Comparison of species diversity of small mammals in forest and prairie habitats

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the small mammal species diversity within forest and prairie habitats. Data were collected over three days at each habitat and at four separate grid locations within those habitats. Overall, eight different species were found with Peromyscus spp. being the most abundant in the forest habitat and Spermophilus tridecemlineatus the most abundant in the prairie habitat. Seven distinct species were found in the forest habitat, whereas five distinct species were found in the prairie habitat. The data were not sufficient to conclude that the forest habitat had greater species diversity and amount of captured small mammals than the prairie habitat.