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This study evaluated the effects of altitudinal gradients on small-rodent populations and microhabitat conditions. We selected three altitudinal bands: lowland, mid-land, and highland. We captured three small-rodent species, the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), the Korean field mouse (A. peninsulae), and the red-backed vole (Myodes regulus). A. agrarius preferred microhabitats with dense ground vegetation and sparse mid-story vegetation, basal area, downed trees, and stone coverage. A. peninsulae utilized ground vegetation, overstory vegetation, and downed trees. M. regulus occupied microhabitats with abundant stone coverage and little ground vegetation coverage. Ground vegetation coverage was higher in the mid-land. The lowland was characterized by high understory vegetation, bulky downed trees, and high stone coverage. A. agrarius mostly occupied the mid-land, whereas A. peninsulae and M. regulus mainly inhabited the lowland. Our results show that each small-rodent species had its own strategy for utilizing the key habitat factors in altitudinally affected microhabitats and for reducing competition among the populations. This finding contributes to improving knowledge of the ecological altitudinal features of microhabitat conditions, as well as the altitudinal distributions and abundances of three small-rodent species.

In this study, we set out to determine the cascade effects of slope gradient on ground vegetation and small-rodent populations in a forest ecosystem. We focused on two forest-dwelling small rodents with different habitat requirements, the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (preferring dense ground vegetation) and the Korean field mouse A. peninsulae (dense forest and woodland). The study area comprised natural deciduous forests and Japanese larch Larix kaempferi plantations in South Korea. The abundance of A. agrarius but not that of A. peninsulae was related to slope gradient. There was a negative effect of slope gradient on ground vegetation coverage and a positive effect of ground vegetation on A. agrarius populations. Our results highlight that the population of A. agrarius was indirectly influenced by the negative effects of slope gradient on ground vegetation. Slope gradient can, therefore, be a limiting factor in the microhabitats occupied by small rodents. This study reveals a critical role for slope gradient since it can modify not only microhabitat conditions, but also small-rodent populations, and this finding can contribute to improved microhabitat management.

We studied the sett characteristics and habitat variables of the Asian badger Meles leucurus in a temperate forest in South Korea. Logistic regression models were utilized to explain the effects of habitat variables on the location of badger setts. The presence of rocks and trees nearby and of dense ground vegetation and sub-overstory vegetation were correlated positively with sett location. Abundance of setts was higher in deciduous forest compared with coniferous forest, mixed forest and non-forest. The animals showed a preference for a steeper slope of sett location, which likely allows for easier removal of soil during sett settling, as well as improved drainage in that area. In low and high altitudinal areas disturbed by humans, a lower abundance of setts was found. Thus, selection of sett location was strongly influenced by structures around the setts, vegetation cover, forest type, slope and altitude. These variables should be considered and handled carefully though forest management for the conservation of the mammals and their habitats.

Background: Behavioral traits of pigs have been shown to be partly under genetic control, which raises the possibility that behavior might be altered by genetic selection, resulting in pigs with better growth performance. Objective: To evaluate the behavior and growth of finishing pigs and investigate pigs selected for high or low social breeding value (SBV) in relation to social behavior and group growth. Methods: Thirty-five females and 35 boars from five positive and five negative SBV groups of finishing pigs were grown from 30 to 90 kg and housed in 10 test pens (3.0 × 3.3 m, 7 pigs/pen). Pigs were recorded with video technology for nine consecutive hours on days 1, 15, and 30 after mixing. Pigs were weighed at approximately 90 kg body weight and the number of days to reach 90 kg was then calculated. Results: The frequency and duration of behaviors were present in the positive and negative SBV groups after mixing. On day 1 after mixing, agonistic behavior was significantly higher (p=0.027) for the –SBV group compared with the +SBV group. Feeding and feeding-together behaviors were significantly higher (p

Forestry practices can lead to changes in wildlife habitat that could have lasting effects on the distribution of species. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of forestry practices on habitat variables and habitat use by mammals in three different stands (control, clear-cut and clear-cut with reserves) in a Japanese larch Larix kaempferi plantation from April to October in 2016 and 2017. We recorded the presence of field signs for the following six mammal species: Korean hare Lepus coreanus, raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, Eurasian badger Meles meles, water deer Hydropotes inermis, roe deer Capreolus pygargus and wild boar Sus scrofa. Habitat variables significantly differed among three stands. Field sign (feces, foot prints and feeding signs) abundances of mammals showed significant differences between the control and clear-cut stands. Moreover, field sign abundances of all species were highest in the clear-cut with reserves stand. We calculated the impact of clear-cutting on habitat use by mammals using GLMMs. Both clear-cutting in the models were significant and had positive coefficients on habitat use by Korean hare, raccoon dog, deer and wild boar. In Eurasian badger models, only clear-cutting with reserves show positive impacts on habitat use. Habitat selection by forest edge species such as Korean hare and deer showed dependence on understory structure. Abundant understory in the clear-cut with reserves stand may not only provide vegetative food and cover for herbivores but also small prey species for omnivores and carnivores. The results of our study show that forest understory is one of the most instrumental factors mitigating the effects of clear-cutting on habitat use by mammal and it should, therefore, be given due importance in forestry practices.

