Habitat Use by Introduced Raccoons and Native Raccoon Dogs in a Deciduous Forest of Japan

We investigated habitat use by introduced raccoons (Procyon lotor) and native raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides albus) in a northern deciduous forest of Japan to examine the relationship between the 2 species. Spatial and temporal habitat use in the forest was monitored using infrared-triggered...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of mammalogy 2007-08, Vol.88 (4), p.1090-1097
Main Authors: Okabe, Fumie, Agetsuma, Naoki
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alien species
Animal behavior
Animal ethology
Biological and medical sciences
Birds
competition
Coniferous forests
Conservation biology
Deciduous forests
Dogs
Ecological competition
Environmental factors
FEATURE ARTICLES
Ferns
Field study
Forest habitats
Forests
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitat conservation
Habitat selection
habitat use
Habitat utilization
Habitats
Japan
Mammalia
Mammalogy
Microhabitats
Native species
Nyctereutes procyonoides
Population density
Procyon lotor
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
raccoon
raccoon dog
Small mammals
spatial scale
Understory
Vertebrata
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Summary:We investigated habitat use by introduced raccoons (Procyon lotor) and native raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides albus) in a northern deciduous forest of Japan to examine the relationship between the 2 species. Spatial and temporal habitat use in the forest was monitored using infrared-triggered cameras. We also surveyed environmental factors at 2 spatial scales: at the macrohabitat scale, we examined forest growth stage, forest fragmentation, and distance from a water source; at the microhabitat scale, we examined forest structure, understory vegetation, and beetle abundance. We then analyzed the relationship between environmental factors and habitat use by each species using generalized linear model. Except for fern coverage, most environmental factors at the micro- and macrohabitat scales had different effects on the habitat use of these species. Moreover, the degree of diurnal activity also differed between the species. These spatial and temporal differences in habitat use between raccoons and raccoon dogs provide further evidence that competition between these 2 species may be limited in this area.
ISSN:0022-2372
1545-1542
DOI:10.1644/06-MAMM-A-117R2.1