Overview of the impact of forest habitats quality and landscape disturbances on the ecology and conservation of dormice species

Abstract

Arboreal mammals are a group of special concern. We reviewed the available literature to summarize the overall potential effects of forest habitat disturbances on dormice ecology and population parameters. We took into consideration the influence of forest structure, area size and fragmentation, vegetation biodiversity, forestry treatments, and the development of road networks. The vast majority of studies have only examined two species, hazel and edible dormouse, while the ecological requirements and conservation priorities of forest, garden, and Japanese dormice have rarely been studied. There has been a substantial increase in the number of dormice studies; however, many aspects of their ecology are still unknown. The current state of knowledge points to the essential role of the complex vertical structure of forest vegetation in providing arboreal movement corridors and safe nesting places for dormice species. Moreover, dormice species are cavity dwellers that depend on the presence of old trees and nest boxes, which could have ambiguous effects.