Use of woody debris by cotton mice (Peromyscus gossypinus) in a southeastern pine forest

Coarse woody debris, which includes fallen logs, snags, and stumps, may be an important habitat component for many mammals. I examined use of woody de bris by the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) with radiotelemetry and fl uorescent-powder tracking in a managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest. Most day refuges of cotton mice were associated with woody debris, includin g refuges in rotting stumps (69%), under upturned root boles (14%), and und er fallen logs and brush (9%). Stumps used by cotton mice were larger in di ameter (P < 0.05) and more highly decomposed (P < 0.001) than stumps random ly selected at the study area. Nighttime telemetry locations of 4 of 8 cott on mice were closer to large (10 cm diameter) fallen logs than expected by chance (P < 0.05), whereas locations of no mice were farther from logs than expected. Pathways of cotton mice crossed woody debris (including logs of all sizes) for a greater distance than random transects at the study area ( P < 0.05). Logs used by powder-tracked mice were longer than randomly selec ted logs (P < 0.01). Extensive and selective use suggests that woody debris , particularly in the form of large logs and stumps, is an important habita t component for the cotton mouse in southeastern pine forests.