Ecology of Red Maple Swamps in the Glaciated Northeast: A ...

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Table 7.5. Small-mammal communities in red maple swamps and other habitats of New Jersey (Dowkr et ~1.1985) and Connecticut (compiled from appendix in Miller and Getz 1977~). Values for individual species are captures per 100 tmp-nights. -- -- Red Upland Upland Late Early Freshwater maple coniferous deciduous successional successional marsh Mammal swamp forest forest grassland grassland edge New Jersey White-footed mouse 7.1 Masked shrew 4.2 Northern short-tailed shrew 0.4 1.1 1.7 0.1 0.6 Meadow jumping mouse 0.3 Meadow vole 0.3 Eastern chipmunk 0.1 Star-nosed mole All species 12.4 11.4 5.8 3.8 6.7 Number of trap-nights 2,100 2,100 2,100 2,100 2,100 Total species richness 6 6 6 5 6 Species diversity (H'z) 1.44 1.86 2.15 1.51 1.88 Connecticut Southern red-backed vole White-footed mouse Northern short-tailed shrew Masked shrew Meadow vole Southern bog lemming Woodland jumping mouse Woodland vole Smoky shrew Meadow jumping mouse Star-nosed mole Water shrew All species 8.0 6.3 6.1 Number of trap-nighta 5,070 1,026 8,283 Total species richness 12 7 8 Species diversity (33'2) 1.61 1.22 1.52 water shrew, were trapped only in wetland forests. The small-mammal community of red maple swamps was dominated by the southern redbacked vole (Clethriommysgapperi) and the whitefooted mouse. Key Habitat Features Factors such as vegetation structure, food availability, substrate moisture, and debris cover (large rocks or fallen logs) have been found to influence small mammal populations in upland forests (Dueser and Shugart 1978; Kitchings and Levy 1981), but few studies have examined the factors affecting small-mammal species distribution and abundance in wetland forests. Miller and Getz (1977a) found that red maple swamps with abundant shrub cover had higher mammalian diversity and richness than either upland forests or red maple swamps with a lesser abundance of shrubs. Mammalian species diversity also was positively correlated with the number of tree and shb species. This relationship was believed to center on food availability, since most small-mammal species that were captured fed primarily on mast and fruit produced by trees and shrubs. Additionally, the authors speculated that a greater variety of tree and shrub leaves in the litter layer might lead to increased richness of invertebrate prey species.
Species composition of trees and shrubs in swamps may be even more important than species richness in eqlainirlg the local distributions of certain small mammals. me majority of woody plants in swamps, such as red maple, highbush blueberry, and dewberries (Rubus spp.), produce samaras or fleshy fruits, which provide abundant food during summer and fall but are not available for winter consumption. The stable year-round supply of mast in upland oak-hickory forests is a major factor promoting higher numbers of white-footed mice in that habitat than in red maple swamps (Getz 1961b; Batzli 1977; Breidling et al. 1983). The southern red-backed vole (Fig. 7.7) was the most abundant small mama1 species found in Connecticut red maple swamps (Miller and Getz 1973, 1977a, b). This spies inhabits most forest types in northem New England, but in southern New England, where upland soils are generally drier, it is apparexxtly restricted to forested wetland~. GGtz (1%) showed that the red-backed vole hm higher evaporative water loss and less efficient kidx~eys than other srnall mammal species. As a result,, it must live where standing wabr or succulent foot5 items are readily available. In red maple swamps, water is ~vaililblr voles in most of the growixlg season. Even during exceeding1 y dry peri- ods, title water t.zrLle is rls~~ally close enough to the surface so that VOICR call gnin access to it by tuxulelling along wind-lcmseucd t,rcae roots (hfiller and Getz 1972, 1973). Witllin forested wc~t,lrtntfs, the amount, of escape cover provided by low vegc:tation or debris strongly influerxces tXxc; local. distribution and abundance of red-backed voles. Miller and Cetz (1972, 1977b) noted that vole abundance and survival rates were nlcprkc.&y lower in arcas lacking escape cover, and speculated that time lack of cover allowed higher predation by diurnal avian raptors (e.g., red-shoddered hawk). Wildlife residing in seasonally flooded wetlands must be able to adapt to widely fluctuating water levels. Surface inundation in forested wetlands during the spring and fall may make it difficult for some srnall mammals to move about easily on the forest floor. Water shrews and red-backed voles are efficient swimmers and will enter water more readily than other small mammal species (Getz 1967; Godin 1977). White-footed mice are semiarboreal and thus are able to retreat into trees to avoid surface water. As noted earlier, lower food availability, not seasonal flooding, appears to be responsible for the lower densities of white-footed mice in swamps compared with upland forests (Batzli 1977; Miller and Getz 1977b). Medium-sized and Large Mammals In western Massachusetts, black bears show a strong habitat preference for wetlands from mid- April, when they emerge from winter dens, until mid-August (Elowe 1984). Although wetland composed only an average of 11% of the territories of seven radio-equipped female black bears, the bears spent more than one-third of their time in spring and summer in wetlands. Swamps were used most heavily in spring, the season when food was most scarce. Skunk cabbage was the most important food at that time. Throughout the North American range of black bears, the majority of winter dens are located in upland areas. Swamps are used as denning sites in some areas of the eastern United States, but winter flooding is a major hazard (Alt 19W, Smith 1985; Hellgren and Vaughan 1989). In northeastern Pennsylvania, Alt (1984) found that cub mortality can be as high as 5% due to the flooding of dens by frozen-ground runoff. The highest mortality occurred in excavated or root-cavitv dens located in swamps and selected by females during relatively dry autumns; above-average precipitation during fall reduced the selection of potentially dangerous sites because of the presence of water at the time of selection. In the Northeast, beavers prefer to colonize lowgradient perennial streams in small forested watersheds (Iloward and Larson 1985), many of which include red maple swamps. Red maple is a relatively unimportant fwd species compared with al- Fig. 7.7. Southern red-backed vole (Ckihrionomys ders, aspens, and wiliows gapperi), one of the most ccmmon small mammals in et 1951; nodheastern red maple swamps. Drawing by R. Hodgdon and I-%unt 19661, but it may be of signifz- Alexander: cant vdue where these species are scarce and dur-
