Realm: Terrestrial
Climate: Temperate
Biome: Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Central latitude: 40.170740
Central longitude: -79.260180
Duration: 21 years, from 1979 to 1999

2017 records

14 distinct species

Across the time series Myodes gapperi is the most frequently occurring species

Methods

(This description is directly extracted from doi:10.6073/pasta/086fda03bd91ce9c2331e3a6fdd9bcd1) Description of study site and monitoring protocol for conducting survey of small mammals: the study site used to monitor small mammal demography was located at Powdermill Biological Station, the field station of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The site is located in southeastern Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania at an elevation of 450 m (please see web page for details on location: http://www.carnegiemnh.org/powdermill/ ). The study area occupied a northwest exposure and was bisected by a creek. Dominant canopy trees included beech (Fagus grandifolia), sugar maple (Acer saccharum ), yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera ) and red oak (Quercus rubra ). The middle canopy was formed by striped maple (Acer pennsylvanicum ), spice bush (Lindera benzoin ), witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana ), and rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum ). Temperatures range from -31 oC (usually in January) to 36 oC (July and August). Snowfall occurs from October to March and may be heavy from December to March. Permanent snow cover normally occurs from about 2 months. Density of small mammals (numbers/ha) were estimated by direct enumeration methods on a 1 ha live trapping grid consisting of a 10 X 10 quadrat of trap stations at 10-m intervals. Trapping was conducted bimonthly from September 1979 to October 1999. Two large Sherman live-traps (7.6 X 8.9 X 30.5 cm) containing synthetic fiber nesting material and sunflower seeds as bait were located at each station. Trapping shelters were used at each station to monitor subnivean activity of mammals during winter months. Upon capture, small mammals were ear tagged or toe clipped for identification; at first capture, number, location on grid, mass, sex and reproductive status were recorded. Animals were weighed to the nearest 0.5 g using a Pesola scale and classified as adult, subadult or juvenile according to body mass and sexual maturity. Position of the testes (either abdominal or scrotal) was used to describe reproductive condition of males. Reproductive status of females was assessed by noting condition of the vulva (whether perforate or not perforate) and nipples (whether small, medium or lactating). Upon recapture during the same period, the number, location and mass was recorded and the animal released.

Citation(s)

@Misc{BioTIME_cit177, Study_id = {308}, Citation_id = {177}, Author = {Merritt, J F}, Booktitle = {ver 21}, Publisher = {Environmental Data Initiative}, Title = {Long Term Mammal Data from Powdermill Biological Station 1979-1999}, Type = {data set}, Year = {2022}, Doi = {10.6073/pasta/086fda03bd91ce9c2331e3a6fdd9bcd1}, Url = {https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/086fda03bd91ce9c2331e3a6fdd9bcd1}, Urldate = {2024-02-01}, Version = {21} }