Animal Sciences Commons^™

Microhabitat Comparison Of Percina Roanoka (Roanoke Darter) And Percina Nevisense (Chainback Darter) In The Roanoke River, Dakota R. Spruill, Steven L. Powers

Virginia Journal of Science

Snorkel observations of Percina roanoka and P. nevisense in the Roanoke River during summer months were followed by measuring current velocity, water depth, and substrate diameter at points of occupation. A total of 89 observations of P. roanoka and 81 observations of P. nevisense were compared using two-sample T-tests. Percina roanoka inhabited faster, shallower water than P. nevisense with the former found in a mean flow of 0.318 m/s and depth of 31.53 cm and the latter in a mean flow of 0.17 m/s and depth of 55.6 cm. Mean diameter of substrate at points of occupation did not differ …

Compositional Changes In Two Small Mammal Communities During Succession In Southeastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose, Robyn M. Nadolny, Jay Kiser, Stephen E. Rice, Heather Green Salamone, Jana Eggleston, Holly D. Gaff

Virginia Journal of Science

Changes in the composition of two small mammal communities were studied during 8 and 9 years of ecological succession in southern Chesapeake. Virginia. Using monthly live-trapping on grids of similar size and history since their abandonment as agricultural fields, we learned that house mice were early colonists on one grid but not the other. Two species of herbivorous rodent and the granivorous eastern harvest mouse were numerically dominant on both grids across the study. Some species disappeared early on one grid but persisted to the end at the other. The two arboreal small mammals, golden and white-footed mice, were most …

Population Dynamics Of The Cotton Rat In Southeastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose, Heather Green Salamone

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstract

We used monthly live trapping for 2.5 years to evaluate the life-history features of the most common small mammal, Sigmodon hispidus (hispid cotton rat), in an old field at its northern limit of distribution on the Atlantic coast. Peak densities, achieved in late autumn or early winter, were among the highest recorded for the species and were more typical of marginal populations rather than of central ones. Unlike some other marginal populations, hispid cotton rats in eastern Virginia did not lose significant body mass over the winter (when few juveniles were present) and survival in winter was not significantly …

Virginia’S Amphibians: Status, Threats And Conservation, Jennifer Sevin, John D. Kleopfer

Virginia Journal of Science

Virginia’s diverse environments support 84 amphibian species (anurans and caudates), making it the third highest state in terms of species richness. However, the Commonwealth matches the global trend in declining amphibian populations with over one-third of its amphibian species in conservation need. The Species of Greatest Conservation Need included in the most recent Virginia Wildlife Action Plan cut across amphibian families and ecoregions. It is challenging to ascertain the exact cause of most of the population declines. In one degree or another, all of the global threats to amphibians exist within Virginia’s borders. While an active research program on amphibians …

Breeding Birds Of Virginia, Bryan D. Watts

Virginia Journal of Science

Virginia supports a diverse community of breeding birds that has been the focus of investigation for more than 400 years. The avifauna reflects the latitudinal position of the state and the fact that the border extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains. A total of 224 species have been recorded breeding in Virginia, 214 of which are extant. Twenty species have colonized the state since 1900 including 14 since 1950. Of all extant species, 102 (48%) are considered common at least somewhere in the state and 64 (30%) are rare to very rare. Diversity varies by physiographic region …

Virginia’S Land Mammals: Past And Present, With Some Thoughts About Their Possible Future, John F. Pagels, Nancy D. Moncrief

Virginia Journal of Science

Mammals encountered today in Virginia’s forests and fields include native and nonnative species, feral populations, and free-ranging pets. We examine factors that have influenced Virginia’s terrestrial mammal fauna since the arrival of European colonists in the 1600s and some of the factors that are shaping the fauna today. We look in depth at changes since Handley and Patton’s (1947) first complete monograph on Virginia mammals and augment Linzey’s (1998) book, The Mammals of Virginia. We include current nomenclature, baseline information, and references to comprehensive literature. We discuss some of the current and developing anthropogenic factors that have impacted, or that …

