Importance of scale in nest‐site selection by Arizona gray squirrels

Cudworth, Nichole L.; Koprowski, John L.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.194

Cited by 17 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…In most cases, nest site selection by mammals has been studied using comparisons of characteristics of nest sites with randomly selected sites or sites not used by the animals (e.g., Bertolino and Cordero di Montezemolo 2007;Gregory et al 2010;Cudworth and Koprowski 2011). At our study site, only 10 of the 272 nestboxes were not used at all by M. avellanarius in the period 2007 to 2011.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Arizona grey squirrels Sciurus arizonensis select nest sites with greater canopy cover which may provide more protection from diurnal birds of prey. However, most nest tree species selected by Arizona grey squirrels also provide potential food resources, possibly minimizing travel distances to food sources (Cudworth and Koprowski 2011). Fat dormice prefer denser forest stands with well-connected tree The number of trees and shrubs which had a crown or a trunk connected to the crown of the nestbox tree.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nests provide a place for individuals to rest, raise young, avoid predators, and escape inclement weather. When selecting a nest site, animals have to find the best compromise between the risk of encountering predation, the availability of food nearby the nest, and microclimatic requirements (Cudworth and Koprowski 2011;Rosalino et al 2011). Knowledge of habitat characteristics important to nest placement is critical for managing species of conservation concern Cudworth and Koprowski 2011;Skórka et al 2011;Atiénzar et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Results of previous studies on site selection of nest sites and resting places by dormice and other small mammals indicated that it may be related to safety from predators (Bertolino 2007;Panchetti et al 2007;Rosalino et al 2011), the availability of continuous suitable food supplies (Sherman 1984;Kopij 2009), or a possible combination of both factors (Bertolino et al 2011;Cudworth and Koprowski 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nest site selection by the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius: is safety more important than food?

2013

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Background: Vegetation parameters determining nest site selection by the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius were studied in a typical habitat where dormice are relatively common in Lithuania, the northern periphery of its distributional range. Results: Dormice preferred nest sites with a better-developed understory, particularly with a good cover of hazel shrubs taller than 4 m and plentiful bird cherry trees, a high diversity of woody plant species in the understory and overstory, and better connectivity of the nest tree with its surroundings. They avoided sites with a high number of mature Norway spruce trees in the canopy and a high density of young trees. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, three vegetation parameters of the number of shrub species, the cover of hazel shrubs, and the number of Norway spruce trees in the canopy determined over 85% of the index of nestbox use by M. avellanarius. The number of shrub species in the surroundings of the nest site had the highest impact of all. Nest sites used by dormice for breeding were distinguished by a better-developed understory, particularly by a significantly higher number of bird cherry trees and a lower number of Norway spruce trees in the canopy, as well as a higher diversity of plants in the understory and overstory. Conclusions: Selection of nest sites by M. avellanarius is a combination of safety from predators and the presence of food. A well-developed inter-connected understory ensures the safety of nest sites from predators, and the diversity of understory and overstory species guarantees continuity of the food supply in the vicinity of nest sites.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nest site selection by the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius: is safety more important than food?

2013

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“…Because little is known about the ecology of these squirrels (Koprowski and Nandini 2008), we measured characteristics that are known to be important to other species of tree squirrels (Pereira and Itami 1991, Halloran and Bekoff 1994, Prather et al 2006, Merrick et al 2007, Cudworth and Koprowski 2011, Jessen 2013). We built a set of eight logistic regression models as candidate models to determine characteristics of feeding sign trees most important to squirrels (Table 2).…”

Section: Foraging Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding behavior and activity patterns of Amazon red squirrels

Palmer

Koprowski

2014

Mammalia

Self Cite

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Foraging sites are important for the survival of animals. Individuals cue on characteristics of the forest that offer enough food resources and also provide safety. During June and July of 2009 and 2010, we studied northern and southern Amazon red squirrels (Sciurus igniventris, S. spadiceus) to determine what forest characteristics were associated with feeding sites. We examined habitat use at three levels: vegetation community where feeding sign was located, site characteristics of the forest immediately surrounding the feeding sign, and the tree exhibiting feeding sign. We measured the site characteristics inside a 10-m radius circular plot, the physical characteristics of the tree exhibiting feeding sign, and the same variables at random locations for comparison. Because there is lack of knowledge about these squirrels, we also conducted focal observations to study their behavior. Squirrels use mainly high and low restinga and selected Astrocaryum and Attalea palm trees that were taller and larger compared with random locations. Squirrels used all vertical strata of the forest, and the main behaviors observed were travel and forage. Behaviors occurred similarly across the day but differed by vertical strata. Although squirrels used vegetation communities different than available and selected for tree characteristics, site characteristics did not appear to be important in contrast with other tree squirrel species.

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The importance of street trees to urban avifauna

Wood

Esaian

2020

Ecological Applications

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Street trees are public resources planted in a municipality's right-of-way and are a considerable component of urban forests throughout the world. Street trees provide numerous benefits to people. However, many metropolitan areas have a poor understanding of the value of street trees to wildlife, which presents a gap in our knowledge of conservation in urban ecosystems. Greater Los Angeles (LA) is a global city harboring one of the most diverse and extensive urban forests on the planet. The vast majority of the urban forest is nonnative in geographic origin, planted throughout LA following the influx of irrigated water in the early 1900s. In addition to its extensive urban forest, LA is home to a high diversity of birds, which utilize the metropolis throughout the annual cycle. The cover of the urban forest, and likely street trees, varies dramatically across a socioeconomic gradient. However, it is unknown how this variability influences avian communities. To understand the importance of street trees to urban avifauna, we documented foraging behavior by birds on native and nonnative street trees across a socioeconomic gradient throughout LA. Affluent communities harbored a unique composition of street trees, including denser and larger trees than lower-income communities, which in turn, attracted nearly five times the density of feeding birds. Foraging birds strongly preferred two native street-tree species as feeding substrates, the coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and the California sycamore (Platanus racemosa), and a handful of nonnative tree species, including the Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), the carrotwood (Cupaniopsis anacardioides), and the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), in greater proportion than their availability throughout the cityscape (two to three times their availability). Eighty-three percent of streettree species (n = 108, total) were used in a lower proportion than their availability by feeding birds, and nearly all were nonnative in origin. Our findings highlight the positive influence of street trees on urban avifauna. In particular, our results suggest that improved street-tree management in lower-income communities would likely positively benefit birds. Further, our study provides support for the high value of native street-tree species and select nonnative species as important habitat for feeding birds.

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Importance of scale in nest‐site selection by Arizona gray squirrels

Cited by 17 publications

References 45 publications

Nest site selection by the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius: is safety more important than food?

Nest site selection by the hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius: is safety more important than food?

Feeding behavior and activity patterns of Amazon red squirrels

The importance of street trees to urban avifauna

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