Impacts of a Flood on Small Mammal Populations of Lower Missouri River Floodplain Forests

Williams, Alison; Ratnaswamy, Mary J.; Renken, Rochelle B.

doi:10.1674/0003-0031(2001)146[0217:ioafos]2.0.co;2

Cited by 32 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Arboreal species are at an advantage, experiencing less decline after floods in the forest (Golet et al 2011). Best known in this respect is whitefooted mouse Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque, 1818), a species which seems to be not affected by floods (Ruffer 1961;Blem & Blem 1975;Williams et al 2001). Myodes glareolus and A. flavicollis may survive even major floods, while M. arvalis tends to be the most affected (Jacob 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of spring floods on small mammal communities in the Nemunas River Delta, Lithuania

2012

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The influence of the annual spring floods on small mammal communities was studied in the Nemunas River Delta, SW Lithuania. The aim of the investigation was to compare the diversity of small mammals inhabiting springflooded meadows, meadows not subjected to flooding and spring-flooded forest in years characterized by differing heights and durations of spring flood. In the years of the high flood, the number of species and diversity index were higher, while index of dominance was less than in the years of low flood. Significantly, the highest proportions of Apodemus agrarius were recorded in spring-flooded meadows in years of high flood (41.7%), while Microtus oeconomus occurred in the highest proportions in spring-flooded meadows in years of low flood (66.8%) and in meadows not subjected to flooding (47.1%). In non-flooded areas, M. oeconomus is not expelled by the floods and outcompetes other species. After high levels of flooding, during the process of re-population, the voles may be outcompeted by A. agrarius. In the absence of dominant species, greater opportunities existed for the establishment of more species (13 species in flooded meadows). Micromys minutus accounted for up to 19.5-30.1% in the years of high flood. We concluded that the annual spring floods in the Nemunas Delta had no long-term negative effects, the number of small mammal species and their abundance had been restored in just a few months. The worst consequences of the high flood were recorded in forest habitat. Spring floods, and especially the higher floods, are natural environmental agents, maintaining the high diversity of small mammals in meadows and reed-beds.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of spring floods on small mammal communities in the Nemunas River Delta, Lithuania

2012

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“…By contrast, natural floodplains usually abound in forests revealing a gradient of vegetation from softwood to hardwood that provide a heterogeneous landscape as well as a large diversity of biological habitats (Petts and Amoros 1996;Ward et al 2002). Research in these floodplain ecosystems has mainly focused on riparian vegetation biodiversity, succession and productivity (Schnitzler-Lenoble 2007) but also on amphibians' biodiversity (Tockner et al 2006), birds (McGinness et al 2010) and mammals (Williams et al 2001). Invertebrates and benthic fauna were also described (Korte et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earthworm communities in alluvial forests: Influence of altitude, vegetation stages and soil parameters

et al. 2011

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a b s t r a c tIn many terrestrial ecosystems, soil parameters usually regulate the distribution of earthworm communities. In alluvial ecosystems, few studies have investigated the impact of periodic floods and alluvium deposition on soil fauna. In this context, we assumed that earthworm communities may vary depending on altitude (alpine, subalpine, mountain and hill levels), forest successional stage (post-pioneer to mature forests) and some soil parameters. Our results demonstrated that the composition of earthworm communities differed depending on altitudinal gradients. No earthworm was found at the alpine level while maximum density and biomass were observed at the hill level mainly due to the contribution of anecic species. A total of 27 species and subspecies were found over the three sampling sites, and Lumbricus moliboeus was discovered for the first time in carbonated soils. Soil texture had a major effect on epigeics that were often associated with coarse sandy texture in contrast to anecics which preferred deep soils and mature forest stages, which in combination provided the highest carbon content and the finest soil texture. In our study, carbonated fluviosols (Fluvisols according to the World Reference Base) were recorded; fluviosols typiques with well-structured A layers were generally found in mature or intermediate forest stages while most of fluviosols juveniles with heterogeneous texture were observed principally in post-pioneer forests. We conclude that in alluvial ecosystems, earthworm communities were highly dependent first on soil parameters, then altitude and to a lesser extent forest successional stages. Changes in earthworm communities tend to reflect a gradient of alluvial dynamics thus reinforcing the potential role of earthworms as bioindicators in natural and/or semi natural alluvial ecosystems.

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“…Because of the difficulty in predicting when and where a flood will occur, the majority of information gathered on the topic was not acquired as part of a designed project, but instead the result of studies that were in progress when flooding occurred-as was the case with our investigation. Most published information on the topic is based on studies and observations of small mammals (Anderson et al 2000;Batzli 1977;McCarley 1959;Stickel 1948;Wijnhoven et al 2006;Williams et al 2001;Yeager and Anderson 1944) with the exception of opossums (Didelphis virginiana; Yeager and Anderson 1944), raccoons (Procyon lotor; Gehrt et al 1993;Yeager and Anderson 1944), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; Samuel and Glazener 1970).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Survival and recolonization rates during and post-flood likely are species-dependent and based on a variety of interactive factors: behavioral patterns, social interactions, life-history requisites, and flood duration and severity (Blair 1939;Batzli 1977;Gehrt et al 1993;McCarley 1959;Williams et al 2001). Species with arboreal capabilities (e.g., Peromyscus spp., fox squirrels [Sciurus niger], opossums, and raccoons) initially are known or presumed to take refuge in trees located within the floodplain (Anderson et al 2000;Batzli 1977;Gehrt et al 1993;McCarley 1959;Stickel 1948;Williams et al 2001 and Anderson 1944) but may perish or move beyond flooded areas if the flood persists for a long duration (Anderson et al 2000;Blair 1939 Samuel and Glazener 1970).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We located few published studies anywhere that assessed the response of mammals to periodic and extreme flooding. The few studies and reports on this topic indicated that behavioral responses to flooding varies among species and individuals within a species, with some more likely to remain within the flooded area rather than moving to surrounding areas not impacted by the flood (Gehrt et al 1993;Williams et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Persistence of fishers in riparian forests in North Dakota, USA following a severe flood event

2011

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Historically, the distribution of fishers (Martes pennanti) in North America included portions of eastern North Dakota, USA; however, the population was reported to have become extirpated by the early 1900s. Verified reports, road-killed and incidentally trapped individuals, indicate that fishers have been re-establishing populations in riparian forests (the only areas with substantive forest cover in the region) over the last 10 years. During the summers of 2008 (

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Impacts of a Flood on Small Mammal Populations of Lower Missouri River Floodplain Forests

Cited by 32 publications

References 12 publications

The influence of spring floods on small mammal communities in the Nemunas River Delta, Lithuania

The influence of spring floods on small mammal communities in the Nemunas River Delta, Lithuania

Earthworm communities in alluvial forests: Influence of altitude, vegetation stages and soil parameters

Persistence of fishers in riparian forests in North Dakota, USA following a severe flood event

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