Source: Cavia, Regino, Gerardo Rubén Cueto, and Olga Virginia Suárez. “Changes in Rodent Communities According to the Landscape Structure in an Urban Ecosystem.”Landscape and Urban Planning 90.1-2 (2009): 11-19. Print.
In this study, the researches wanted to understand the community structure of rodents and the abundance of individual species based on local conditions and the landscape. Information on rodent distribution is important because rodents are carriers for disease and are often involved in the transmission of disease to humans and domestic animals. Since urban ecosystems are more prone to pest outbreaks, the researchers wanted to provide a study to assist urban planning in future.
Cavia et al. designed the study in Buenos Aries, Argentina, to test the population densities of various rodents based on an environmental gradient. The sites varied from tree cover, to low vegetative cover, to simply buildings. The researchers collected data from 9 sites in total. One assumption in the study was that rodent population did not significantly change based on the season in which the data was collected.
The results of the study showed that native rodents clustered in vegetated environments. R. Norvegicus, M. Musculus, and R. Rattus were the most common species. The most important conclusion is that urbanization resulted in the decrease in species diversity and richness. Specifically, the results form this study helps New York City because it can be useful in mapping the distribution of species. However, the researchers pointed out that New York City saw a slightly different distribution of rodent species because of the difference in geography (dominated by R. Norvegicus because of colder climate). Nonetheless, NYC can use this study to plan pest control and help protect urban residents from seeing an outbreak of rodents because they will have a better idea of how the landscape affects the rodent population.
http://www.ege.fcen.uba.ar/urbanizacion/files/CAVIA/Cavia%20et%20al%202008.pdf
