ABSTRACT Determining pest mammal impacts and abundance in forests requires an understanding of how target species use vegetation compared with the ground. We used a novel device combining footprint tracking with bite detection to survey for mammals at four levels in New Zealand forests that had house mice (Mus musculus) alone, and all widespread New Zealand mammals, including house mice, ship rats (Rattus rattus) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). When alone, house mice were detected at 93%, 35%, 17% and 0% of devices on the ground, in shrubs, in the subcanopy and canopy, respectively, but in a pilot study at one site were detected 11 m above ground. When all small pest mammals were present, house mice were scarce and none were detected up trees. Ship rats and possums were detected mostly on the ground, but also at all surveyed heights. The study confirms that mice, ship rats and possums are all potential above-ground predators, but suggests that targeting them for control and monitoring can reasonably be undertaken on the ground.

中文翻译：

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在新西兰原始森林的树上和地面上检测野生家鼠和其他小型哺乳动物

摘要 确定害虫哺乳动物对森林的影响和丰度需要了解目标物种如何利用植被与地面相比。我们使用了一种结合足迹跟踪和咬伤检测的新型设备，对新西兰森林中四个级别的哺乳动物进行了调查，这些哺乳动物只有家鼠（Mus musculus），以及所有分布广泛的新西兰哺乳动物，包括家鼠、船鼠（Rattus rattus）和刷尾负鼠（Trichosurus vulpecula）。单独时，分别在地面、灌木、次冠层和冠层中 93%、35%、17% 和 0% 的设备中检测到家鼠，但在一个地点的试点研究中，在离地面 11 m 的地方检测到了家鼠. 当所有小型害虫哺乳动物都存在时，家鼠很少，树上也没有发现。船鼠和负鼠主要在地面上被发现，但也在所有调查的高度上被发现。