Species identification for <i>Apodemus speciosus</i>, <i>A. argenteus</i>, and <i>Microtus montebelli</i> using the footprint recording method, and its application for relative abundance estimation

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  • 足跡法による野ネズミ類3種（アカネズミ，ヒメネズミ，ハタネズミ）の種の判別と相対的個体群密度指標への応用の可能性
  • アシアトホウ ニ ヨル ノネズミルイ 3シュ(アカネズミ,ヒメネズミ,ハタネズミ)ノ タネ ノ ハンベツ ト ソウタイテキ コタイグン ミツド シヒョウ エ ノ オウヨウ ノ カノウセイ

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In this study, we applied multiple discriminant analysis to the footprint recording method to identify three rodent species, Apodemus speciosus, A. argenteus, and Microtus montebelli. We used captured wild animals in the laboratory to obtain footprints. For A. speciosus, the analysis indicated a high percentage of correct answers (more than 90%) with both front and hind footprints. For M. montebelli, our results revealed 85% correct answers with front footprint and over 90% with the hind footprint. For A. argenteus, however, our results showed a low percentage of correct answers, 20% with the front footprint and approximately 60% with the hind footprint, and most of the incorrect answers were erroneously discriminated to M. montebelli. We also compared captures and footprint abundance obtained via live trapping and footprint recording methods with multiple discriminant analysis, respectively, in the Oku-Nikko area of Tochigi Prefecture in 2009. Both abundance estimates of M. montebelli were significantly correlated. In contrast, both abundance estimates of A. speciosus and A. argenteus were not significantly correlated. Though the footprint recording method cannot be used to estimate rodent abundance immediately, the method would be valuable, considering its cost and effectiveness.

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