We investigated the relationships between vegetation area, edge length, and mammals in the urban woods of Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea. The vegetation patches included in this study varied from 2.1 to 501.0 ha in size. Surveys were conducted monthly between February and October 2015, with a survey route measuring 1 km in length and 10 m width established in each forest patch. Field signs of 14 species of mammals were recorded in the 33 chosen forest patches over the course of the study period, and the number of species in each patch varied from 2 to 11. Mammal species richness was positively correlated with vegetation area, and field sign frequency was positively correlated with vegetation area and negatively correlated with edge length. The field sign frequencies of large moles Mogera robusta, Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus, leopard cats Prionailurus bengalensis, Korean hares Lepus coreanus, water deer Hydropotes inermis, and wild boars Sus scrofa were positively correlated with vegetation area. Moreover, that of large moles, leopard cats, Korean hares, and water deer were negatively correlated with edge length. Remnant vegetation area and edge length are the primary determinants of mammal species richness and field sign frequency in urban woods, highlighting the importance of vegetation patch size for mammal conservation in fragmented urban landscapes.

Objective This study was conducted to characterize the behaviors and the body weight of suckling piglets in different social environments. Methods Two groups of sows and suckling piglets housed either in individual farrowing crates in separate pens (1.8×2.4 m, the control group) or in groups of three sows with their piglets in farrowing crates in a large common enclosure (5.4×2.2 m, the treatment group) were observed with the aid of video technology for 9 consecutive hours on days 1, 2, and 3, after mixing. Results Suckling, agonistic, and elimination behaviors of suckling piglets were significantly higher in the control group than in the treatment group. Inactive behavior was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Most of the effects of the social environment on the suckling piglets seem to be the result of large reductions in behaviors and body weight for piglets switching from high activity to low activity. Moreover, suckling behavior and birth body weight were highly correlated with body weight at the end of the test. Conclusion The social environment that resulted from mixing, thus, had significant effects on the behavior and body weight of suckling piglets, and behavioral characteristics, therefore, should be considered when making improvements to the husbandry and care methods used in swine production.

The present study was conducted to elucidate the movement and home range of 7 subadult cinereous vultures Aegypius monachus during the wintering and summering periods using a telemetry system from January 2015 to March 2017 in East Asia. In total, 7053 locations (180?1607 points per bird) were used to analyze the home range size and movement distance of the birds during the wintering, migration, and summering periods. The tracked birds overwintered in South Korea. They migrated between South Korea and Mongolia during spring and autumn, respectively. Their movement and home range size varied considerably throughout the annual cycle between the wintering and summering grounds. The migration route and home range exhibited considerable overlap among the vultures tracked. Further studies on breeding ecology and habitat use pattern are necessary for the conservation of cinereous vultures and their habitats in the wintering and summering grounds.

Movement patterns of three small rodent species (striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius, n = 18; Korean field mouse A. peninsulae, n = 21; and Korean red-backed vole Myodes regulus, n = 22) were tracked by radio-telemetry to determine seasonal variation in home range size, daily distance traveled, and number of daytime resting area in a post-fire planted stand of Japanese red pine Pinus densiflora in Mt. Gumbong, Samcheok, South Korea. Home range sizes and distances traveled did not differ among the species; however, significant differences were noted in the home range sizes (analysis of variance; F = 9.24, df = 2, 6, p = 0.05) and distances traveled (Kruskal-Wallis test; H = 9.51–15.38, p = 0.05–0.01) of each species across seasons. In winter, all three measures considerably decreased for all species examined. The home range sizes of male rodents of all species were 1.4–2.2 times larger than those of female rodents. All species were primarily nocturnal; in daytime, they remained confined to their resting areas. The durations of movement negatively correlated with daytime length (Spearman correlation analysis; r = -0.41, p = 0.01, n = 2583); no differences were observed in the number of daytime resting areas among species (F = 0.81, df = 3, 6, p = 0.38). However, the numbers of daytime resting areas of three small rodents were the smallest in winter. Thus, seasonal variation is an important factor affecting small rodent movement patterns. Further long-term ecological research would help elucidate how small rodents seasonally interact and share resources in the same habitat.

