RESPONSES OF DEER MICE, PEROMYSCUS-MANICULATUS (MAMMALIA, RODENTIA), TO WILD HOG ROOTING IN THE GREAT-SMOKEY-MOUNTAINS-NATIONAL-PARK

A mark-recapture study was conducted to assess the impacts of wild hog (Sus scrofa) rooting on small mammal populations in the upper elevati on beech (Fagus grandifolia) forests of the Great Smoky Mountains Nati onal Park. Small mammals were captured using live traps and pitfalls. Microhabitat variables were measured in the vicinity of each live trap site and analyzed using discriminant function analysis. Populations o f cloudland deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus nubiterrae) showed no si gnificant differences between rooted and unrooted sites and are appare ntly unaffected by rooting. Although the presence of other small mamma ls was noted on both rooted and unrooted sites, deer mice were the onl y mammals caught with sufficient frequency to allow statistical analys is. Discriminant analysis of microhabitat variables indicates that dee r mice orient toward areas dominated by deciduous trees with heavy mid story cover and light ground cover. We hypothesize that habitat select ion by deer mice in this ecosystem is dominated primarily by predator avoidance.