Small Mammal use of an Interstate Highway Median Strip

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Abstract
Small mammal use of median strip habitat along a 27-km section of Interstate Highway 85 on the Piedmont Plateau Physiographic Region of the USA was determined. Small mammals (136) representing 7 spp. [Blarina brevicauda, Reithrodontomys humulis, Peromyscus sp., Sigmodon hispidus, Microtus pennsylvanicus, M. pinetorum and an unidentified species] were snap-trapped during 3096 trap-nights of effort for an average of 4.4 captures per 100 trap-nights. Small mammal density was highest in unmoved right-of-way (ROW) habitat bordered by woods toward the median strip interior. No difference was detected in small mammal density in unmowed ROW habitat along the median strip side of the highway and density in similar habitat along the outside edge of the highway (i.e., the opposite side of the highway from the median strip). Small mammal density within wooded median strip habitat was similar to small mammal density recorded in wooded habitat adjacent to the highway (to a distance of 400 m) in 1978, and the same 3 spp. were recorded in both the present and the 1978 study.

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