Page 2 and 3:
Technical IIbpg~rt Series U.S. Fish
Page 5 and 6:
Preface In many areas of the glacia
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Acer rubrum (red maple) diagnostic
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Zone 111 . St . Lawrence Valley and
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Fig . 3.7. Red maple swap with unde
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Table 4.5. Flood tolerance of trees
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Chapter I. Introduction Wetland kbr
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Regional Setting throughout the gla
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C-J Spruce-Fa Beech-Birch-Maple Mit
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Fig. 1.4. The range of red maple (a
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~ b 1.5, h fircort~ of Wet landc Ir
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Fig. 22. &~lrit~ve Irtndtici~pe yos
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egional groundwakr table by the roc
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y e~rr~mtrtm~~,irzst ion. Cat~t,inu
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inflow^ Outflows OF SWQ SWI Fig. 25
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Fig, 23.6,Soasonally flmded red map
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Fig. 27. Water levels in six mode I
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The duration of soil saturation has
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Organic soils are always very poorl
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Chapter 3. The Plant Community The
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.dar02f 'B Xi? s%u?mma -?sway+xqq p
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Community S tructare Red maple swam
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suggesta a strong correlation betwe
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Table 3.2. Stmtuml chumcteristics o
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Table 3.3. Continued. "- -- - Speci
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Table __ 3.3. _ Continued ._.lll.__
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Table 3.3. Continued. . * - __.. ^.
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Zone I II III TV C" Drppnmriad* sp.
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on Long Island, pin oak, swamp whit
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fern moea (?ki.c&inz &limfulum), an
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countered (Table 3.3). The herb lay
Page 67 and 68: ~akareous Seepage Swamps England si
Page 69 and 70: and globeflower are. listed in four
Page 71 and 72: was the most likely reason for diff
Page 73 and 74: kvei fluctuation during the gmwing
Page 75 and 76: Table 4.2. .Rektit.e ~bmchnce w Q)
Page 77 and 78: difficuit to delineate in many inst
Page 79 and 80: in the librature btlx>~ithe moi~ttl
Page 81 and 82: Origin. an$ Relationship to Water R
Page 83 and 84: Influence on Swamp Vegetation Flori
Page 85 and 86: taka wpra-x li)wcir, t raac* df~rla
Page 87 and 88: dwuL 4.3 6.3. C ~ ~ ~ strisk- P C I
Page 89 and 90: Chapter 5. Ecosystem Processes Irr
Page 91 and 92: - 0 2 E E 0l *" C 8 g 00 - c_ m 3 -
Page 93 and 94: Ehnzdoltf (IWj wm mmht~nt, rru@w on
Page 95 and 96: 1976; I">irwia RE& vari iier Vdk 18
Page 97 and 98: Xletritus Exprort and 'sod Chain Su
Page 99: Chapter 6. Wetland Dynamics Most no
Page 102 and 103: since forested wetland is the endpo
Page 104 and 105: kettle bogs, lakes, or large rivers
Page 106 and 107: mmdwakr depression wetlands. Becaus
Page 108 and 109: (Mniotila varia), regularly breed i
Page 110 and 111: EXusbtand arid Eddleman (1Y30) quan
Page 112 and 113: census results. Twenty-five (40%) o
Page 114 and 115: elated to avian richness and abunda
Page 116 and 117: Fig. 7.6. Wood duck (Aix sponsa). T
Page 120 and 121: ing the latter years of flowage occ
Page 122 and 123: Chapter 8. Values, Impacts, and Man
Page 124 and 125: of the bordering upland. Both studi
Page 126 and 127: Fig. 8.1. ST folia) in pel fer. .bu
Page 128 and 129: Table 8.1. Emrnpks ofgmss loss rate
Page 130 and 131: Fig. 8.3. Southern New England red
Page 132 and 133: Fig. 8.4. Electric utility lines pa
Page 134 and 135: e expected to cause more drastic fl
Page 136 and 137: and enhancement has been a highly c
Page 138 and 139: y capturing sediment, reducing nutr
Page 140 and 141: M.R.S.A., Sect. 480.A). Research by
Page 142 and 143: Broadfoot, W. M., and H. L. Willist
Page 144 and 145: Fefer, S. I. 1980. me palushe syste
Page 146 and 147: Jordan, R J. 1978. Glacial geology
Page 148 and 149: Xew Hampshire Xatural Areas Program
Page 150 and 151: Ren MAPLE SWAMR 137 Smith, H. 1984.
Page 152 and 153: Appendix A. Sources of Floristic Da
Page 154 and 155: Appendix B. Plants of Special Conce
Page 156 and 157: Appendix B. Continued Species d Car
Page 158 and 159: Appendix C. Vertebrates That Have B
Page 160 and 161: Mourning warbler ... Nashville warb
Page 162 and 163: Appendix D. Vertebrates of Special
Page 164 and 165: ~tnte"and ronsewat ion stat ilu' d
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Ecology of Red Maple Swamps in the Glaciated Northeast: A ...

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