Influence of forest stand on the reproductive biology of the edible dormouse Glis glis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2026-0002Keywords:
age of trees, dormice, mast seeding, nesting boxes, reproductionAbstract
In this study, carried out between 2018 and 2024, we investigated how stand species composition, stand age, and tree mast cycles affect selected life functions of the edible dormouse. A total of 81 nesting boxes were installed in eight study plots in south-western Poland in an area of low hills covered by deciduous and mixed forests. The locations varied in tree species composition and stand age. The number of inspections conducted annually ranged from 1 to 7. A total of 208 dormice (including 128 juveniles from 28 litters) were recorded. There was no association between the average number of litters per year and stand age, but there was a clear difference in this trait between oak and beech forests (in favour of the former). The number of litters increased in mast years, while the total number of dormice observed in mast and non-mast years did not differ significantly. Juveniles outnumbered adults in seeded years, but the difference was not significant. The study showed that nest boxes were more readily occupied in younger stands. More nest boxes were occupied in oak forests than in beech forests.
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