Small Mammal Abundance and Diversity in Forests With and Without Canada Yew, Taxus canadensis

摘要

Canada Yew (Taxus cwnulcusis) has been exlirpated from iiuich ol' its Ibrmer r?nge in northeastern North America possibly due to logging. Ha-, agricullure. mul hrowsing hy White-tailed Deer (Odncoileus virgmUmus). We compared ihe relative abundance and species diversily ol' small mammals in live norlhern hardwood Stands containing Canudn Yew to five adjacent Stands without Canada Yew in ihe Uppcr l'eninsula ol" Michigan, diiring October-November 2000. Overall, 72 individuals were capiured (53 in yew, 19 in non-yew); dominant species werc Short-tailed Shrew (BUir'mu brevicauda), Deer Mouse (Pemmvsfiis iminiculaius), and Red-hacked Vole (Clethrionomys gapperi). Overall iueaii (+ sd) eapture rate (individuals/100 adjusted trap nights) in sites with yew (5.5 ± 2.2) was greater (/' = 0.04) than mean eaplure rate in Sites wilhout yew (1.9 ± 1.0). Three indiecs ol" species diversily suggested grealer small mammal diversity in Stands with Canada Yew understories in northern hardwood Ibivsis.