Small mammals refer to mammalian species that are small-sized such as rodents (mice, rats), lagomorphs (rabbits, hares), shrews, bats etc.
Imagine small mammals as the compact cars on our biological highway - they may not be as big or powerful as trucks (large mammals) but they're essential components of our ecosystem's traffic flow!
Rodents: This is an order of mammals characterized by two continuously growing incisors in both its upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing.
Insectivores: These are animals whose diet consists mainly of insects. Some small mammals like shrews fall into this category.
Biodiversity: This refers to the variety of life found in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Small mammals contribute significantly to biodiversity due to their varied species and roles in the ecosystem.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.