Life-History Aspects Of Moxostoma Cervinum (Blacktip Jumprock) In The Roanoke River, Virginia, Dezarai A. Thompson, John S. Bentley, Steven L. Powers

Virginia Journal of Science

Life-history aspects of Moxostoma cervinum(Blacktip Jumprock) were identified using specimens from recent collections and the Roanoke College Ichthyological Collection. The largest specimen examined was a female 161.27 mm SL and 66 months of age. Spawning appears to occur in May, with a mean of 2477.6 oocytes (SD = 2825.3) up to 1.54 mm diameter in gravid females. Sexual maturity appears to occur by 1-2 years of age in males and 2-3 years of age in females. Male to female ratio was not significantly different from 1:1. Chironomidae composed the bulk of the diet; while detritus, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Acari …

The Ecology Of The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus) In Southeastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Few studies have examined the relationship between forest canopy structure and the ecology of the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). I used radiotelemetry to compare the movements, activity range sizes and behaviors of timber rattlesnakes before and after a large-scale natural disturbance that opened a previously closed canopy. The disturbance was Hurricane Isabel which made landfall in northeast North Carolina and southeastern Virginia in 2003. Isabel created gaps in the canopy through tree blowdown, resulting in a 16.6% opening in the forest canopy at my study site, in southeastern Virginia. I compared six years of female tracking data from …

Rats As Forest Pests In Southeastern Virginia: Girdling By The Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon Hispidus As A Significant Source Of Mortality Of Loblolly Pines (Pinus Taeda) In A Successional Pine Forest, Robyn M. Nadolny

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a common field rodent throughout the southeastern US, where volunteer loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda) invade open space and begin the process of ecological succession from field to pine forest. Recent analysis of the diet of S. hispidus indicates that loblolly pine bark is stripped and eaten during the winter months. In this study, we explored the extent of rodent girdling on a 1.23 ha grid in a successional pine forest in southeastern Virginia. During the winter of 2005 we observed damage to 65% of trees in our study area, with 98% …

An Examination Of Seasonal Growth And Survivorship Of Sigmodon Hispidus In Southeastern Virginia, Heather Alyssa Green

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A reexamination of specific population dynamic aspects of Sigmodon hispidus, the hispid cotton rat, is necessary in order to gain additional knowledge and perspective on this species in its northernmost distribution on the east coast of the United States. Previous studies of Virginia cotton rats were based on data from necropsies, which do not allow for the determination of certain population characteristics, such as density, growth, and survival. General population trends and rates of growth and survival in males and females throughout the seasons in Virginia will also provide a basis for comparison with populations of cotton rats in …

Mammals Of Fort A. P. Hill, Caroline County, Virginia And Vicinity, A. Scott Bellows, Joseph C. Mitchell, John F. Pagels, Heather N. Mansfield

Virginia Journal of Science

Fort A.P. Hill (APH) is a 30,329 ha military training installation (U.S. Army) located in the upper Coastal Plain of Caroline County, Virginia. It was formed in 1941 and named in honor of Civil War Confederate Lt. General Ambrose Powell Hill. The current landscape includes a mosaic of habitats that range from old fields to hardwood forests. Forty species of mammals are known to exist on or near the installation. These include one marsupial, five insectivores, 9 chiropterans, one lagomorph, 12 rodents, 10 carnivores, and one cervid. We have studied many of the species on APH since 1997. In this …

Small Mammal Communities In Riparian And Upland Habitats On The Upper Coastal Plain Of Virginia, A. Scott Bellows, Joseph C. Mitchell

Virginia Journal of Science

We compared small mammal communities between riparian (stream corridor) and nearby upland habitats in a hardwood forest ecosystem on Fort A.P. Hill, Caroline County, Virginia. We used a combination of small-scale drift fence/pitfall trap arrays and snap traps to capture small mammals during April – October 1998, with an additional winter sample in January 1999. We captured seven small mammal species at 14 sites (7 pairs). Numbers of species were not significantly different between habitat types. Bray-Curtis polar ordinations showed that plant and small mammal community compositions were similar in upland sites and that these communities were most varied in …

