Species level habitat association of non-volant small mammals in four habitat types of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

This study aimed to assess the impact of deforestation on non-volant small mammals in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, focusing on four habitat types: restoration areas, boundary, disturbed, and undisturbed forests. Fieldwork was conducted from August 2020 to January 2021, using 80 live traps and 10 camera traps at three study sites: Terla A, Bertam, and Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve. A total of 23 species of non-volant small mammals from six orders and nine families were recorded by live trapping and camera trapping at the three study sites of Terla A, Bertam and Bukit Bujang Forest Reserve. The findings revealed that species diversity (H') was highest at Terla A (H’ = 2.274), with lower diversity in disturbed and boundary areas. Restoration areas had the lowest species diversity. Berylmys bowersi (Bower’s Rat) was the most frequently captured species from trappings and Lariscus insignis (Three-striped Ground Squirrel) was the most frequently recorded species from camera trappings for all study sites. The Chao-1 species richness estimator showed the boundary area to have the highest species richness (13 species), while the restoration area had the lowest (four species). Additionally, most species preferred areas with 75-95% herbaceous cover and 5-25% grass coverage. A significant correlation was found between vegetation cover and small mammal abundance (p= 0.03<0.05). These results emphasize the importance of preserving undisturbed forests and regularly monitoring restoration areas to ensure the continued survival of these species. The study highlights the role of habitat composition over diversity, suggesting that habitat changes significantly affect small mammal populations.

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