Effects of Edge and Coarse Woody Debris on Small Mammal Communities in Riparian and Upland Habitats in Northern West Virginia

Effects of Edge and Coarse Woody Debris on Small Mammal Communities in Riparian and Upland Habitats in Northern, West Virginia Joseph Daniel Osbourne The effects on biological communities of human-induced disturbances such as road construction for logging and military activities are a topic of much controversy in modern society. Furthermore, the response of small mammal communities to edge and coarse woody debris (CWD) volume in riparian and upland habitats of the central Appalachian Mountains has received little attention. The objectives of this study were to: 1) Perform a faunal survey of the Camp Dawson Collective Training Area in Preston County, West Virginia with an emphasis on rare and endangered species, 2) Estimate small mammal abundance, diversity, and condition in response to CWD manipulation, and 3) Compare small mammal abundance, diversity, and condition in edge and interior locations of riparian and upland habitats. Shannon diversity was higher in riparian ( x = 1.79, SE = 0.04) than upland ( x = 1.62, SE = 0.05) habitats (P = 0.024) and also appeared higher in edge ( x = 1.74, SE = 0.05) than interior ( x = 1.61, SE = 0.06) trapping locations (P = 0.050). Species richness was higher in riparian ( x = 9.71, SE = 0.31) than upland ( x = 8.71, SE = 0.35) habitats (P = 0.038). Individual species’ response to edge, CWD, and habitat type varied. Habitat type and location are important in determining the composition of small mammal communities, while CWD manipulation has little effect on small mammal abundance, diversity, or condition.