Observations On Amphibians And Reptiles In Burned And Unburned Forests On The Upper Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Joseph C. Mitchell

Virginia Journal of Science

I evaluate the results of a short-term study on the effects of prescribed burning on terrestrial amphibians and reptiles on Fort A.P. Hill, Caroline County, Virginia. Six species of amphibians and reptiles were observed in unburned sites and eight species were observed in burned sites. More individual amphibians (46) were observed in unburned stands than in burned stands (15). Adults of two species (Bufo americanus, Plethodon cinereus) were found dead under logs in the still smoldering prescribed burn. The results of this study suggest that prescribed burning may have some negative effects on amphibians and reptiles. Because …

An Analysis Of Migratory Behavior Physiological Condition And Life History Strategy In The Salamanders Ambystoma Mabeei And A. Opacum In Southeastern Virginia, Michael W. Mccoy

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Ambystoma mabeei is listed as threatened in Virginia due to its rarity and susceptibility to urbanization and poor forestry practices. The goal of this study was to identify factors that may affect the persistence of A. mabeei in Virginia by studying the life history and ecology of A. mabeei and its syntopic congener A. opacum. This information will contribute to the knowledge of life history variation within Ambystomatidae and will be critical for the development of a comprehensive management plan for A. mabeei. Population sizes of the two species and the proximate factors responsible for initiating breeding migrations were determined …

Conservation Status Of The Southern Appalachian Herpetofauna, Joseph C. Mitchell, Thomas K. Pauley, David I. Withers, Steven M. Roble, Brian T. Miller, Alvin L. Braswell, Paul V. Cupp Jr., Christopher S. Hobson

Virginia Journal of Science

Seventy one species of amphibians (55 salamanders, 16 anurans) and 46 species of reptiles (15 turtles, 8 lizards, 23 snakes) inhabit a five state area (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia) in the southern Appalachian region bordered by the Potomac River, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the western margin of the Appalachian Plateau. Of these, 47.9 % of the amphibian fauna and 52.2 % of the reptilian fauna are listed as being of conservation concern by federal, state, and Natural Heritage programs in all or a portion of their ranges of this region. The Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon Shenandoah …

Ecology Of The Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon P. Piscivorus) At Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: A Comparative Study Of Natural And Anthropogenic Marsh Habitats, Chad Lee Cross

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mark-recapture sampling and radiotelemetry were used to investigate populations of the eastern cottonmouth, Agkistrodon p. piscivorus, in both natural and anthropogenic marsh habitats at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (BBNWR), Virginia Beach, Virginia from autumn 1995 to late spring 1998. Mark-recapture subjects were captured, marked by ventral scale-clipping, and released back into the population. A modified Schnabel Census estimator was used to estimate population sizes and corresponding densities in both marsh systems based on a total of 244 captures of 222 individuals. Most snakes were found >0.05 in from water, but it was apparent that proximity to water played …

The Distribution Of Rice Rats (Oryzomys Palustris) And Meadow Voles (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) In Tidal Marsh Communities On The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, Allison L. Sowell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Two tidal marsh sites were selected for live trapping of small mammals on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Trap grids were established at site and animals were trapped and tagged each month for one year. Habitat variables were measured at the peak of the growing season and again in late winter when vegetation was at its least luxuriant. ANOVA and multiple regressions were used to analyze the relationships between rice rats and meadow voles and associated variables related to habitat structure.

