HAYSMITH: NEOTOMA F. FLORIDANA IN NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA


Table 12. Kruskal-Wallis test for home range size per habitat using minimum convex polygon (MCP) and modified
concave polygon (COC) methods MHP = mesic hammock-palmetto understory, MH = mesic hammock-open
understory, BSW = bottomland hardwood swamp.


 Test
 Variables statistic Df Prob

 MCP:
 BSW MH MHP 3.94 2 0.14
 COC:
 BSW MH MHP 2.37 2 0.31



conducted by dividing the evening session into five time blocks: 1800 to 2000 h,
2001 to 2200 h, 2201 to 0100 h, 0101 to 0330 h, and 0331 to 0600 h (EST).
Animals were active during all periods of the evening, and variability between time
periods was high. Woodrats were least active from 1800 to 2000 h, and from 2200
to 0100 h. The highest activity occurred between 2000-2200, 0100 to 0330, and
0331 to 0600 h (Fig. 5).
 Trapping results and radiotelemetry observations show that woodrats are
socially intolerant of each other. For example, of 200 radiotelemetry observations
and 450 trap nights at woodrat dens, only 1% (n=7) of the trapping records and 2%
(n=4) of the telemetry observations documented two animals at one den. Social
intolerance was also indicated through several scarred and injured animals; 26
adults and juveniles had large wounds or scars.


 Dens


 In the five study sites, 42 woodrat dens were located and evaluated. The large
den structures made from sticks that are found in other geographical locations of
Neotomafloridana, such as northern populations and in the Florida Keys, were not
present at the Ordway Preserve. Only small stick piles were found outside of their
dens. Of the total, 90.5% of the dens were subterranean. Dens were associated
with 10 different plant species (Table 16). They were found in live trees, decaying
logs, tree stumps, and roots of fallen trees, but the highest percentage occurred in
fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) tussocks. Dens had more than one entrance, ranging
from 2 to 12 openings. Nests contained sticks, bones, seeds and nuts, research
flagging, and insect remains, but acorns were the most abundant item.