Fence and RoadLong-term Effects of Mesomammal Removal

Research Team: Dr. L. Michael Conner (Associate Scientist), Dr. Lora L. Smith (Assistant Scientist), Micah Perkins (Research Technician III) and Christopher Borg (Research Technician III)

This project will address the challenges associated with developing integrated wildlife conservation strategies when predator removal is being considered as a management tool. The primary issue undertaken by this study will be to understand the effects of mesomammal removal on the broader wildlife community while focusing Coyoteon the avian and small mammal community response. Secondarily, the study will examine the effects of predator removal on a keystone species, the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Specifically, this study will focus on (1) determining if mesomammal removal benefits avian, small mammal, and gopher tortoise populations; (2) quantifying compensatory predation, if it occurs; and (3) explicitly testing the mesopredator release hypothesis using avian recruitment and small mammal recruitment and survival as the primary response variables. Populations of potential predators will also be assessed to mechanistically examine corollary predictions associated with compensatory predation (i.e., change in predator assemblage) and mesopredator release (i.e., increased depredation by and/or increased density of the alternate predator assemblage). This study fences designed to exclude mesomammal predators, permitting long-term study of the ecological role of mesopredators without harming individual animals.

Research in progress, publications forthcoming.

Funded by: The Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center