ANOVA revealed where rice rats and meadow voles differed in habitat preferences. Meadow voles were consistently captured in association …

Small Mammals In The Great Dismal Swamp Of Virginia And North Carolina, Robert K. Rose, Roger K. Everton, Jean F. Stankavich

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Small" mammals were surveyed in a range of habitats in the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina. The survey is based on three chronologically overlapping studies, each lasting 15-18 months and for which the results have been reported separately. A different trapping method was used in each of the three studies: nest boxes, Fitch live traps, or pitfall traps. Only two species of mammals, both arboreal, were taken in nest boxes, compared with 10 and 9 species in Fitch live traps and pitfall traps, respectively. The Fitch live traps had a much higher catch rate per 1,000 trap-nights …

Reproduction In The Hispid Cotton Rat, Sigmodon-Hispidus Say And Ord (Rodentia: Muridae), In Southeastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose, Michael H. Mitchell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The hispid cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord, a species of the southwestern United States that has been moving northward and eastward in this century, was first observed in Virginia in 1940. In this study of the cotton rat in southeastern Virginia, most males were reproductively competent from February through November, embryos were recorded from March through October, and litter sizes were comparable to those from other locations except Kansas. Also unlike the cotton rat in Kansas, animals grew at substantial rates during the winter in Virginia. The hispid cotton rat seems to have adjusted its breeding season in …

The Identification Of The Threatened Southeastern Shrew Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques, Thomas M. Padgett, Roger K. Everton, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The threatened subspecies of the southeastern shrew, Sorex longirostris fisheri, is endemic to the Great Dismal Swamp of southeastern Virginia. Previous studies based on discriminant analysis of external measurements determined that intergrades with the upland form, Sorex l. longirostris, exist along the periphery of the Swamp. To better discriminate among these populations, a study of cranial morphology was initiated. Fifteen cranial measurements were taken, using 59 specimens of Sorex collected previously form southeastern Virginia, including the Dismal Swamp. Both Principal Component and Cluster Analyses revealed no significant cranial variation or morphometric patterns within the specimens examined, but a …

Reproductive Strategies Of Meadow Voles, Hispid Cotton Rats, And Eastern Harvest Mice In Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Patterns of reproduction in small mammals in Virginia were examined by autopsying samples of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) collected for 23 months near Charlottesville, of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) collected for 14 months in Portsmouth, and by evaluating live-caught eastern harvest mice (Reithrodontomys humulis) trapped for 15 months in Suffolk and for 12 months in Chesapeake. The meadow vole, a microtine rodent with a north temperate and sub-arctic distribution throughout North America, suspended breeding during the winter of peak density but not of declining density. High metabolic rates and other adaptations for winter …

Late Prehistoric And Protohistoric Large Mammal Zoogeography Of Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Evidence derived from18late prehistoric (middle and late Woodland Period) archeological sites, from several early historical accounts, and from the current understanding of the distribution of Virginia mammals indicates that the large mammal fauna of the Commonwealth has not changed substantially within the past 4,000 yrs. Some species (e.g., bison, elk, timber wolf, and mountain lion) have been extirpated since the settlement of Virginia by Europeans; some previously extirpated species (e.g., porcupine, coyote, and beaver) have been naturally or artificially reintroduced during the historical period, and others (e.g., woodchuck and red fox) probably have expanded their distributions as a result of …

Life History Aspects Of Reithrodontomys Humulis In Southeastern Virginia, Michelle Cawthorn Chandler

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reithrodontomys humulis, the eastern harvest mouse, is a small cricetid rodent which is common in old field communities in the eastern U.S. A live-trapping study was conducted in Suffolk, Virginia from March 1983 through February 1984 in order to learn the details of its life history and the vegetational characteristics which best describe its microhabitat. Specifically, population densities, trap-revealed survival times, home ranges, plant species composition of the study area, and vegetational structure were examined. In order to trap as many Reithrodontomys as possible, special traps which excluded animals weighing over 20 g were constructed. Densities of harvest mice …

Breeding Birds In Cedar Stands In The Great Dismal Swamp, Karen A. Terwilliger, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Great Dismal Swamp located in the coastal plain on the Virginia- North Carolina border, has long been recognized as a vegetationally distinctive region with many unusual geological and biological features. Formerly at least twice the currently estimated size of 85,000 hectares (Carter 1979), the Great Dismal Swamp is still shrinking because of a dropping water table caused by more than 200 years of logging, ditching, and other human activities. In 1973, the Union Camp Corporation donated a 19,871-hectare tract located near Suffolk, Virginia. to The Nature Conservancy, which transferred the land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This …

