Investigating the population dynamics of some rodents (Mammalia: rodentia) in the forests of eastern black sea region after fire

Forest fires are an ecological process that greatly affects the composition, structure, and dynamics of many ecosystems. In recent years, changing meteorological and climatic conditions such as rising temperatures, increasing drought, and heat waves, along with climate change, have increased the number of forest fires and the amount of area burned. Forest fires may directly result in the mortality of wildlife or the destruction of their habitats. They can also lead to the depletion or total loss of nutrients, the introduction of invasive species that would intensify competition, and the displacement of animals from their territories. Small mammals and reptiles living in the soil and understory flora are the most vulnerable to fires. The aim of this study was to investigate the time-dependent changes in the effects of fires on some rodents. In addition, it was aimed at determining the changes in vegetation composition and structure of the burned areas and revealing the effects on small mammals. To achieve these objectives, we selected study areas that had been burned in various years. We placed live traps in selected areas to assess how small mammals responded to fire. We used the capture-mark-recapture (CMR) method to obtain information on the population abundance of rodents. Within the study areas, six vegetation parameters (grass, shrub and tree layer closure, litter closure, diversity index, and abundance value) have been determined for use in the analyses. Among the parameters evaluated, shrub layer closure and litter closure had a positive relationship with the small mammal population, while grass layer closure had a negative relationship with small mammal population. The population exhibited temporal fluctuations after the occurrence of the fire, with an initial increase followed by a subsequent decline. In the 5th year after the fire, the population size was measured closest to the unburned area.