Assessing Small Mammal Abundance with Track-Tube Indices and Mark–Recapture Population Estimates

Wiewel, Andrew S.; Clark, William R.; Sovada, Marsha A.

doi:10.1644/06-mamm-a-098r1.1

Cited by 32 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Relative abundance of small mammals at each plot was measured with track tubes, which collect footprints using a food bait (adapted from Mabee 1998, Glennon et al 2002, Wiewel et al 2007. Two replicate sets of track tubes were set out at each plot with 36 days between the two sets.…”

Section: Nest Predator Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Crop type influences edge effects on the reproduction of songbirds in sagebrush habitat near agriculture

Knight¹,

Mahony²,

Green³

2014

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Extensive fragmentation of the sagebrush shrubsteppe of western North America could be contributing to observed population declines of songbirds in sagebrush habitat. We examined whether habitat fragmentation impacts the reproduction of songbirds in sagebrush edge habitat near agriculture, and if potential impacts vary depending on the adjacent crop type. Specifically, we evaluated whether nest abundance and nest survival varied between orchard edge habitat, vineyard edge habitat, and interior habitat. We then examined whether the local nest predator community and vegetation could explain the differences detected. We detected fewer nests in edge than interior habitat. Nest abundance per songbird was also lower in edge than interior habitat, although only adjacent to vineyards. Nest predation was more frequent in orchard edge habitat than vineyard edge or interior habitat. Predators identified with nest cameras were primarily snakes, however, reduced nest survival in orchard edge habitat was not explained by differences in the abundance of snakes or any other predator species identified. Information theoretic analysis of daily survival rates showed that greater study plot shrub cover and lower grass height at nests were partially responsible for the lower rate of predation-specific daily nest survival rate (PDSR) observed in orchard edge habitat, but additional factors are likely important. Results of this study suggest that different crop types have different edge effects on songbirds nesting in sagebrush shrubsteppe, and that these reproductive edge effects may contribute to observed declines of these species. Habitat managers should avoid the creation of new orchard-sagebrush habitat edges to avoid further impacts on already declining songbird populations.Effet de bordure sur la reproduction de passereaux dans des milieux d'armoises variable selon le type de culture adjacente RÉSUMÉ. La fragmentation à grande échelle de la steppe arbustive à armoises de l'ouest de l'Amérique du Nord contribue peut-être aux déclins observés des passereaux des milieux d'armoises. Nous avons examiné si la fragmentation avait un impact sur la reproduction des passereaux dans des milieux d'armoises en bordure de milieux agricoles, et si les effets potentiels variaient selon le type de culture adjacente. Plus particulièrement, nous avons évalué si le nombre de nids et leur survie différaient entre les milieux de bordure de vergers, les milieux de bordure de vignobles et les milieux d'intérieur. Nous avons ensuite examiné si la communauté locale de prédateurs de nids et la végétation pouvaient expliquer les différences détectées. Nous avons trouvé moins de nids dans les milieux de bordure que dans les milieux d'intérieur. Le nombre de nids par espèce était également plus faible dans les bordures par rapport aux milieux d'intérieur, mais ce, seulement près des vignobles. La prédation des nids était plus fréquente dans les bordures de vergers que dans les bordures de vignobles ou les milieux d'intérieur. Les prédateurs identi...

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Section: Nest Predator Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Crop type influences edge effects on the reproduction of songbirds in sagebrush habitat near agriculture

Knight¹,

Mahony²,

Green³

2014

ACE

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“…Recently, attention has focused on other state variables such as habitat occupancy (Mackenzie et al 2002), which focus better on species-habitat relations. In the past 2 decades, a ''footprint'' or track tube method has been developed that utilizes baited stations that allow for collection of footprints that can be used to record species presence and habitat occupancy (Mabee 1998;Wiewel et al 2007;Loggins et al 2010). The use of track tubes to monitor small mammal populations without capturing them has become a valuable alternative allowing limited field effort to be spread over larger geographic areas and a greater frequency of surveys (Mabee 1998;Loggins et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Detection by Reducing Disturbance and Excluding Nontarget Small Mammal Species: An Occupancy Study Approach

