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  1. Use of Woody Debris by Cotton Mice (Peromyscus Gossypinus) in a Southeastern Pine Forest

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    Author(s): Timothy S. McCay
    Date: 2000
    Source: <i>Journal of Mammalogy</i>, 81(2): 527-535, 2000
    Publication Series: Miscellaneous Publication
    PDF: Download Publication  (248 KB)

    Description

    Coarse woody debris, which includes fallen logs, snags, and stumps, may be an important habitat component for many mammals. I examined use of woody debris by the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) with radiotelemetry and fluorescent-powder tracking in a managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest. Most day refuges of cotton mice were associated with woody debris, including refuges in rotting stumps (69%), under upturned root boles (14%), and under fallen logs and brush (9%). Stumps used by cotton mice were larger in diameter (P < 0.05) and more highly decomposed (P < 0.001) than stumps randomly selected at the study area. Nighttime telemetry locations of 4 of 8 cotton mice were closer to large (10 cm diameter) fallen logs than expected by chance (P < 0.05), whereas locations of no mice were farther from logs than expected. Pathways of cotton mice crossed woody debris (including logs of all sizes) for a greater distance than random transects at the study area (P < 0.05). Logs used by powder-tracked mice were longer than randomly selected logs (P < 0.01). Extensive and selective use suggests that woody debris, particularly in the form of large logs and stumps, is an important habitat component for the cotton mouse in southeastern pine forests.

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    Citation

    McCay, Timothy S. 2000. Use of Woody Debris by Cotton Mice (Peromyscus Gossypinus) in a Southeastern Pine Forest. Journal of Mammalogy, 81(2): 527-535, 2000

    Keywords

    coarse woody debris, cotton mouse, habitat use, loblolly pine forest, Peromyscus gossypinus

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