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Distribution, habitats and abundance of the herb field mouse (Apodemus uralensis) in Lithuania

  • Rimvydas Juškaitis EMAIL logo , Linas Balčiauskas and Paulius Alejūnas
Published/Copyright: September 14, 2016
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Abstract

Lithuania is situated in the north-western corner of the large distributional range of the herb field mouse, Apodemus uralensis. Apodemus uralensis is distributed mainly in the north-western part of Lithuania, where the majority of specimens were captured in the ecotones of mixed forests and open habitats (natural meadows, cornfields and fallow fields) and in open habitats bordering forests or situated close to them. Apodemus uralensis is rare in Lithuania: the average relative abundance was only 2.2 ind. per 100 trap-days and it accounted for up to 8.5% of all small mammals trapped. Avoidance of forest habitats and preference of ecotonic habitats, as well as the comparatively low abundance, are the main peculiarities of A. uralensis in the north-western corner of the range.

Acknowledgements

Anonymous reviewers made valuable comments which improved the manuscript. J. Stratford revised the English language, G. Vaitonis helped in the preparation of the figures, P. Adamík and E. Vlasov helped to obtain copies of some publications.

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Received: 2016-4-18
Accepted: 2016-6-10
Published Online: 2016-9-14
Published in Print: 2016-8-1

©2016 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences

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