Role of Predation and Plant-Small Mammal Interaction in Chilean Mediterranean Scrub Zone

先前对智利地中海型生态系统的研究表明，捕食和植物与动物的相互作用在构建小型哺乳动物组合和群落水平的相互作用中起着重要作用。然而，在温带新热带地区进行的长期或仔细重复的实地实验很少，需要这样的研究来评估主要从北半球群落阐明的模式的普遍性。本研究将调查主要捕食者群体对小型哺乳动物的具体影响，以及智利国家公园半干旱地中海群落中植物-小型哺乳动物重要相互作用的证据，该研究在小型哺乳动物种群动态、资源分配模式、捕食者饮食和植物区系关联方面取得了相当大的进展。小型哺乳动物可渗透的围栏和/或网覆盖的圈闭和防止小型哺乳动物的圈闭将分别用于评估捕食影响和消费影响，除了监测直接影响外，还将评估小型哺乳动物觅食模式和生境利用变化的证据。对捕食者和小型哺乳动物排斥的可探测反应预计是迅速的，并且拟议的工作将是温带新热带小型哺乳动物中这些过程的首次大规模研究之一。

Previous studies of Chilean mediterranean-type ecosystems have suggested a major role for predation, and plant-animal interactions in structuring small mammal assemblages, and in community level interactions. However, few long-term or carefully replicated field experiments have been conducted in temperate Neotropics, and such studies are needed to assess the generality of patterns elucidated largely from Northern Hemispheric communities. This research will investigate the specific effects of major predator groups on small mammals, and the evidence for significant plant-small mammal interactions in a semi-arid mediterranean community in a Chilean national park which has received considerable previous effort on small mammal population dynamics, resource partitioning patterns, predator diets, and floristic associations. Replicated fenced and/or net- covered exclosures permeable to small mammals, and small mammal- proof exclosures will be used to assess predation impace, and consumer effects, respectively, In addition to moitoring of direct effects, the evidence for changes in small mammal foraging patterns and habitat utilization will be assessed. Detectable responses to predator, and small mammal exclusion are expected to be rapid, and the proposed work will be among the first such large scale studies of these processes in temperate Neotropical small mammals.