How rodents adapt to human influences - researcher explains!

How rodents adapt to human influences - researcher explains!

Professor Dr. Anja Günther, a proven expert in zoology and animal ecology at the Institute of Biology at the University of Hildesheim, examines the effects of human influences on various domestic rodents. In her latest research project, she focuses on species such as the house mouse, reddish mouse, forest mouse, yellow neck mouse and rat. Her goal is to achieve a deeper understanding of how the life of these animals changes through the intervention of humans. Your focus is on the behavior of individual animals in order to draw conclusions about the dynamics of entire populations or even animal species.

Your work illuminates how rodents adapt to environmental changes and human -shaped habitats. In view of the approximately 2500 to 2,600 species of rodents that make up around 40 % of all mammalian species, this research is of central importance. Rodents that are considered the most species -rich order of the mammals are not only known for their adaptability, but also for their versatile habitats. This order includes animals, which ranges from the tiny African dwarf mouse with a weight of less than 5 grams to the majestic Capybara with a weight of up to 60 kilograms, such as wikipedia

threats from human activities

The research by Professor Günther takes place in a critical context. Human interventions such as habitat destruction, hunting and deforestation not only endanger the survival of many rodents, but also the overall biodiversity. A meta study by Deakin University has shown that more than two thirds of the examined cases of human disorders lead to a significant change in the movement behavior of animals. This applies not only to larger animals such as moose, which have to get to safety against leisure activities such as skiing, but also smaller species such as rodents that are disadvantaged by the loss of their habitats. Welt reports that the loss of freedom of movement and the associated restriction of fitness and reproduction of animals. Can have ecosystems.

rodent species are not only threatened by human interventions, but also by other natural predators and diseases that are transferable to humans. The high reproductive rate of many rodents, which are often classified as R strategists, contrasts with the risk of their populations, of which 60 species are considered threatened, while 37 species are already extinct. Despite these challenges, rodents also offer a variety of ecological functions, for example in the spread of seeds, since their movement behavior is crucial for the health of the entire environment.

Prof. Dr. With her research, Anja Günther helps to better understand the complex relationships between rodents and her habitats. It becomes increasingly clear that the fate of these small mammals is closely interwoven with our own lifestyles and the associated ecological consequences. Your work could make a decisive contribution to the preservation of biodiversity and to adapt to the challenges of a changing world.