Surrogate habitats for urban mammals: quantifying survival and occupancy in constructed wetlands

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.