Abstract

GOMEZ, María Daniela et al. Small mammals in agroecosystems: responses to land use intensity and farming management . Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2017, vol.24, n.2, pp.289-300. ISSN 0327-9383.

The Province of Córdoba, Argentina, has undergone a marked transformation due to the expan-sion and intensification of agriculture. With almost 9 Mha under crop production from 2014-2015, this prov-ince is one of the main agricultural regions of the country. This agricultural intensification implies increasing agrochemical use, removal of border habitats, replacement of crop-grazing by a double cropping system and landscape homogenization. These factors produce alterations in habitat quality and suitability, and conse-quently have negative effects on biodiversity. The effects of agricultural intensification and farming manage-ment could vary with the degree of habitat specialization of different species. The objective of this work was to describe a state-of-art about the most recent responses of small mammals with different degrees of habitat specialization to land-use intensification and farming management, using data obtained by our research group in agroecosystems of the Córdoba Province. This mammalian group was used as a model due to its important contribution to the maintenance of complex food webs and the sustainability of agroecosystems. The mainte-nance of undisturbed linear habitat networks and implementation of organic farming in intensively managed agricultural landscapes can attenuate the effects of agricultural intensification by providing suitable habitats for small mammal populations, contributing to the maintenance of biodiversity. Moreover, organic farming has a positive effect on female reproductive activity and small mammal abundance. This research contributes to the development of a theoretical framework of Argentinean agroecosystems that combines efficient agricultural land use with biodiversity conservation.

Keywords : Conventional management; Córdoba-Argentina; Habitat generalists; Habitat specialists; Organic management.

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