Raccoon (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) Diurnal Den use within an Intensively Managed Forest in Central West Virginia

Owen, Sheldon F.; Berl, Jacob L.; Edwards, John W.; Ford, W. Mark; Wood, Petra Bohall

doi:10.1656/045.022.0106

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Although it has been suggested that habitat manipulation may reduce nest predation by limiting predator use, there are few data that specifically address this concept for raccoons (Chamberlain et al , but see Jones et al ). Targeted hardwood removal may result in fewer suitable DRS for raccoons (Beasley & Rhodes ; Owen et al ), but this has not been studied in longleaf pine systems especially when hardwood removal is used as a restoration practice. If raccoons preferentially use mesophytic oak species for DRS, removing these species while retaining pyrophytic oaks may improve biodiversity in longleaf pine forests, while also serving as a tool to indirectly manage nest predation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hardwood management and restoration of longleaf pine ecosystems may affect raccoon daytime resting sites

Kirby

Muller

Chamberlain

et al. 2016

Restoration Ecology

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Fire‐maintained Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) ecosystems are species rich and considered a top conservation priority in the southeastern United States. Ground‐nesting species such as Gopherus polyphemus (gopher tortoise) and Colinus virginianus (northern bobwhite) thrive in longleaf ecosystems. However, the generalist carnivore Procyon lotor (raccoon) is a significant predator of these endemic ground nesters. In forested ecosystems, raccoons prefer hardwood‐dominated habitats. Removal of hardwood trees, which is a common longleaf pine ecosystem restoration tool, affects habitat use of this predator. We examined 269 daytime resting sites (DRS) associated with 31 radio‐collared adult raccoons (18 M, 13 F) during 2014–2015 on a longleaf pine‐dominated site in southwestern Georgia. We developed 26 a priori models using an information theoretic approach to evaluate factors affecting use of DRS by raccoons. The top two models (ΔAIC < 2) had combined model weights of 0.75 and contained tree diameter, tree type, presence of nearby hardwood, and distances to pine, hardwood, mixed forest, and agriculture as predictors. However, the only informative variables were tree type and tree diameter. Raccoons used DRS in all available forest types, but were less likely to use pine trees (n = 7) relative to hardwoods (n = 247), and there was a positive relationship with tree diameter. Females used smaller trees farther from agriculture and primary roads, and were closer to wetlands than those used by males. Hardwood removal from within longleaf pine ecosystem affects habitat use of this predator, specifically DRS.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hardwood management and restoration of longleaf pine ecosystems may affect raccoon daytime resting sites

Kirby

Muller

Chamberlain

et al. 2016

Restoration Ecology

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“…Evidence for cavity dependence by breeding female eastern pygmy-possums Age and sex differences in tree cavity use have been reported in several species (e.g., Lahann, 2008;Owen et al, 2015;Green et al, 2019). In this study, I have taken this further by demonstrating that a preference for small or large cavities differed among different age-sex classes of the eastern pygmypossum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Intersexual differences in tree cavity use have been described in a range of non-flying mammals. Tree cavities are favored as maternal dens by northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus/oregonensis) (Carey et al, 1997), gray mouse lemurs (Lutermann et al, 2010), raccoons (Procyon lotor) (Henner et al, 2004;Owen et al, 2015) and fishers (Pekania pennanti) (Green et al, 2019). Cavity-using Australian dasyurid marsupials with a semelparous life-history occupy 'maternal' cavities by default due to synchronized adult male die-off.…”

Section: Maternal Tree Cavity Use By Non-flying Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If specific patterns are not identified, then some vulnerabilities may go unnoticed. Many species use tree cavities exclusively and year-round (e.g., Martin & Martin, 2007;Lahann, 2008), whereas others may use tree cavities among other shelter types (e.g., Carey et al, 1997;Henner et al, 2004;Owen et al, 2015). Factors postulated to shape these patterns include avoidance of predation, thermoregulatory benefits, social factors, tree cavity availability, reproduction, and even parasite loads (Kappeler, 1998;O'Donnell & Sedgeley, 1999;Reckardt & Kerth, 2007;Banks et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex and age differences in tree cavity dependence in a small arboreal marsupial

Goldingay

2020

Journal of Zoology

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Many mammal species depend on tree cavities for shelter and for breeding. Some species may use tree cavities as well as other varied shelters, but the extent of their dependence on tree cavities is unknown. One such species is the eastern pygmy‐possum (Cercartetus nanus) from eastern Australia which typically shelters alone. Four key questions were addressed: (1) do different age and sex classes differ in their preferences for small (4 cm diameter) and large (10 cm diameter) cavities, (2) does the availability of large cavities influence female breeding status, (3) does the availability of large cavities influence where adult females and males are detected, and (4) does the availability of large cavities influence survival and abundance? Two 9‐ha plots containing few (≤2 per ha) ‘large’ natural cavities were provisioned with artificial cavities in different years. When plots were provisioned with small and large cavities, breeding females (n = 46) showed a pronounced preference for sheltering in the large cavities while adult males (n = 67) and subadults (n = 40) preferred the small cavities. When one plot and not the other was provisioned with large cavities, adult females were significantly more likely to be reproductive and be detected on the plot with large cavities, but survival was not influenced. Detection of adult males did not vary with large cavity provisioning. The abundance of adult pygmy‐possums varied among years, being higher on the plot provisioned with large cavities when the other plot was not provisioned, but equivalent when both were provisioned. The findings of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that breeding females are dependent on a large cavity to raise a litter. Other mammal species around the world are likely to exhibit similar but currently unrecognized shelter site strategies which have implications for their management.

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“…However, more than 60% of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the 14 raccoon populations was not explained by the common trends of DFA, indicating more local population variability than regional variability. Raccoons use tree cavities for resting and maternal denning during the reproductive season (Owen et al 2015). However, our study suggested that raccoon populations were not limited by the overall availability of hardwood forests in Mississippi.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%