Woodland dormice favored denser, better-connected riverine vegetation

What the study found: Woodland dormice were more often found in microhabitats with better-connected vegetation, including trunks and canopies, and in areas with higher, denser cover. They also used areas with more dormouse neighbours and longer resident individuals more frequently.
Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that the structure of riverine Combretum forest is important for dormouse microhabitat use and selection. They suggest management practices may help maintain dormouse populations by helping preserve forest density and structure.
What the researchers tested: The researchers studied woodland dormice (Graphiurus murinus), a type of arboreal small mammal, in a riverine Combretum forest in South Africa. They collected capture–mark–recapture data across four seasons and assessed microhabitat features using 192 traps set at different heights, then analyzed the data with generalized linear and generalized mixed models and comparative tests.
What worked and what didn't: Dormice were less often captured in winter and in places where only same-sex individuals were present. They were captured more often in microhabitats with more dormouse neighbours and longer residency times, and they used well-connected areas, trunks, canopies, and vegetation that was higher, denser, and more connected. The species mostly used Combretum caffrum, Rhus spp., and Gymnosporia heterophylla, and it preferred the latter two tree species.
What to keep in mind: The study was carried out in one riverine forest site in South Africa, so the findings are limited to that setting in the available summary. The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the management suggestion about avoiding vegetation gaps larger than 50% per 100 m2.

Key points

• Woodland dormice were more often associated with connected, dense vegetation and with trunks and canopies.
• Microhabitats with more dormouse neighbours and longer residency times were used more frequently.
• Dormice were less often captured in winter and where only same-sex individuals were present.
• The species mainly used Combretum caffrum, Rhus spp., and Gymnosporia heterophylla, preferring the latter two.
• The authors suggest management may help maintain populations by limiting large vegetation gaps.