Roger D. Peffer
Published: 2001
Total Pages: 86
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"The importance of riparian corridors for small mammal species is a reflection of local habitat conditions. I examined vegetation, woody debris, and litter between riparian and upland habitats. I compared small mammal populations by pitfall trapping in riparian and upland habitats on 3 streams reaches on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains in north central Washington and examined the habitat correlates for the species captured. This area represents a vegetative transition from wet, west side forests toward drier, ponderosa pine forests of eastern Washington. Riparian areas had more herbaceous plants, shrubs, and deciduous trees with ground cover of deciduous leaves and larger logs in older decay classes. Uplands had more conifers, grasses, lichens and mosses with ground cover of conifer cones. Species richness and evenness were greater in riparian than upland habitat while diversity did not differ. Abundance of small mammals in general and of specific species was greater in riparian habitats. Neurotrichus gibbsii, Peromycus keenii, Sorex palustris, Sorex trowbridgii, Sorex vagrans, and Zapus princeps were associated with riparian habitats. Peromyscus maniculatus was the only species associated with upland habitat. Insectivores comprised 69.1% and rodents comprised 30.6% of all species captured. Forest and wildlife management plans should consider the species found in a given drainage of east slope forest environments where the ecosystem can change rapidly due to the rain shadow effect"--Document.
