Abstract
We study the galaxy stellar mass function in different environments in the
local Universe, considering both the total mass function and that of individual
galaxy morphological types. We compare the mass functions of galaxies with $\rm
log_10 M_\star/M_ødot 10.25$ in the general field and in galaxy
groups, binary and single galaxy systems from the Padova-Millennium Galaxy and
Group Catalogue at $z=0.04-0.1$ with the mass function of galaxy clusters of
the WIde-field Nearby Galaxy-Cluster Survey at $z=0.04-0.07$. Strikingly, the
variations of the mass function with global environment, overall, are small and
subtle. The shapes of the mass functions of the general field and clusters are
indistinguishable, and only small, statistically insignificant variations are
allowed in groups. Only the mass function of our single galaxies, representing
the least massive haloes and comprising less than a third of the general field
population, is proportionally richer in low-mass galaxies than other
environments. The most notable environmental effect is a progressive change in
the upper galaxy mass, with very massive galaxies found only in the most
massive environments. This environment-dependent mass cut-off is unable to
affect the Schechter parameters and the K-S test, and can only be revealed by
an ad-hoc analysis. Finally, we show how, in each given environment, the mass
function changes with morphological type, and that galaxies of the same
morphological type can have different mass functions in different environments.
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