Surrogate habitats for urban mammals: quantifying survival and occupancy in constructed wetlands
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2014-02-07
Type of Work
Department
Towson University. Department of Biological Sciences
Program
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
Copyright protected, all rights reserved.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
Subjects
Abstract
Land management plans require the construction of stormwater ponds to mitigate the effects of urbanization on streams. Stormwater ponds temporarily retain polluted runoff from impervious surfaces, allowing contaminants to settle before the water recharges ground water. With intentions to maintain natural hydrology, temperature, and nutrient inputs, stormwater ponds also attract wildlife. Some stormwater ponds might better support or attract urban wildlife when their hydrology, size, and vegetation are considered. I surveyed the small, meso-, and large mammal community in Baltimore County, Maryland, USA to determine the use of stormwater ponds by mammals. My results suggest that stormwater ponds are being utilized extensively by mammals in urban landscapes and that small changes in management could improve the quality of these surrogate habitats.