Effects of Forest Stand Composition on Small Mammal Movement Ecology and Behavior
PhD Student
Micaela PinedaResearch Outline
Our goal is to understand how forest structure and composition can affect the movement and behavior of small mammals.For our first chapter, we will combine the use of mobile laser scanning (MLS) and mark re-capture data to determine home range and habitat selection of yellow necked mice and bank voles. A case study on testing the ecological relevance of terrestrial laser scanning has been conducted once before (Appleby et al 2023). MLS showed that yellow necked mice and bank voles had a higher trapping probability in areas with higher understory roughness. We can further expand on this study by using more locations and trapping efforts in different seasons. Further investigating how MLS can predict habitat selection and habitat preference between seasons. Do small mammals select habitat based on the structural complexity of the understory, even when the composition/identity/source of that complexity is unknown? We predict species will be more abundant in areas with higher vegetation roughness This study will ultimately provide insight into how LiDAR can predict habitat preference at fine scale.
For our next chapter, We set up 284 nest boxes in eight sites across Lower Saxony, Germany to target edible dormice Glis glis. The boxes are checked monthly and in addition to the edible dormouse, we find the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus and hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius in our sites. We also added cameras above 60 of the most active nest boxes to provide enhanced insight into activity patterns, nest selection, and level of disturbance nest checking may cause. Specifically, we ask when is the best time to conduct nest checks by determining when dormice are most active, and when they leave and return for hibernation. If dormice leave the boxes after nest checks and presence of predators, how long does it take for them to return? Finally, we ask how many visits per month should be performed to maximize detection rate while minimizing disturbance. Understanding activity patterns and response to disturbance can help us assess how the dormice respond to environmental changes, resource competition, and determine if smaller-scale disturbances may be overlooked as potential stressors.
For the final chapter, we aim to investigate the movement behavior and space use of seed-dispersing small mammals, specifically edible dormice and Eurasian red squirrels Sciurus vulgaris in forest ecosystems with varying structure and composition in Lower Saxony, Germany. The central research focus is determining how different forest structures and tree species compositions influence the movement patterns and behavior of these key species. Precisely we ask, how large are the activity ranges of squirrels and dormice depending on the tree species composition of their habitats? Do squirrels and dormice move significantly more or cover longer distances in Douglas fir forest ecosystems, as this is necessary to meet their nutritional needs? What influence does the density and structure of ground vegetation - that depends on tree species composition - have on the movement patterns of squirrels and dormice? Their movement behavior and habitat use reflect the suitability and quality of forest habitats, which can directly inform evidence-based recommendations for biodiversity-friendly forest management. The findings will contribute important insights for species conservation, especially in the face of changing forest ecosystems due to climate change and land-use pressure.