Corridors and Connectivity of a Fragmented Landscape, Olympic National Forest

拟议的研究将评估破碎化对居住在华盛顿西北部奥林匹克半岛原始森林的小型哺乳动物多样性的影响和走廊的潜在效益。研究人员将研究居住在连续原生林、破碎原生林、原生林的河岸走廊和次生林的哺乳动物群落的差异。研究物种丰富度和物种组成的格局，以及这些格局如何受到景观连通性的影响。这些信息已经并将继续促进以物种为基础的生物地理学等级模型的发展。这些研究的结果将为保护这些古老的温带雨林中的土著社区提供至关重要的信息。由于研究的许多哺乳动物物种都是其他脊椎动物的猎物，包括斑点猫头鹰，这项研究还将为濒危物种管理和太平洋西北地区森林资源的利用提供重要信息。

LOMOLINO DEB-9707204 The proposed study will assess the effects of fragmentation and the potential benefits of corridors on the diversity of small mammals inhabiting old-growth forests of the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington. The investigators will study and characterize the differences in mammalian communities inhabiting continuous old-growth, fragmented old-growth, riparian corridors of old-growth, and second-growth forests. The investigators will study patterns in species richness and species composition and investigate how these patterns are influenced by landscape connectivity. This information has, and will continue to contribute, to the development of a species-based, hierarchical model of biogeography. The results of these studies will provide information critical to conserving native communities in these ancient temperate rainforests. Because many of the mammal species studied serve as prey for other vertebrates, including spotted owls, this study will also provide important information for endangered species management and the use of forests as a resource in the Pacific Northwest.