Using Noninvasive Track-Based Monitoring Techniques to Estimate Small Mammal Activity Rates

Authors

  • Samantha M. Dormio Keene State College

Abstract

Few studies have evaluated the ecological significance of Keene State College’s riparian woodlands. The goals of this exploratory study were to compare two similar tools for recording animal tracks and to use track data to assess the activity of small mammals in two distinct habitats: the riparian zone of the Ashuelot River and a nearby transitional field. We assembled two types of track tubes, devices in which mammals leave ink spots on contact paper as they move towards a scented bait. We placed the two types of track tubes at stations along line-transects in both habitats. We used non-parametric one-way Kruskal-Wallis analysis to calculate variance in numbers of ink spots. Results indicate that over a six week period the rate of small mammal activity in the riparian habitat (inferred from the numbers of ink spots in track tubes) greatly exceeded that in the transitional field. Ink spots in the track tubes placed in the riparian zone were more numerous and were also distributed over a greater fraction of contact sheet area than those from track tubes in the transitional field habitat. Finally, track tube type was not associated with differences in activity rates from either habitat. We conclude that both types of track tubes efficiently recorded ink spots in a way that permitted comparison of small mammal activity between the riparian woodlands and the adjacent transitional field. We also discuss limitations of track tube techniques.

Faculty Mentor: Kenneth Bergman

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Published

2015-12-01

Issue

Section

Natural Sciences