Movements and habitat use of the Key Largo Woodrat Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • We radio-collared and tracked 16 (10 female, 6 male) Neotoma floridana smalli (Key Largo woodrats) from March-November 2002 and recorded a total of 631 locations. The average monthly ranges of individual male and female woodrats were 4756 (95% CI = 2376-7136) m2 and 2051 (95% CI = 1091-3011) m2, respectively. We found male and female ranges to be significantly different (P = 0.032). Female ranges varied with season (P = 0.032), while male ranges did not (P = 0.567). Spring (P = 0.033) and summer (P = 0.019) ranges were significantly different between sexes. At two spatial scales, Key Largo woodrats showed a preference for young habitat with selection ratios of 6.3 and 6.7. Six female ranges overlapped an average of 49% and 2 males overlapped an average of 8%. No woodrats were recorded crossing a major road. Study results suggest that N. f. smalli prefer early succession hammock, male woodrats should be introduced separately, and a major road is a barrier to woodrat movements.

published proceedings

  • SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST

altmetric score

  • 3

author list (cited authors)

  • McCleery, R. A., Lopez, R. R., & Silvy, N. J.

citation count

  • 7

complete list of authors

  • McCleery, Robert A||Lopez, Roel R||Silvy, Nova J

publication date

  • December 2006