engleski

Small rodents in the forest ecosystem in Croatia – reservoirs of zoonoses

Small rodents are reservoirs and carriers of a large number of zoonoses pathogens. For careful observation of the role of rodents in forest ecosystems, it is necessary to conduct a detailed research of their population structure by species, species quantity, and measures of protection against the same. Small rodents’ population density depends on abiotic and biotic factors. In the year in which the influence of the mentioned factors is favourable, it is assumed that species quantity will be subject to significant growth. Regular monitoring of quantity of small rodents as reservoirs of zoonoses is important for predicting occurrence of epidemic. Changes of habitat elements, proportion of units' sex and age influence the dynamics and quantity of those mammals, which then indirectly influence periodicity of the breakout of epidemic. If mass of gonads and portion of gravid units are larger, small rodents’ population density will increase. Unlike, in case of decreased fertility, the population density is smaller.

small rodents ; population dynamic ; forest ; zoonoses

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