The Cypress Forests (Chamaecyparis formosensis and C. obtusa var. formosana) at Cilan
are a symbolic mountain cloud forest ecosystem in Taiwan, and play an important role in
biodiversity conservation; however studies of mammal assemblages of the area are still
insufficient. We conducted a comparative study on mammal abundances in the Cilan area
during 2010~2013. Three forest types were selected: virgin forests (undisturbed), managed
forests (from which snags and fallen logs had been removed), and plantations (reforested
after having been clear-cut). The camera-trapping method was applied at 4 different sample
sites in each forest type. By establishing 310 independent camera-trapping events, with an
effort of 10,231 camera-days, 12 species of mammals were photo-captured as follows:
Reeve’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Formosan Serow (Capricornis swinhoe), Formosan
Macaque (Macaca cyclopis), Ferret Badger (Melogale moschata), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa),
Crab-eating Mongoose (Herpestis urva), Siberian Weasel (Mustila sibirica), Yellow-
throated Marten (Martes flavigula), White-faced Flying-squirrel (Pitaurista alborufus),
Redbellied Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus), Long-nosed Squirrel (Dremomys pernyi), and
Striped Squirrel (Tamiops maritimus), in addition to unidentified members of the Muridae.
Records of the Crab-eating Mongoose and Yellow-throated Marten are new to the Cilan area.
The top 3 most recorded species were Reeve’s Muntjac, Formosan Serow, and Formosan
Macaque, comprising a major portion (91.3%) of the captured images. Relative compositions
of these 3 dominant mammals significantly differed among the 3 forest types. Based on the occurrence index (OI, number of images/1000 camera-hours) of the animals, only the Formosan Serow showed distinct differences among the 3 forest types. Its OI value was higher in plantations than in virgin forests. The OI data set of Reeve’s Muntjac showed more variation within the same forest type, with distinct differences among all sample sites in both of the virgin and plantation forests. On the other hand, the OI of the Formosan Serow was less variable, which might have resulted from their superior climbing ability. A principle component analysis (PCA) plot revealed
that there was no segregation between the virgin forest sites and managed forest sites, while
the 4 plantation sites were closer. We concluded that there were no obvious differences in the mammal assemblages between virgin forests and managed forests, which have undergone succession for several decades. However, plantations regenerated from clear-cut stands
exhibited more long-term influences.