Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2000
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Department
Wildlife and Fisheries Resources
Committee Chair
Petra Bohall Wood.
Abstract
Regional declines in Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister ) populations suggest a better understanding of the ecology of this species is needed for proper management. I described seasonal food habits of the Allegheny woodrat in the Ridge and Valley and Allegheny Plateau physiographic provinces of West Virginia and Virginia using microhistological techniques. In the Allegheny Plateau, the top 5 food items were fungi, blueberries ( Vaccinium spp.), acorns (Quercus spp.), ferns ( Dryopteris spp.), and lichens. In the Ridge and Valley woodrats ate primarily blackberry (Rubus spp.) leaves, fungi, greenbrier (Smilax spp.) leaves, acorns, and oak leaves. Additionally, we examined the effects of common timber management practices such as clearcuts and diameter-limit harvests, on Allegheny woodrat food habits in the Allegheny Plateau. We saw no significant differences in use between treatment types. Additionally, there were no differences in richness or diversity measures between harvest types, although all values were higher at undisturbed sites than either harvest treatment.
Recommended Citation
Castleberry, Nikole Lee, "Food habits of the Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister )" (2000). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 1105.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1105