Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 33(2): March 2007 Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 2007. 33(2):147–152. 147 Long-Term Trends in Small Mammals on a Right-of-Way in Pennsylvania, U.S. Richard H. Yahner, Richard T. Yahner, and Russell J. Hutnik Abstract. The State Game Lands 33 Research and Demonstration Area, Centre County, Pennsylvania, U.S., has been studied since 1953 with the objective of comparing the effectiveness of commonly used mechanical and herbicidal maintenance treatments on vegetation and wildlife on a right-of-way (ROW). Small mammals are important wildlife species on a ROW by consuming tree seeds, thereby reducing invasion of undesirable tree species, and these mammals are important components of a healthy ecosystem. As a follow up to a 2-year study of small mammals conducted 15 years earlier (1989 to 1990) on the State Game Lands 33 ROW, we initiated a 2-year live-trapping study in 2004 on small mammal populations on this ROW. The objectives of our study were to determine relative abundance and species richness (number of species) in six major cover types and in the adjacent forest. One hundred twenty-one individuals of eight species were observed in 2004 and 2005 combined; the most common species was the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). One of the most important cover types to small mammals on the ROW was forb-grass, whereas the forest cover type tended to be less diverse in terms of number of mammal species than in cover types on the ROW. Key Words. Herbicides; Pennsylvania; populations; right-of-way; small mammals; vegetation. The State Game Lands (SGL) 33 Research and Demonstra- tion Project has two objectives since 1953: (1) to compare the effectiveness of commonly used mechanical and herbicidal maintenance treatments on control of target (undesirable) trees and development of tree-resistant plant cover types, and (2) to determine the effect of mechanical and herbicidal main- tenance on vegetation (wildlife habitat) and wildlife species of high public interest (Bramble and Byrnes 1996; Yahner and Hutnik 2004). The wire-border zone method of vegeta- tion management was implemented on the right-of-way (ROW) of the SGL 33 Research and Demonstration Project in 1982 (Bramble et al. 1985) (Figure 1). This method of veg- etation management typically produces a tree-resistant forb- shrub-grass cover type in wire zones and a tall shrub cover type in border zones. The wire-border zone method provides a diverse wildlife habitat on the ROW with low-lying veg- etation in the wire zone and taller vegetation in the border zone to create habitat diversity. Small mammals such as mice and shrews are important wildlife species on an electric transmissionROW(Bramble et al. 1992). Small mammals consume tree seeds (Merritt 1987), thereby reducing invasion of undesirable tree species in wire and border zones of a ROW. Small mammals also are im- portant components of a healthy ecosystem by serving as prey for a variety of carnivores, e.g., hawks, owls, and foxes (Mer- ritt 1987). In a previous study conducted in 1989 to 1990 (Bramble et al. 1992), seven species of small mammals were noted on the SGL 33 ROW, and mammals used a diversity of cover types. Long-term studies of small mammals on a ROW are non- existent. Thus, as a follow up to the mammal study conducted 15 years earlier (Bramble et al. 1992), we initiated a 2-year study in 2004 on small mammal populations on the SGL 33 Research and Demonstration Area. The objectives of the cur- rent study were to determine relative abundance and species richness (number of species) in six major cover types along the ROW resulting from herbicidal and mechanical mainte- nance of the vegetation. In addition, small mammal popula- tions on the ROW were compared with those in the adjacent forest. STUDY AREA AND METHODS Treatments used on the SGL 33 Research and Demonstration Area in 2000 consisted of two units each of handcut, mowing, mowing plus herbicide, stem-foliage spray, foliage spray, and low-volume basal spray (details of the treatments are given in Yahner and Hutnik 2004, 2005) (Figure 2). Seven cover types selected for study were based on dominant life forms (tree, shrub, forb, and grass), which followed the approximate methodology of Bramble et al. (1992): (1) adjacent forest, (2) tree sprout, (3) tall shrub, (4) short shrub, (5) cane thicket, (6) forb-grass, and (7) grass. ©2007 International Society of Arboriculture
March 2007
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