Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes
ABSTRACT Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans; SFS) nest in naturally formed cavities in snags and hardwoods found in mature, oak (Quercus spp.)–hickory (Carya spp.) forests. Intensive forest fragmentation of the Midwest United States limits the number of available nesting trees. We quantifie...
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Wiley
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.901 |
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| author | James S. Zweep Christopher N. Jacques Sean E. Jenkins Robert W. Klaver Shelli A. Dubay |
| author_facet | James S. Zweep Christopher N. Jacques Sean E. Jenkins Robert W. Klaver Shelli A. Dubay |
| author_sort | James S. Zweep |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans; SFS) nest in naturally formed cavities in snags and hardwoods found in mature, oak (Quercus spp.)–hickory (Carya spp.) forests. Intensive forest fragmentation of the Midwest United States limits the number of available nesting trees. We quantified annual nest‐site selection patterns by southern flying squirrels across fragmented landscapes of west‐central Illinois, USA. We used radiotelemetry to measure nest‐tree use by 55 SFS (30 males, 25 females) captured during 2014–2016. Of 105 nest trees used by SFS, live trees and snags comprised 75% and 25%, respectively. Probability of diurnal nest‐tree use increased 1.08/1.00‐cm increase in diameter‐breast‐height and by 1.50/1‐unit increase in the number of overstory mast trees between random and nest‐tree habitat areas (i.e., 300‐m2 circular plots). Similarly, probability of diurnal nest‐tree use increased 1.29/1‐unit increase in the number of snags between random and nest‐tree habitat areas. Our results revealed no intersexual differences in patterns of nest‐site selection, which may reflect the tendency for SFS to compensate for reduced availability of key structural attributes (i.e., snags, overstory trees) across fragmented forests by exhibiting similar intersexual patterns of nest‐tree use. Use of natural cavities for denning is encouraging, but also underscores the importance of unharvested oak–hickory forests in contributing essential habitat to SFS populations in fragmented Midwestern landscapes. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dd415487ea0d4a93852bf341e198db5a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-dd415487ea0d4a93852bf341e198db5a2024-12-17T07:55:37ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402018-09-0142343043710.1002/wsb.901Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapesJames S. Zweep0Christopher N. Jacques1Sean E. Jenkins2Robert W. Klaver3Shelli A. Dubay4Department of Biological SciencesWestern Illinois UniversityMacombIL61455USADepartment of Biological SciencesWestern Illinois UniversityMacombIL61455USADepartment of Biological SciencesWestern Illinois UniversityMacombIL61455USAU.S. Geological SurveyIowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State UniversityAmesIA50011USACollege of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin‐Stevens PointStevens PointWI54481USAABSTRACT Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans; SFS) nest in naturally formed cavities in snags and hardwoods found in mature, oak (Quercus spp.)–hickory (Carya spp.) forests. Intensive forest fragmentation of the Midwest United States limits the number of available nesting trees. We quantified annual nest‐site selection patterns by southern flying squirrels across fragmented landscapes of west‐central Illinois, USA. We used radiotelemetry to measure nest‐tree use by 55 SFS (30 males, 25 females) captured during 2014–2016. Of 105 nest trees used by SFS, live trees and snags comprised 75% and 25%, respectively. Probability of diurnal nest‐tree use increased 1.08/1.00‐cm increase in diameter‐breast‐height and by 1.50/1‐unit increase in the number of overstory mast trees between random and nest‐tree habitat areas (i.e., 300‐m2 circular plots). Similarly, probability of diurnal nest‐tree use increased 1.29/1‐unit increase in the number of snags between random and nest‐tree habitat areas. Our results revealed no intersexual differences in patterns of nest‐site selection, which may reflect the tendency for SFS to compensate for reduced availability of key structural attributes (i.e., snags, overstory trees) across fragmented forests by exhibiting similar intersexual patterns of nest‐tree use. Use of natural cavities for denning is encouraging, but also underscores the importance of unharvested oak–hickory forests in contributing essential habitat to SFS populations in fragmented Midwestern landscapes. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.901diurnal nest treesfragmentationGlaucomys volansIllinoisnest‐site selectionsouthern flying squirrel |
| spellingShingle | James S. Zweep Christopher N. Jacques Sean E. Jenkins Robert W. Klaver Shelli A. Dubay Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes Wildlife Society Bulletin diurnal nest trees fragmentation Glaucomys volans Illinois nest‐site selection southern flying squirrel |
| title | Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| title_full | Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| title_short | Nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| title_sort | nest tree use by southern flying squirrels in fragmented midwestern landscapes |
| topic | diurnal nest trees fragmentation Glaucomys volans Illinois nest‐site selection southern flying squirrel |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.901 |
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