The focuses of this study are: 1.to survey the general distribution of small mammals (mainly rodents and Soricidae) along the coastal elevation gradient in the Shalisian River watershed and the Chenyulan River watershed in the Yushan region, 2.to discuss the technical difficulties involved in studying rodents and Soricidae in the Yushan region, and 3.to find the relationship between animal communities and plant communities.
In the two watersheds, nine rodents and Sorcidae species (the Formosan wood mouse [Apodemus semotus], the white-bellied rat [Rattus culturatus], the spinous country-rat [Niviventer coxingi], the black-bellied vole [Eothenomys melanogaster], the Kikuchi's field vole [Volemys kikuchii], the Formosan burrowing shrew [Anourosorex squamipes yamashinai], the Formosan shrew [Soriculus fumidus], and 2 Tanaka's gray shrews [Crocidura attenuata tanakae]) and 1 striped squirrel (Tamiops maritimus formosanus) from the Sciuridae family were captured. The distribution of these species correlated with elevation: the Kikuchi's field vole and the striped squirrel were found at high altitudes (mainly over 2680 m); the spinous country-rat and 2 species of the Tanaka's gray shrew were found at low altitudes (below 1560 m); and the Formosan wood mouse, the white-bellied rat, the Formosan shrew, and the Formosan burrowing shrew were found from low to high altitudes.