This study was conducted to determine the distribution and breeding status of the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) for conservation and management purposes in South Korea. Breeding and stopover sites of the black-faced spoonbill were mainly in uninhibited islets off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula; wintering sites were observed on Jeju Island. Between April and July 2013, we observed 638 black-faced spoonbill nests along the west coast of the Korean Peninsula. Most of the nests were observed in the Gyeonggi Bay area, on Kujido Islet, Bido Islet, Namdong retaining basin, Youdo Islet, Suhaam Islet, Seomando Islet, and Maedo Islet, which were major breeding sites for these birds. It is essential to understand the distribution, breeding status, ecology, and habitat patterns of the black-faced spoonbill, based on existing data, for the conservation and management of this species. Long-term ecological research on the population dynamics of the black-faced spoonbill is needed to implement a successf...

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of atmospheric factors on the body and egg of great tits (Parus major), which were bred in artificial nest boxes from March to July of 2012 and 2013. The mean temperature and relative humidity were significantly higher in the spring season of 2012 than in 2013. Body masses of incubating parent birds differed between both years. Eggs which were laid in 2012 were larger and heavier than those of 2013. Hue and saturation values for background and spot colors were significantly different between 2012 and 2013. In 2012, there were warmer and wetter atmospheric conditions, which may influence vegetation and food availability for the birds. The large, heavy, and less vividly-colored eggs were laid in 2012 by parents with good body condition. Results showed that spring atmospheric factors influenced both body and egg of great tits. Further studies on the relationships between atmosphere, vegetation, and food availability of the birds are needed.

With regard to animal welfare concerns, behavioral information of weaned and mixed piglets is great interest in swine production. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the change in behavior of weaned piglets over time in two different groups (littermates and piglets from different litters) after mixing. Two weaned groups of piglets (72 individuals in all) housed either with littermates or with foreign piglets (6 individuals in 1.8 mx1.4 m pens, 28 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C temperature) were observed with the aid of video technology for 9 consecutive hours on days 1, 2, and 3 after mixing. The behaviors of the weaned piglets in the control and treatment groups were significantly different among the days after mixing. Piglets were, however, more active and aggressive in the groups with foreign piglets. This study reveals a lower level of agonistic behavior in groups of piglets that came from the same litter.

This study was conducted to examine the bill color and body mass of great tit (Parus major) nestlings in artificial nest boxes. In this study, the nestlings with yellow bills had a higher body mass on the second and eighth day after hatching. Moreover, the brightness values of the color of the bill on the eighth day after hatching were negatively correlated with the body mass of the chicks. Our experiment shows that the color of the bill of the nestling could accurately signal the quality of the chick. Moreover, carotenoid-based colors play an important role in avian communication. Study of carotenoid-based colors in the great tit would be required in the future.

We examined the ecological factors influencing winter abundance of mammals in the natural deciduous forest and the Japanese larch, Larix leptolepis, plantation in Mount Maehwa, Hongcheon, South Korea. We counted the tracks of five mammal species — the Korean hare, Lepus coreanus; the raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides; the Siberian weasel, Mustela sibirica; the water deer, Hydropotes inermis and the wild boar, Sus scrofa — in the snow from November 2013 to February 2014. We showed that the mean basal area, canopy cover and shrub cover were significantly higher in the Japanese larch plantation than in the natural deciduous forest. The winter abundances of Korean hares, raccoon dogs and water deer were higher in the Japanese larch plantation than in the natural deciduous forest. The results of stepwise analysis revealed that the winter abundances of four species were significantly correlated with ≥ 1 of the habitat variables. The winter abundances of Korean hares, water deer and wild boars were significantly correlated with shrub cover. The winter abundances of Korean hares, raccoon dogs and wild boars were significantly correlated with fallen logs; and the winter abundance of water deer was significantly correlated with canopy cover. For all of the investigated species, the preferred winter habitat was the Japanese larch plantation, with dense shrub cover and high number of fallen logs. Our results indicate that for planning conservation and forest management strategies for mammal species, the preferred forest habitat variables must be taken into consideration.

We used radio telemetry to study the home range, activity patterns, arboreality and day refuges of the Korean wood mouse Apodemus peninsulae (Thomas, 1907) during fall and winter in a temperate forest in Korea. The mean home range size in fall was 1,998 ± 1,732 m2 (range: 599–7,798 m2; n = 14); winter home range size could not be estimated because the mice were minimally active in winter and few movements were identified. Males tended to have larger home ranges than did females, although this difference was not statistically significant. In the fall, Korean wood mice were primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, and they often used several day refuges. Male and female activity levels were not significantly different. No direct evidence of arboreality was found.

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of bat populations in lowland dry evergreen forests of the Central Cardamom Protected Forest in Cambodia during the rainy seasons of 2011–2013 and the dry seasons of 2012–2013. In five study sites of the forest, data from 160 individuals of six bat species were recorded. The Sunda short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis Sunda) was the most dominant species in all study sites. Most captured bats were adults, and captured females outnumbered captured males. In this study, populations of the bats, except for that of the Sunda short-nosed fruit bats, were not stable. Therefore, forest loss and degradation should be prohibited in the study areas to ensure stable bat populations. Further studies are required to investigate the ecological characteristics of fruit bats in various forest types for the conservation of the mammals and their habitats.

