Restored and Natural Wetland Small Mammal Communities in West Virginia, USA

Krista L. Noe (), Christopher T. Rota, Mack W. Frantz and James T. Anderson
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Krista L. Noe: School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, 1145 Evansdale Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Christopher T. Rota: School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, 1145 Evansdale Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Mack W. Frantz: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, 1110 Railroad Street, Farmington, WV 26571, USA
James T. Anderson: James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center, Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, P.O. Box 596, Georgetown, SC 29442, USA

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Wetland restoration is a common practice, and, in many cases, it is for mitigation to offset losses of natural wetlands due to human interference. Researchers commonly compare bird, amphibian, and reptile communities between these wetlands and natural wetlands but overlook small mammals. However, terrestrial small mammals are essential to consider as they serve a fundamental role in the ecosystem as seed dispersers and prey for larger wildlife. We conducted small mammal trapping on 26 wetlands ( n = 14 restored, n = 12 natural) in West Virginia, USA, in the summers of 2020 and 2021 to obtain and compare community metrics between wetland types. We found that mass, occupancy probability, and community composition were similar between restored and natural wetlands. However, the apparent abundance of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus ) was higher in natural wetlands ( p < 0.001). Because we captured the three rarest species exclusively in natural wetlands, the ability of restored wetlands to provide an adequate habitat for rare or wetland-obligate species may be biologically significant. Restored wetlands mainly offer sufficient habitat for small mammal communities, but apparent abundance in restored wetlands may differ from natural wetlands depending on species.

Keywords: created wetlands; deer mice; mammals; meadow voles; Microtus pennsylvanicus; Peromyscus leucopus; Peromyscus maniculatus; restored wetlands; white-footed mice; wildlife (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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