Identification of urban habitat components which affect eastern gray squirrel abundance

Williamson, Robert D.

doi:10.1016/0304-4009(83)90020-7

Cited by 21 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Bakersfield is topographically flat with development in gridded patterns and limited natural open space. Scrubland and intensive agriculture surround Bakersfield, whereas urban residential areas contain squirrel habitat features including canopy cover (Williamson 1983, McPherson and Nilon 1987, Bowers and Breland 1996, Gurnell et al 2002, Nelson et al 2005) and water (Peterson et al 1999) not as available elsewhere. Therefore, in Bakersfield, residential areas may function as habitat islands (Gehrt and Chelsvig 2004), from which squirrels have difficulty dispersing (Angold et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape characteristics affect animal control by urban residents

Morzillo

Schwartz

2011

Ecosphere

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Abstract. Ecological patterns exist within urban landscapes. Among urban patterns of biodiversity, species occurrences may coincide with interactions between humans and wildlife. However, research focused on consequences of human reaction to interactions with wildlife is limited. We evaluated landscape characteristics of rodent control behavior across two urban landscapes in California, Bakersfield, and in proximity to Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area (SAMO). Our data were collected prior to a recent policy ruling limiting distribution of particular rodent control products. In both locations, local biologists have observed non-target effects of rodent control products among local carnivores. Mice and rats were among the species most targeted in both locations, but squirrels and gophers also were common targets in SAMO. Carnivore species identified by biologists were among those also reported by residents as targeted for control. In both locations, those who reside in single-family structures and among lowerdensity development were more likely to practice rodent control. Species targeted varied by distance to open space in both locations, but by development density in SAMO only. In Bakersfield, control was distributed across the study area, but one cluster of control existed among mainly lower-density, singlefamily residences. In SAMO, clusters of both control (n ¼ 2) and chemical use (n ¼ 3) existed among singlefamily, lower-density areas in proximity to wash channels and relatively lush vegetation. Our results suggest possible pathways for contact between wildlife and rodent control products, but causal linkages between the two are beyond the scope of our data. Similar to other urban ecological processes, human responses to interactions with ecological phenomena may occur at both fine and landscape scales. Furthermore, our results suggest a possible feedback loop of interacting ecological and social phenomena that may provide information about human activities affecting urban wildlife populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape characteristics affect animal control by urban residents

Morzillo

Schwartz

2011

Ecosphere

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“…We then visited each park and selected those with canopy cover between 40% and 65%. This amount of canopy cover has been identified as an important habitat component for gray squirrels in urban areas (Williamson 1983). The six parks chosen in Baltimore were: Federal Hill Park, Irvin Luckman Park, Stoney Run Park, Lakeland Park, Burdick Park, and Carroll Park (Table 1).…”

Section: Baltimore Parksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gliwicz et al (1994) concluded that the effects of urban conditions upon wildlife are so strong that parallel changes in life history characteristics occurred in both taxa. Williamson (1983) identified the features of urban habitats that are important for gray squirrel abundance. McPherson and Nilon (1987) developed a habitat suitability index model (HSI) to assess urban habitats for factors that may limit gray squirrel abundance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gray squirrel density, habitat suitability, and behavior in urban parks

2008

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Increased density, increased intraspecific aggression, and a reduced fear of humans have been suggested as the more observable and frequently described characteristics of wildlife species undergoing synurbization, the process of becoming urbanized. The relationship among these variables and how they may be related to environmental variables that change with urbanization is poorly understood. In this paper we explore the relationship between density, intraspecific aggression, and reduced fear of humans in urban populations of gray squirrel. In the summer and fall of 2003 and 2004, we studied a park with a documented high density of gray squirrels, Lafayette Park, Washington, DC, and six urban parks in Baltimore, MD with unknown squirrel densities. We used linear regression (SAS Institute, SAS/STAT user's guide. SAS Institute, Cary, NC, 2005) to determine if there was a relationship (P<0.05) between squirrel density and intraspecific aggression, squirrel density and reduced fear of humans (wariness), and squirrel density and habitat suitability. We found a positive association between density and intraspecific aggression (R 2 =0.81, P<0.00). A negative relationship between density and wariness (R 2 adj ¼ 0:71, P<0.00). However, no relationship was evident between habitat suitability and squirrel density (R 2 adj ¼ À0:50, P=0.437).

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“…Management practices to improve fox squirrel habitat in East Texas involve design of patches to maximize edge proportion as well as corridors for movement (Alexander, 1994). Gray squirrel is considered a more interior species than fox squirrel (Derge and Yahner, 2000;Zollner, 2000) but is common in a wide range of habitat types including urban and open systems such as cemeteries and campus when hardwoods are present (Williamson, 1983). The species is affected by habitat patch size and isolation in agriculturally fragmented landscapes (Goheen et al, 2003), where patches larger than 5 ha connected by corridors, including riparian strips, to other forest areas are required (Nupp and Swihart, 2000).…”

Section: Spatial Patternmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative on the Quality, Abundance, and Configuration of Wildlife Habitats

Azevedo

Messina

et al. 2006

Journal of Sustainable Forestry

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ABSTRACT. We analyzed the effects of landscape measures within thefox squirrel (Sciurus niger) and gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis).Habitat suitability of the landscape in general increased with the implementation of SFI measures and habitat conditions were more diverse and even. Fragmentation and establishment of narrow and elongated habitat areas in a network configuration were the main consequences of the implementation of SFI measures in terms of habitat spatial structure. These changes were usually not limiting for the species analyzed. Mature pine and hardwood stands were absent from the simulated landscapes limiting the habitat for species like downy woodpecker or barred owl. Most of the species considered in this work benefited particularly from the implementation of streamside management zones (SMZs).

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Identification of urban habitat components which affect eastern gray squirrel abundance

Cited by 21 publications

References 14 publications

Landscape characteristics affect animal control by urban residents

Landscape characteristics affect animal control by urban residents

Gray squirrel density, habitat suitability, and behavior in urban parks

Effects of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative on the Quality, Abundance, and Configuration of Wildlife Habitats

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