Date of Award

Summer 1985

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Robert K. Rose

Committee Member

Frank P. Day, Jr.

Committee Member

John R. Holsinger

Committee Member

Raymond Alden

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 E92

Abstract

A variety of terrestrial habitats was pitfall trapped in the vicinity of the Great Dismal Swamp of eastern Virginia and North Carolina to evaluate the small mammal community within the region. Habitat variables were measured at the end of the growing season on 21 0.25 ha grids. Four multivariate tests were used to examine the small mammal communities, their relationship with habitat structure, and the role of habitat selection in community structure.

Cluster and ordination analysis revealed the existence of two distinct associations of small mammals, and their habitat types, within the region. The small mammal associations were interpreted as lowland (Synaptomys, Sorex, and Blarina) and upland (Reithrodontomys, Cryptotis, and Microtus) communities based upon their general habitat requirements and the existing habitat patterns within the region. Peromyscus, due to its ubiquitous nature, was not strongly associated with either group.

The analysis of habitat and species data by principal components and discriminant function analyses revealed that a combination of habitat variables was selected by small mammal species and was important in the observed community patterns. Differences in soil, woody and herbaceous components, and structural diversity were key habitat variables that distinguished lowland from upland habitats and their corresponding small mammal associations. Physiographic and structural features were important variables to define within-group differences. Sorex and Blarina could exploit habitats that were less structurally diverse than could Synaptomys, although they all reached their optimum in more diverse habitats. Cryptotis and Reithrodontomys inhabited structurally more complex and better drained habitats than Microtus, which was only found in open, homogeneously grassy habitats.

The results of the study indicate a strong relationship between habitat structure and habitat use by the mammal species. These results suggest that habitat selection is a dominant force in the structuring of small mammal communities in the region.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/z5sb-n268

Download

Share

COinS