COMPOSITION OF A SMALL MAMMAL COMMUNITY STUDIED BY 3 COMPARATIVE METHODS

Small mammal community composition of a Mediterranean area of central Italy was studied by comparing three different methods: (1) live-trapp ing, (2) owl pellet analysis and (3) snake gut analysis. All the metho ds employed provided useful data on both species composition and abund ance in the field, although live-trapping and analysis of Tyto alba pe llets allowed the detection of the higher number of small mammal speci es. When live-trapping is used, it seems necessary to place traps in e very environmental type available in the study area.