| There is increased demand for exurban development adjacent to natural areas. It affects ecosystems, but currently land-use managers lack science that assesses these potential impacts. I investigated these impacts by studying small and medium-sized mammals as indicators. I addressed four objectives: (1) determine how mammal communities change with distance from residences into surrounding forest; (2) determine whether these changes occur along continuous gradients or thresholds; (3) determine whether anthropogenic are important predictors of changes in mammal communities surrounding human residences; and (4) determine what anthropogenic elements are most correlated with these changes. Total abundance of small mammals was the most consistent predictor of changes surrounding residences. I identified a threshold of 200-250 m from the forest-lawn edge where total abundance exhibited significant changes in intensity. Anthropogenic elements most important in predicting changes in mammal communities; housing occupancy, distance from the forest-lawn edge, and cats were consistent predictors of these changes.; Keywords: Abundance, Adirondacks, alpha-diversity, anthropogenic impacts, beta-diversity, biomass, Ecological impact zone, exurban development, medium-sized mammals, richness, Simpson's diversity, small mammals. |
