Influence of landscape attributes on Virginia opossum density

Bernasconi, David A.; Dixon, Wesley C.; Hamilton, Matthew T.; Helton, James L.; Chipman, Richard B.; Gilbert, Amy T.; Beasley, James C.; Rhodes, Jr., Olin E.; Dharmarajan, Guha

doi:10.1002/jwmg.22280

Influence of landscape attributes on Virginia opossum density

Journal Article · Sun Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Journal of Wildlife Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22280· OSTI ID:1873006

^[1]; Dixon, Wesley C. ^[1]; ^[2]; Helton, James L. ^[1]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[1]; Rhodes, Jr., Olin E. ^[5]; ^[6]

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
National Rabies Management Program, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services Concord NH 03301 USA
National Wildlife Research Center, USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA
Division of Sciences, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences, Krea University, Sri City Andhra Pradesh India

Abstract

The Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ), North America's only marsupial, has a range extending from southern Ontario, Canada, to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific. Despite the Virginia opossum's taxonomic uniqueness in relation to other mammals in North America and rapidly expanding distribution, its ecology remains relatively understudied. Our poor understanding of the ecology of this important mesopredator is especially pronounced in the rural southeastern United States. Our goal was to estimate effects of habitat on opossum density within an extensive multi‐year spatial capture‐recapture study. Additionally, we compared the results of this spatial capture‐recapture analysis with a simple relative abundance index. Opossum densities in the relatively underdeveloped regions of the southeastern United States were lower compared to the more human‐dominated landscapes of the Northeast and Midwest. In the southeastern United States, Virginia opossums occurred at a higher density in bottomland swamp and riparian hardwood forest compared to upland pine ( Pinus spp.) plantations and isolated wetlands. These results reinforce the notion that the Virginia opossum is commonly associated with land cover types adjacent to permanent water (bottomland swamps, riparian hardwood). The relatively low density of opossums at isolated wetland sites suggests that the large spatial scale of selection demonstrated by opossums gives the species access to preferable cover types within the same landscape.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: EM0004391

OSTI ID:: 1873006

Journal Information:: Journal of Wildlife Management, Journal Name: Journal of Wildlife Management Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 86; ISSN 0022-541X

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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