Homing And Ecology In The Southern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys Volans In Southeastern Virginia, Sherrie Lynn Sawyer

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether homing occurred in the southern flying squirrel, Glauaomys volans, and if so, the greatest homing distance. Information on the squirrel's ecology, reproductive biology and use of artificial nest boxes was also obtained. The study was conducted from November 1978 through March 1981, using nest boxes placed in a deciduous forest in southeastern Virginia.

For the homing experiments, twenty squirrels were released a total of 29 times along three lines at distances of 250 m to 1.6 km from the homesites. Squirrels were found to home successfully up to 1,000 m.

The …

An Evaluation Of Small Rodents In Four Dismal Swamp Plant Communities, F. Elizabeth Breidling, Frank P. Day Jr., Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Diversity and density of small rodents in the Dismal Swamp are believed to be low. Reasons for this may be excessive predation, heavy interspecific pressure from large rodents, lack of suitable habitat, low food availability or flooding.

Rodent populations were evaluated using live-traps and pitfall traps in four different Dismal Swamp plant communities. Habitat was compared on the basis of phytomass studies previously reported. Flood levels were recorded during live-trapping sessions. Mast from trees was collected in modified mast collectors, and fed to Peromyscus leucopus in the laboratory.

Only two small rodent species were captured: Ochrotomys nuttalli and Peromyscus leucopus …

Food Habits And Ecology Of Beavers In Southeastern Virginia, John Lennox Echternach Jr.

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The food habits and ecology of three beaver colonies in James County, Virginia were studied. Vegetation surrounding the colonies was characterized as southern mixed hardwood forest or lowland swamp forest. Stream flow values ranged from 0.013 to 0.369 m³/sec. Water depth ranged from 0.5 60 4.0 m. Caloric value of 13 heavily used woody species ranged from 3305 to 6204 cal/g. Considerable seasonal variation was noted in most species with the lowest caloric values noted in summer. No relationship was found between caloric value and frequency of use. Fresh cutting was monitored on a weekly basis and a …

Small Mammals In Openings In Virginia's Dismal Swamp, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In a study of small mammals of openings in the Dismal Swamp of Virginia, seven species were obtained using pitfall traps. Samples included several species rarely caught in the Swamp - seven specimens of the Dismal Swamp subspecies of the southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi helaletes, the first collected in this century; two least shrews, Cryptotis parva; and 15 southeastern shrews, Sorex longirostris fisheri . Results are compared to previous studies, conducted primarily in forested habitats, in which the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, and the golden mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli, were numerically dominant.

Improved Techniques For Marking, Night-Viewing, And Aging White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus, Barnard Hodge Powell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

These studies were concerned with the development of methods to assist investigators of wildlife population research. Specifically they involve the description of (1) A device which enables an investigator to mark deer at medium range using specially modified darts fired by conventional tranquilizer rifles, (2) Construction of infrared viewers and light sources using surplus equipment and (3) Studies to develop a method of making permanent deer dental impressions under field conditions.

Trap Manifested Behavior Trap Reflected Density Trap Reflected Distribution And Foods Consumed By Raccoons (Procyon Lotor L.) In Two Natural Areas Of Virginia, Elton L. Winslow

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A study was undertaken comparing populations of raccoons (Procyon lotor L.) in two natural areas of Virginia, one in the Piedmont physiographic province at Montpelier and the other in the coastal plain at Newport News. Comparisons were made with respect to differences in: (1) capture and recapture success, (2) relative trap reflected density, (3) trap reflected distribution with respect to aquatic habitat, and (4) in food consumption. Comparison of capture data indicated that capture success per 100 trap nights was much higher at Newport News (1.58) than at Montpelier (.76). However a similar comparison of recapture success per …