Abstract
Abstract The smoky shrew (Sorex fumeus) and the masked shrew (S. cinereus) are common soricids in mature southern Appalachian hardwood forests. To better understand the role of body size and niche relationships in these syntopic species, 12 50- by 50-m plots were established in the Pisgah National Forest of western North Carolina. Trapping was conducted from August through November 1996 and from March through August 1997 using Y-shaped drift fences with associated pitfalls. Prey items and microhabitat components were measured to examine correlations with abundance of shrew species. Total shrew captures (n = 176) included 105 (59.7%) Sorex fumeus and 41 (23.3%) S. cinereus. Smoky shrews were significantly larger than masked shrews in both mass and body length. Stepwise multiple regression analyses determined that a combination of litter moisture, class 5 coarse woody debris (CWD), and number of invertebrates and mountain dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) was the best predictor of S. fumeus abund...
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