Effects of multiple types’ ecological factors on the body mass of small rodents in a forest ecosystem

The body mass of animals is directly or indirectly affected by multiple ecological factors. However, the effects of ecological factors on body mass are controversial, and a comprehensive study dealing with diverse ecological factors is rare. This study was performed to determine the effects of ecological factors on the body mass of small rodents in a natural deciduous forest located on Mt. Gariwang, Pyeongchang, and Jeongseon, South Korea from May 2019 to October 2020. We classified ecological factors into topographic, climatic, cover, and demographic factors. Three forest-dwelling small rodent species, striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), Korean field mouse (A. peninsulae), and red-backed vole (Myodes regulus), were captured using the capture-mark-recapture method. The findings showed that the body mass of three rodent species was not regulated by topographic factors. In addition, a high ambient temperature resulted in a heavy body mass for A. agrarius and A. peninsulae, and the A...., Small rodents were captured using Sherman live traps (7.62 Í 8.89 Í 22.86 cm) placed at each of the trapping points from May to October 2019 and 2020. We used the capture-mark-recapture method to identify captured individuals and estimate population sizes. The traps were baited with peanuts, activated during three consecutive nights in each month, and checked every morning. We marked each captured small rodent with an identification (ID) number together with toe clipping or ear punching. We recorded the capture place, ID number, species, sex, age (adult or juvenile), reproductive condition of each animal, and measured their body mass using a spring balance to the nearest 0.1 g (Pesola AG, Baar, Switzerland). Thereafter, the captured individuals were immediately released at the trapping point at which they were captured. We measured the altitude (meters above sea level) and slope gradient as topographic factors at each trapping point using a portable GPSMAP (Garmin Ltd., Kansas, USA) an..., Excel is required to open the data files.动物的体重直接或间接受到多种生态因子的影响，但生态因子对体重的作用尚存争议，且针对多样生态因子的综合性研究较为匮乏。本研究于2019年5月至2020年10月期间，在韩国平昌与旌善郡的加里旺山天然落叶林中开展，旨在探究生态因子对小型啮齿动物体重的影响。我们将生态因子划分为地形因子、气候因子、覆被因子与种群统计因子。本次研究采用标记重捕法（capture-mark-recapture），捕获了3种栖息于森林的小型啮齿动物：黑线姬鼠（striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius）、朝鲜姬鼠（Korean field mouse, A. peninsulae）以及红背䶄（red-backed vole, Myodes regulus）。研究结果显示，3种啮齿动物的体重并不受地形因子的调控。此外，较高的环境温度会使黑线姬鼠与朝鲜姬鼠的体重增加，而[原文此处表述未完整]。小型啮齿动物的捕获采用谢尔曼活捕笼（Sherman live traps，尺寸为7.62 × 8.89 × 22.86 cm），于2019年与2020年的5月至10月期间，在各捕获点位布设。我们采用标记重捕法识别捕获个体并估算种群规模。捕笼以花生作为诱饵，每月连续布设三晚，每日清晨检查一次。我们通过剪趾或打耳标的方式为每只捕获的小型啮齿动物佩戴编号标识（ID）。记录捕获地点、ID编号、物种、性别、年龄（成体或幼体）、每只动物的繁殖状况，并使用弹簧秤（Pesola AG，巴尔，瑞士）称量其体重，精度可达0.1克。随后，捕获的个体立即在其被捕获的点位原地释放。我们使用便携式GPSMAP（Garmin Ltd.，堪萨斯，美国）在各捕获点位测量海拔（以米为单位的海拔高度）与坡度，作为地形因子。打开该数据集的文件需要使用Excel软件。