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. 2025 Oct 27:13:e160994.
doi: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e160994. eCollection 2025.

Ten years of data on small mammal species in Doñana (SW Spain): 2011-2021

Francisco Carro  1 , Xosé Pardavila  1 , Álvaro Martín  2 , Carlos Caro  1 , Isidro Román  3 , Ramón-Casimiro Soriguer  1 , Luis Santamaría  1 , Javier Bustamante  1 , Rocío Márquez-Ferrando  1 , Ricardo Díaz-Delgado  1
Affiliations

Ten years of data on small mammal species in Doñana (SW Spain): 2011-2021

Francisco Carro et al. Biodivers Data J. .

Abstract

Background: The long-term monitoring of the small mammal community in Doñana (SW Spain) was initiated in 2011 as part of the European Long-Term Ecological Research (eLTER) project, of which Doñana is a Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) Platform. The main objective of this action is to collect time-series data on the abundance and distribution of the different small mammal species present in Doñana. Since 2017, this action has been included in the monitoring programme of the Integrated Scientific and Technical Infrastructure of the Doñana Biological Reserve (ICTS-Doñana) and in the LIFE Adaptamed project. The dataset includes information obtained from five representative habitats of Doñana and six sites sampled twice a year (spring and autumn). Some of them have been part of an experiment with different vegetation treatments applied. The sampling is based on capture and recapture methods using Sherman live traps. Information on sex, age and weight of each individual is also included. Here, we present data from 2011 to 2021, which could be useful for analyses of abundance, diversity and distribution patterns of the following species: white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula), black rat (Rattus rattus), garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus), Algerian mouse (Mus spretus) and wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). This information can be used to increase the ecological knowledge and improve management plans for the conservation of the species in Mediterranean ecosystems.

New information: This is the first published version of the standardised dataset of long-term monitoring of small mammals (Soricomorpha and Rodentia) in Doñana.

Keywords: Life Adaptamed Project; Long-Term Ecological Research; Sherman live traps; Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructure; capture-mark and recapture methods; rodents; sampling event; shrews.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Geographic location of the six localities and plots surveyed in Doñana Natural (blue boundaries) and National (green boundaries) Park. The protected area is located in south-western Spain.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A Sherman trap used for the live capture of small mammals in Doñana (Credit: Francisco Carro).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Mediterranean cork oak (Quercus suber) forest with hygrophytic Atlantic scrubs (Chamaerops humilis and Pistacia lentiscus), representative vegetation of Matasgordas 3D sampling site (Credit: Francisco Carro).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Matasgordas 3B sampling site, enclosed by fencing to exclude ungulate grazers. (Credit: Xosé Pardavila).
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Mediana 2D sampling site, characterised by pine trees and xerophytic Mediterranean scrub, underwent a thinning treatment that reduced 60% of the vegetation (Credit: Xosé Pardavila).
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Trap-nights per locality for the autumn during the study period (2011-2021) in Doñana.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Trap-nights per locality for the spring during the study period (2011-2021) in Doñana.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Total number of captures by age class of small-mammal species trapped during the study period (2011-2021) in Doñana.
Figure 9.
Figure 9.
Small mammals species captured in the study area during the sampling period (2011-2021) in Doñana: (a) Eliomys quercinus; (b) Crocidura russula; (c) Apodemus sylvaticus; (d) Rattus rattus (Credit: Francisco Carro); and (e) Mus spretus (Credit: Xosé Pardavila).
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