land clearance and the introduction of allochthonous animals. Today, this fauna is no longer characterised by the majority of the endemic mammals previously reported. It displays virtually the same species composition, being almost exclusively characterised by continental mammals whose appearance on the islands has essentially been influenced by man, and dominated by generalist species. The invasion of ecosystems by exotic taxa is currently viewed as one of the most important causes of the loss of biodiversity. Today, in view of the vulnerability of the insular ecosystems it is critically important to prevent further introductions. But this results in the question of how to treat the allochthonous mammalian populations of certified ancient anthropochorous origin, which instead deserve to be protected and considered in terms of a veritable “cultural heritage”. Moreover, their protection and their study can provide an opportunity for testing a range of different evolutionary theories.

Keywords: anthropochorous mammals; endemic faunas; generalist species; Holocene; Mediterranean islands; Upper Pleistocene
Published Online: 2009-09-15
Published in Print: 2009-09-01

©2009 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Review Article
  2. Mammals of the Mediterranean islands: homogenisation and the loss of biodiversity
  3. Original Studies
  4. Changes in the distribution, abundance and status of Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica) in Saudi Arabia: A review
  5. Habitat use of wild ungulates in fragmented landscapes of the Lacandon Forest, Southern Mexico
  6. Distribution of the Southern birch mouse (Sicista subtilis) in East-Poland: Morphometric variations in discrete European populations of superspecies S. subtilis
  7. On the conspecifity of Allactaga hotsoni Thomas, 1920 and Allactaga firouzi Womochel, 1978 (Rodentia: Dipodoidea)
  8. Molecular systematics of Neotropical spiny mice (Neacomys: Sigmodontinae, Rodentia) from the Guianan Region
  9. Short Notes
  10. Habitat use and separation between the Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsi) and the Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) in winter
  11. Seasonal changes in American mink (Neovison vison) signs related to Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) presence
  12. Estimation of the birth season of Myocastor coypus (Molina 1782) by characterisation of prenatal developmental stages
  13. Observations on the growth of Chinchillula sahamae (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) in captivity
  14. Molecular and morphometric evidence validates a Chacoan species of the grey leaf-eared mice genus Graomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae)
  15. Book Reviews
  16. Book Reviews
  17. Meeting announcements
  18. Meetings
https://doi.org/10.1515/MAMM.2009.029
Keywords for this article
anthropochorous mammals; endemic faunas; generalist species; Holocene; Mediterranean islands; Upper Pleistocene

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Review Article
  2. Mammals of the Mediterranean islands: homogenisation and the loss of biodiversity
  3. Original Studies
  4. Changes in the distribution, abundance and status of Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica) in Saudi Arabia: A review
  5. Habitat use of wild ungulates in fragmented landscapes of the Lacandon Forest, Southern Mexico
  6. Distribution of the Southern birch mouse (Sicista subtilis) in East-Poland: Morphometric variations in discrete European populations of superspecies S. subtilis
  7. On the conspecifity of Allactaga hotsoni Thomas, 1920 and Allactaga firouzi Womochel, 1978 (Rodentia: Dipodoidea)
  8. Molecular systematics of Neotropical spiny mice (Neacomys: Sigmodontinae, Rodentia) from the Guianan Region
  9. Short Notes
  10. Habitat use and separation between the Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsi) and the Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) in winter
  11. Seasonal changes in American mink (Neovison vison) signs related to Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) presence
  12. Estimation of the birth season of Myocastor coypus (Molina 1782) by characterisation of prenatal developmental stages
  13. Observations on the growth of Chinchillula sahamae (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) in captivity
  14. Molecular and morphometric evidence validates a Chacoan species of the grey leaf-eared mice genus Graomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae)
  15. Book Reviews
  16. Book Reviews
  17. Meeting announcements
  18. Meetings
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