Abstract
Small mammals are key consumers in the marsh food web and could serve as indicators of a marsh's potential to support higher-level predators. We studied how small- mammal occupancy varied among plant communities in coastal Louisiana freshwater marshes. We sampled small mammals at 36 sites on 4 different occasions during the late spring in freshwater marshes of the Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, LA. Mammalian diversity was low; we captured only Oryzomys palustris (Marsh Rice Rats). Occupancy modeling revealed a positive association between Marsh Rice Rat site occupancy and Sagit- taria lancifolia (Bulltongue Arrowhead) biomass. Our data suggest that subtle changes in plant-species composition within a marsh may affect the distribution of the most common small mammal in the ecosystem.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