Oddy

Stolen

Gann³

et al. 2018

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management

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Track tubes are a noninvasive, efficient method to monitor populations of small mammals that can be implemented on a large landscape scale and are a cost-effective approach for certain sampling situations. As with all field sampling tools, modifications are made depending on research objectives, habitat being sampled, and target species. We conducted two experiments with the objective to increase efficiency and decrease labor while retaining high detection probabilities as part of an Annual Multi-Agency Regional Southeastern Beach Mouse Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris Habitat Occupancy Survey. We conducted studies along a contiguous 72-km coastline of the Cape Canaveral Barrier Island Complex in east-central Florida, USA, that includes the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Canaveral National Seashore. We conducted the experiments to address several issues that had regularly compromised our survey data. One experiment assessed the ideal length of deployment times for track tubes in various habitat types with multiple species where southeastern beach mice were previously detected. Another experiment, determined how to restrict certain meso-mammal species (raccoons Procyon lotor, and eastern spotted skunks Spilogale putorius) from knocking over the tubes or reaching into the tubes, thus reducing disturbance that results in missing data; or from entering the tubes (cotton rats Sigmodon hispidus), thereby obscuring any potential or actual footprints of the southeastern beach mouse or other targeted species. We observed an increase in the detection rate of southeastern beach mice in track tubes with increased nights of deployment (likelihood ratio test v 2 ¼ 18.71, df ¼ 3, P , 0.001) with the greatest increase between 3 nights and 6 nights and apparent leveling off between nights 9 and 12 and a large decrease in the detection rate of southeastern beach mice in track tubes with 0.5-in. (1.3-cm) excluders compared with the other-size excluders (likelihood ratio test v 2 ¼ 167.89, df ¼ 5, P , 0.001). We also found that 1-in. (2.5-cm) excluders prevented access by meso-mammals or entry by cotton rats and did not adversely affect the detection of either beach mice or cotton mice Peromyscus gossypinus, but did reduce disturbance and resulted in fewer missing data. These statistically significant process improvements have application for others involved with small mammal monitoring and species management. Citation: Oddy DM, Stolen ED, Gann SL, Legare SA, Weiss SK, Holloway-Adkins KG. 2018. Increasing detection by reducing disturbance and excluding nontarget small mammal species: an occupancy study approach.

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“…Recent studies have examined the utility of track tubes for population monitoring. These tubes are composed of baited polyvinyl chloride pipe with inked pads inside to record tracks of small mammals (Glennon et al 2002;Mabee 1998;Wiewel et al 2007). …”

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confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that track tubes are inexpensive, easy to monitor, and pose no risk to animals (Drennan et al 1998;Glennon et al 2002;Loggins et al 2010;Mabee 1998;Pries et al 2009;Wiewel et al 2007). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The number of track tubes that are visited within a specified amount of time at a study site can be used to create a track index, which is often positively associated with estimated abundance at that site (Drennan et al 1998;Glennon et al 2002;Mabee 1998;Wiewel et al 2007). The strength of the relationship between track-tube indexes and abundance estimates may vary through time, but studies documenting this phenomenon have focused mainly on differences between years (Drennan et al 1998;Wiewel et al 2007).…”

mentioning

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Use of track tubes to detect changes in abundance of beach mice

et al. 2012

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Assessing Small Mammal Abundance with Track-Tube Indices and Mark–Recapture Population Estimates

Cited by 32 publications

References 33 publications

Crop type influences edge effects on the reproduction of songbirds in sagebrush habitat near agriculture

Crop type influences edge effects on the reproduction of songbirds in sagebrush habitat near agriculture

Increasing Detection by Reducing Disturbance and Excluding Nontarget Small Mammal Species: An Occupancy Study Approach

Use of track tubes to detect changes in abundance of beach mice

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