Effects of habitat features and season on vertebrate communities in Southern Georgia, U.S.A.

Abstract

ABSTRACTAlthough the southeastern U.S.A. contains a high diversity of species and habitats, this region is also experiencing rapid human development. Humans are modifying ecosystems in complex ways, and these changes often result in shifts in biodiversity. Therefore, examining habitat use in human-altered ecosystems gives insight into how animals will continue to respond to their rapidly changing environments. Biodiversity and abundance can be influenced by several factors, including habitat structure and seasonal variation. Understanding how these factors influence biodiversity is particularly important in areas that are experiencing high levels of human activity. Thus, we surveyed artificial cover objects to examine the effects of forest structure and season on several indices of diversity in vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) in forested sites in the southeastern U.S.A., a region characterised by rapid human population growth. Vertebrate abundance varied by season where abundance in the fall and winter were lower than in the spring and summer. The proximity to roads affected vertebrate abundance where abundance was higher under cover objects farther from roads. Our results provide evidence that anthropogenic, biotic, and temporal factors can influence vertebrate abundance and biodiversity. We also provide insight into the role of forest structure in vertebrate biodiversity, and we encourage future efforts focusing on the role of structural variation across different ecosystems.