Role of temperate forest heterogeneity in determining the population ecology of Peromyscus leucopus

Technical Report · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6795140· OSTI ID:6795140

Ormiston, B. G.

Population density levels of small mammals are often roughly correlated with local forest productivity. In a highly productive forest the total number of individual small mammals (all species) may exceed 100/hectare. Low productivity forests may harbor few or none at all. Thus, the potential exists for using small mammal populations as indicators of local forest composition and quality. Changes in the density levels of species used for this purpose (indicator species) may so reflect the dynamics of forest structure and productivity. The white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, is common in temperate deciduous forests throughout the northeastern United States. Its ubiquitous distribution is a required feature for studying the effects of variation in forest components upon a representative consumer. The goal of this study was to collect baseline data on P. leucopus populations responding to spatial and temporal forest heterogeneity, and so evaluate its potential as an indicator species.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6795140
• Report Number(s): BNL-51332
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510100* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BNL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CORRELATIONS
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FORESTS
INFORMATION
MAMMALS
MICE
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
POPULATION DENSITY
PRODUCTIVITY
RODENTS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES