Nest box occupancy dynamics by hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in central-western Romania

The hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius is a vulnerable and protected species that is challenging to study due to its specific way of life. Limited data on its distribution and population parameters are available for Romania. We collected data regarding species’ biology and ecology in the hilly areas of central-western Romania, within deciduous forests dominated by oak or beech species. We regularly monitored 80 wooden nestboxes, which served as shelter and breeding sites for the species, to assess the seasonal and sex-related variations in nest box usage. The highest occupancy levels were observed during the autumn, with a smaller peak in the spring. Males occupied more nest boxes than females, although the difference was not statistically significant. They also travelled greater distances. Most nest boxes were occupied by a single individual at a time. Recapture rates did not differ significantly between males and females, and most individuals were recaptured only once. Hazel dormice showed a high level of site fidelity, often returning to the same nestbox or one nearby. Interestingly, 14% of the females bred twice a year, which is a lower percentage compared to findings from other studies. Nest box occupancy rates in this region were also lower than those reported in other areas. However, it is important to note that these variations may be attributed to differences in methodology. The occupancy rate declined with the increased presence of the larger species, the fat dormouse Glis glis, which outcompeted the hazel dormouse

Distribution data of the dormice species in Romania: a review

All four species of dormice present in Romania are listed as Vulnerable in the Romanian Red Book of Vertebrates and are protected by national laws. Even though they are important bioindicators of the condition of forest habitats, little is known about their distribution.We reviewed the distribution data for the Romanian dormice species: the Garden Dormouse (Eliomys quercinus), Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), Edible Dormouse (Glis glis), and Forest Dormouse (Dryomys nitedula). Our sources include published scientific literature, online databases (such as GBIF, Observation.org and iNaturalist), museum collections, verified citizen’s data as well as original data. A database was organized in GeoPackage format in QGIS 3.16.0. Historical locations from old scientific papers were georeferenced and included in the database with all metadata found. Recent and original data locations were recorded using geographical coordinates. Our aim was to produce up to date distribution maps for the dormice species occuring in Romania that can be further used in potential habitat modelling for the study and protection of these species and their habitat.We found the most abundant observation were of Muscardinus avellanarius and the least recorded species was Eliomys quercinus, without any recent data

Evolutionary history of the Forest Dormouse (Dryomys nitedula)

peer reviewedThe Forest Dormouse, Dryomys nitedula, has a wide geographic distribution, from Switzerland in the west, through eastern and southern Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus, to central Russia, central Asia and Mongolia in the east. Previous phylogenetic studies revealed highly divergent lineages in some part of the distribution, suggesting that the history of the species might be complex and a revision of the taxonomy might be warranted. In order to clarify the status of the subspecies identified in previous studies, we increased the current Genbank dataset (n=106) by analyzing >150 samples from Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, and Greece. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses, based on cytochrome b, show the presence of five super lineages with two highly divergent lineages in Iran and Russia. These preliminary results will be completed by additional samples from Mongolia and Afghanistan. This study should help shed light on the evolutionary history of this species across its distribution