Use and Partitioning of Montane Habitat by Small Mammals

Structure of the microhabitat used by four species of rodents in a montane environment was investigated using principal-component analysis of trap-site characteristics. Most species of rodents were associated with fallen logs and brush during June but microhabitat use shifted to areas of more herbaceous growth in July–August. This shift was concurrent with rapid herbaceous growth. Females of each species occupied more structured microhabitat than males of the same species. Differential segregation of habitat by sex may be a function of the variability of resource use by the species as a whole. Unused microhabitat does not differ from random with respect to vegetative structure, and reasons for nonuse probably differ among sites.