This study was conducted to clarify the effects of begging call playbacks on the growth of great tit, Parus major, nestlings in artificial nest boxes. The mean body mass of nestlings significantly differed between the control (60 dB playback intensity), playback 1 (80 dB), and playback 2 (100 dB) groups. However, mean tarsus length was not different based on treatment. The daily body mass and tarsus length gain of nestlings in playback 2 were higher than in the control and playback 1 groups in this study. Further long-term research is needed to understand the relationship between begging behavior of nestlings and parental care in the great tit.

This study was conducted to elucidate the breeding ecology of tits in artificial nest boxes in both deciduous and coniferous forests located in Mt. Namsan, Seoul Metropolitan, Korea, from March to June 2012. Great tit Parus major and varied tit P. varius both used the artificial nest boxes in the coniferous forest, but only the great tit used the artificial nest boxes in the deciduous forest for breeding. There were 27 artificial nest boxes in the coniferous forest and 17 in the deciduous forest. The rate of breeding success was 6.7–26.7% for both study sites. The clutch size of varied tits was less than that of great tits. Brood size, incubation period and nestling care period were the same for great and varied tits in the coniferous forest. There were no differences related to forest type for number of breeding pairs, breeding behaviors, egg measurements, and results of hatching, fledgling and breeding for great tits bred in artificial nest boxes. Long-term ecological research on food availability and b...

The goal of this study was to gain an understanding of small mammal populations in thinned and clearcut stands in Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) plantations on Mt. Maehwasan, Hongcheon, Korea. Foliage profiles, diameter at breast height distribution, coverage of ground, and volume of coarse woody debris were significantly different between thinned and clearcut stands. Total number of captured small mammals, number of captured striped field mice, and mean striped field mouse population densities obtained from Jolly–Seber estimates were higher in clearcut stands. Coverage of ground, volume of coarse woody debris, and number of downed trees were critical variables for abundance of small mammals in this study. Our results suggest that retention of coarse woody debris and downed trees prevent reduction of small mammal populations after forest practices in Japanese larch plantations.

I investigated the small-scale winter habitat selection of hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia in temperate forest, South Korea. The birds showed a preference for natural deciduous forest, followed by mixed forest, coniferous plantations, and deciduous plantations. The top-ranked model for winter habitat selection by the hazel grouse (ω = 0.72, r2 = 0.81) was 0.42 [understory cover] + 0.33 [forest type] + 0.24 [distance from the nearest forest road] + 0.18 [number of birches] + 0.12 [number of alders]. These results suggest that the conservation of natural deciduous forest, dense understory vegetation, and food trees (birches and alders), as well as a reduction in forest road construction, could enhance critical winter habitat for hazel grouse. A multi-scale approach is needed to understand the relative importance of small and large scale landscape factors that influence hazel grouse habitat selection. Future research on habitat selection by the hazel grouse should use a multi-scale approach and should assess the birds’ preferences throughout the year.

We examined the influence of tree thinning on the abundance of mammals in a Japanese larch Larix kaempferi plantation in Mt Gariwang, Pyeongchang, South Korea. In 2014 and 2015, from April to October, we recorded the presence of tracks as a proxy for abundance, for the following seven mammalian species: Korean hare Lepus coreanus, raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, Siberian weasel Mustela sibirica, Eurasian badger Meles meles, water deer Hydropotes inermis, roe deer Capreolus pygargus, and wild boar Sus scrofa. We also assessed how the intensity of tree thinning affected vegetation cover; there were significant differences in number of standing trees, basal area, coverage of vegetation layers, and number and volume of downed trees among the control, moderately thinned, and intensively thinned stands. We found significant differences in the abundance of tracks among the stands for three mammal species. In four mammal species, the abundance of track was significantly correlated with volume of downed trees, coverage of ground vegetation, number of downed trees, and number of standing trees, according to stepwise analysis. The presence and abundance of mammals is linked to habitat variables and forest managers should consider how habitat modifications will affect wildlife.

The survival of 86 clutches laid by hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia hens was studied using radio telemetry to evaluate the importance of key vegetation variables for nest survival between March 2003 and June 2009 in a 3000 ha study area of temperate forest in South Korea. The nest sites in the forest stands differed from that in the study area with dense understory cover and low visibility. Daily nest survival rates increased with understory cover, higher proportion of natural deciduous forest, and decreased with nest conspicuousness. Nest survival rates were not correlated with tree density, basal area, mid-story cover, and overstory cover. The results did not reveal any differences in the daily nest survival rate between first breeders and older hens. Habitat management that protects the remaining understory cover and natural deciduous forest is key to stabilizing threatened hazel grouse populations in temperate forests.