Study Overview

• This research compares perceptual abilities of eastern chipmunks, gray squirrels, and fox squirrels in fragmented agricultural landscapes.

Key Concepts

Perceptual Range

• Definition: Maximum distance from which an animal can perceive habitat patches.

• Importance: Influences an animal’s ability to successfully disperse and adapt to habitat fragmentation.

Objectives

• To assess perceptual ranges of:

  • Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus)

  • Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)

  • Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger)

• Understanding how perceptual abilities affect species occurrence in isolated habitats.

Methodology

Study Design

• Animals were captured in woodlots and released at various distances in fields.

• Movement towards or away from woodlots was measured to determine perceptual abilities.

Assessment Metrics

• Perceptual ranges were determined based on:

  • Chipmunks: ~120 m

  • Gray Squirrels: ~300 m

  • Fox Squirrels: ~400 m

Findings

Species Sensitivity to Patch Isolation

• Gray squirrels are more affected by habitat isolation than fox squirrels.

• Eastern chipmunks show variable sensitivity to habitat fragmentation.

Behavioral Insights

• Animals' perceptual ranges may influence movement strategies and survival in fragmented landscapes.

Implications of Results

• Understanding perceptual abilities can help manage and conserve fragmented habitats important for these forest-dwelling sciurids.