Songbird And Small Mammal Diversity And Habitat Use Of The Riparian Zone In The John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

Authors(s): T. A. Ruskowski

Publication:

Publisher:

Publication Date: 0000-00-00

Type:

Location: Laramie WY

Abstract: Songbird and small mammal surveys were conducted in 1994 and 1995, on fifty-five 25 meter radius plots in the Snake River riparian zone in the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, Grand Teton National Park. Comparisons of wildlife relative abundance and community composition were made between seven distinct vegetation types (tall shrub/dry grassland, tall shrub , tall shrub/wet meadow, wet meadow, marsh/fen, marsh/fen/wet meadow, and moist forb meadow). Relationships between wildlife and vegetation structure were also examined. Several species of small mammals and songbirds showed affinities to particular habitat characteristics and vegetation types within the riparian zone. Common yellow throats and Lincoln's sparrows were predominately observed in moist habitats containing dense vegetation, while savannah sparrows were most abundant in the wet meadow. Deer mice were predominatly captured in the tall shrub/dry grassland, which was characterized by habitat, while western jumping mice were most abundant in the moist forb meadow. Each vegetation type within the riparian zone had a unique species composition depending on the level of structural complexity found in each. Relative abundances and vegetation structure were related.

Keywords: Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming, animal, mammal, bird, ornithology, Aves, Mammalia, Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, habitat, yellow throat, Geothlypis trichas, Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, mouse, Muridae, rodent, Rodentia, western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps