Spatial Organization of Northern Flying Squirrels,<i>Glaucomys sabrinus</i>: Territoriality in Females?

Smith, Jaya R.; Vuren, Dirk H. Van; Kelt, Douglas A.; Johnson, Michael L.

doi:10.3398/064.071.0107

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Glaucomys sabrinus was modestly represented in our data set; we argue elsewhere that this reflects low density in the relatively xeric forests of the northern Sierra Nevada (Smith et al 2011). Models were inconsistent across scales, with the exception that dense saplings were avoided at both scales.…”

Section: Forest-wide Surveysmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…The lack of compelling responses by small mammals to current forest structure in PNF suggests that further heterogeneity may be needed. Because of their role as key prey species (N. fuscipes and G. sabrinus) or as reservoirs for disease (P. maniculatus) we have contributed previously to the spatial ecology and habitat associations of these and other species (Coppeto et al 2006;Innes et al 2007;Smith et al 2011). We believe that further work should be developed to assess habitat requirements of specialist species in this region, and to evaluate the potential importance of mesic habitats such as riparian corridors (Cockle and Richardson 2003), meadows, and patchy vegetation types such as aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands (Oaten and Larsen 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Small mammals exhibit limited spatiotemporal structure in Sierra Nevada forests

et al. 2013

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Forest-wide Surveysmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammals exhibit limited spatiotemporal structure in Sierra Nevada forests

et al. 2013

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Several studies on southern flying squirrels ( G. volans L.) noted that female flying squirrels had little or no home range overlap with other females (Bendel & Gates, 1987; Jacques et al., 2017) and females were observed to defend natal den trees, especially from other females (Madden, 1974; Muul, 1968; Sollberger, 1943). In pregnant or lactating Humboldt's flying squirrels ( G. oregonensis Bachman), females maintained activity close to their natal den tree when young were present and home range overlap with other females only increased after young were weaned (Smith et al., 2011). They concluded female Humboldt's flying squirrels with neonates shared foraging areas, but were territorial around natal den trees.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Observations of den sharing from telemetry studies are typically rare for flying squirrels (e.g., Diggins et al., 2017; Holloway & Malcolm, 2007a; Smith et al., 2011), although that may be contingent on the number of individuals radio‐collared at a site (see Carey et al., 1997; Table 2). In Pacific Northwest, 179 squirrels were radio‐collared during a study, including 140 at one site, and only 34% of individuals were never found to den with other radio‐collared squirrels (Carey et al., 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although home range overlap and den sharing have been reported in wild flying squirrels (Bendel & Gates, 1987; Diggins et al., 2017; Holloway & Malcolm, 2007b; Smith et al., 2011), it is unknown whether most individuals with overlapping home ranges in these studies were a part of the same social network since interactions between individuals are difficult and rare to observe. Home range overlap data tend to come from radio‐collared flying squirrels captured via live‐trapping, where observations of den sharing between individuals can be infrequent (Bendel & Gates, 1987; Holloway & Malcolm, 2007a, 2007b; but see Carey et al., 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Spatial behavior of northern flying squirrels in the same social network

Diggins

Ford²

2021

Ethology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

North American flying squirrels (Glaucomys spp.) are social species that communally den and exhibit home range overlap. However, observations on home range overlap tend to come from live‐trapped individuals and it is unknown whether overlap occurs among individuals belonging to the same social network. Since flying squirrels communally den with familiar individuals, their use of artificial nest boxes allows for the radio‐collaring and tracking of squirrels within the same social network. We captured and radio‐collared northern flying squirrels (G. sabrinus Shaw) found communally denning in nest boxes in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. We tracked squirrels captured from the same nest box (i.e., nest box groups) to determine home range overlap and subsequent den sharing between familiar individuals within those nest box groups. We found that amount of home range overlap did not differ between male–male, male–female, and female–female dyads, indicating that non‐reproductive females and scrotal males are not territorial at the 95% or 50% home range level. Regardless of sex, all dyads had a significantly higher probability of home range overlap (PHR) at the 95% than the 50% home range level (i.e., overlap between squirrels decreases in core areas of their home range). We also found flying squirrels subsequently denned with familiar individuals during 20.9% of occasions post‐collaring. Our study provides important information for understanding space use within flying squirrel social networks. Further work should be conducted to determine space use between familiar individuals including seasonal shifts in space use, degree of individual relatedness, and potential territoriality in females denning with young up to and following juvenile dispersal.

show abstract

Seasonal variation in the ultrasonic vocal activity of Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis)

Farwell,

Clucas

2024

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Most mammals rely on vocal communication to increase survival and reproductive success. While the functions of audible vocalizations have been well‐studied across mammal species, ultrasonic vocalizations in small mammals outside of bats are less understood. North American flying squirrel species (Glaucomys spp.), including the newly described Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis), produce numerous call‐types that extend into the ultrasonic range. To investigate the potential function of ultrasonic call‐types in the Humboldt's flying squirrels, we used ultrasonic recorders to record squirrels in the wild across multiple seasons to determine if there are temporal and seasonal patterns in nightly vocal activity and rates of different call‐types. We recorded Humboldt's flying squirrels in two geographic locations ‐ Humboldt and San Bernardino counties—in California from 2018 to 2022 in the summer and winter across multiple study areas. We found that although seasonal weather conditions differ between locations, flying squirrels in Humboldt and San Bernardino had similar vocal activity patterns across nightly active periods between locations and between summer and winter. Nightly activity patterns of when the three main chirp‐like call‐types (arc chirps, tonal chirps, upsweeps) were given varied between seasons in both geographic locations, and these call‐types were given at greater rates in the summer in San Bernardino, but rates did not vary by season in Humboldt. Trills, the most structurally complex of the four main call‐types, were produced more in the summer than in winter, and also differed in their nightly activity patterns, in both geographic locations. Flying squirrels may use certain call‐types earlier or later in the nightly active period due to their potentially varying functions, and may produce more trills in the summer coinciding with the breeding season. Further understanding of the function of different call‐types can provide insight into social, foraging, and antipredator behavior of this nocturnal and elusive species.

show abstract

Spatial Organization of Northern Flying Squirrels,Glaucomys sabrinus: Territoriality in Females?

Cited by 6 publications

References 44 publications

Small mammals exhibit limited spatiotemporal structure in Sierra Nevada forests

Small mammals exhibit limited spatiotemporal structure in Sierra Nevada forests

Spatial behavior of northern flying squirrels in the same social network

Seasonal variation in the ultrasonic vocal activity of Humboldt's flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About