Small terrestrial mammals (Soricomorpha, Chiroptera, Rodentia) from the early Holocene layers of Mala Triglavca (Sw Slovenia)

Abstract

At least 132 specimens belonging to no less than 21 species of small terrestrial mammals from the Boreal were identi-Thed within the finds from the Early Holocene sediments from Mala Triglavca (the Kras Plateau, SW Slovenia), namely Crocidura suaveolens, Sorex alpinus/araneus, S. minutus, Talpa cf. europaea, Barbastella barbastellus, Sciurus vulgaris, Cricetulus migratorius, Arvicola terrestris, Microtus agrestis/arvalis, M. subterraneus/liectensteini, Chionomys nivalis, Myodes glareolus, Dinaromys bogdanovi, Glis glis, Muscardinus avellanarius and Apodemus avicollis/sylvaticus/agrarius/uralensis. This small mammal assemblage indicates that their habitat was presumably a mosaic of a mixed, predominantly deciduous forest, dotted with small meadows and some rocky substrate. A comparison of allochronous microfaunas from the Kras Plateau indicated a rapid faunistic change in the last 5,000 years.