Recent decades have seen a decline in the distribution of oak
forests across the eastern and central United States. Shade
tolerant species like red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (A.
saccharum), and beech (Fagus grandifolia) are gradually succeeding
shade-intolerant oaks (Quercus spp.) in a process known as mesophication.
A significant consequence of this trend is the loss of acorns
as a food source for wildlife in these forests. A reduced acorn
supply due to mesophication could affect consumers in multiple
trophic levels. Populations of primary consumers, such as rodents,
have been shown to explode after a heavy acorn crop, but less
is known about the responses of consumers in higher trophic
levels, such as coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus),
red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus).
My study is designed to investigate this gap in the literature.
My objectives for this project are to: 1) quantify differences
in mast availability in oak-dominated stands, mixed mesophytic
stands, and non-oak stands, 2) quantify differences in small
mammal density in the different stand types, and 3) investigate
relationships among mast production, prey density, and carnivore
occupancy in the different stand types. To accomplish these
objectives, I will count and collect acorns in the fall to measure
biomass and estimate mast production for each stand. Rodents
and lagomorphs will be live trapped in the summer to estimate
prey density for carnivores. Remote cameras will be set up in
summer and winter to photograph carnivores and determine site
occupancy. I will use Program PRESENCE to investigate relationships
among trophic levels in different stand types. My project should
provide a foundation of data on which other studies can be based
to continue evaluating the effects of mesophication on multiple
trophic levels.
