JONES: PODOMYSFLORIDANUS ON THE ORDWAY PRESERVE


 Ordway/Swisher Preserve
 Preserve boundaries --
 Wellands LI
 Lakes 0

Mel rose


 I*-- *I
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Figure 1. Distribution of Podomys on the Ordway/Swisher Preserve. Locations of Anderson-Cue (AC),
Blue Pond (BP), Longleaf Pine (LP), and Smith Lake (SL) sandhills are shown. Dots represent additional
locations where Podomys has been captured.



 MATERIALS AND METHODS


 I trapped Podomys at tortoise burrows and on grids using standard mark-and-
recapture techniques (Davis 1956). While trapping at burrows, I placed a pair of Sherman
traps (baited with oatmeal) at the entrance, or just inside the entrance. Mice were marked
by toe-clipping and weighed; I also noted sex, reproductive condition, and presence of
ectoparasites. Animals were released near the entrance, and in most cases I recorded
whether they entered the burrow or ran elsewhere. I collected the same data on three grids,
one placed on the south side of Smith Lake and two set north and east of the Anderson-Cue
ponds. Grids were more than 100 m apart to reduce movement of animals between grids.
Each grid consisted of 10 columns and 10 rows 10 m apart (area = 10,000 m2) with a single
Sherman at each intersection. Each burrow and grid intersection was marked, numbered,
and mapped. Trapping effort was measured as trapnights (one trapnight being one
trap/night).
 Traps were opened near sundown and checked at sunrise. Excelsior was provided as
insulation during cool weather. Because Podomys is susceptible to cold weather (Layne
1969; pers. obs.), trapping began in February or March and ceased in October or November.
 Two separate trapping regimes were conducted in order to determine home range size
and the effects of prescribed bums. I trapped mice at tortoise burrows before and after