SMALL MAMMAL POPULATION SIZE AND HABITAT  USE  IN  WHITE  PINE  AND
HARDWOOD HABITATS IN WHITE PINE HOLLOW STATE PRESERVE, IOWA

Aaron Kremer and Larkin A. Powell.
Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of Dubuque, 2000 
University Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52001.  

The Driftless Area in northeastern Iowa contains rugged landforms and thus more 
forests than other land areas in Iowa.  White Pine Hollow State Preserve, at 812-
acres, is perhaps the most unfragmented upland forest in Iowa.  The mature oak 
(Quercus Sp.) and maple (Acer sp.) forests, swiftly flowing streams, and the largest 
natural white pine (Pinus strobus) stands in Iowa provide diverse habitats that result 
in a similarly diverse community of biota, including small mammals.  We used small 
live traps arranged in 57-trap web design to determine population size and habitat use 
of small mammals in White Pine Hollow.  Two trap webs each were placed in white 
pine and upland hardwood habitat, and we used transect trap lines in riparian zones. 
We also placed a 3-legged 8-foot drift fence in pine and hardwood habitats to 
supplement our trap captures.  We inserted PIT tags under the skin of captured 
individuals for recapture information.  Our species capture list in August 1999 
included: deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), white-footed mouse (Peromyscus 
leucopus), pine, or woodland vole (Pitymys pinetorum), Southern flying squirrel, 
(Glaucomys volans), least shrew (Cryptotis parva), shorttail shrew (Blarina 
brevicauda), and Eastern chipmunk (Tamian striatus).  The pine vole is an endangered 
species in Iowa, and the Southern flying squirrel is found only in large forest tracts 
such as White Pine Hollow State Preserve.

Keywords:  Driftless Area, small mammals, endangered species, White Pine Hollow, 
Pinus strobus
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