Mammalian Abundances on Forest-Farm Edges versus Forest Interiors in Southern Illinois: Is There an Edge Effect?

Activity of furbearers, assessed by track stations, and abundance of small mammals, assessed by live-trapping, were compared for 10 sites of forest-farm edge and 11 sites of forest interior in southern Illinois. No statistically significant difference between edges and interiors was detected. Instead, high site-to-site variability in the abundance of furbearers and small mammals was the dominant pattern. For many species and for a variety of reasons, edge effects may not be apparent in highly fragmented landscapes. The generality of the edge-effect concept should be considered with caution.