Résumé
1. We tested how habitat structure and fragmentation affect the spatial
distribution of common murine rodents inhabiting human-dominated
landscapes in southeast Asia. The spatial distribution patterns observed
for each rodent species were then used to assess how changes in habitat
structure may potentially affect the risk of several major rodent-borne
diseases. 2. For this analysis, we used an extensive geo-referenced
database containing details of rodents trapped from seven sites in
Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR. We also developed land cover layers for
each site. Results from published studies that screened for five major
rodent-borne pathogens in rodents were used to estimate how these
pathogens would likely be impacted by these alterations in habitat
structure and composition. 3. Our results confirmed the specialist and/or
synanthropic status of several rodent species, although the majority of
species studied demonstrated some degree of low level of habitat
specialization. 4. Habitat diversity and its alteration (decreasing forest
cover, increasing fragmentation, increasing urbanisation) were found to
favour the presence of synanthropic rodent species such as Rattus
tanezumi, known to damage crops and host important rodent-borne diseases.
5. Synthesis and applications. The five major rodent-borne pathogens were
linked to ongoing changes in habitat structure. In particular the presence
of Bartonella spp. and hantaviruses seemed to be favoured in wooded
landscapes affected by ongoing fragmentation and human encroachments.
Rodents also pose significant problems for crop production in southeast
Asia. Our results showed that the structure of the landscape affects the
likely presence of rodent species considered as agricultural pests. The
patchy structure of a landscape can either enhance, such as B. indica, or
decrease, such as B. savilei, the presence of rodents that may cause
serious damage to crops.