The effects of campsites on small mammal diversity depending on the distance from the campsite.
Abstract
In this research I would like to see how small mammal diversity is impacted due to campgrounds. My hypothesis is that small mammal diversity will increase the further from camp due to decreased human sights, smells, and sounds. As distance from a campsite increases small mammals don’t have to be so scared to come to the ground and investigate food left behind because it wouldn’t have odd smells around it. I would also like to see if higher or lower elevation has an impact, so campsites chosen will be at a high elevation and a low elevation. This could also show how frequently humans are in the area and if the small mammals have become accustomed to human sights and smells. The more frequented a location by humans then the more impact it will have on small mammal diversity by decreasing the number of small mammals seen and you will see less diversity since some species are going to be warier of the new sights and smells that humans produce.
Introduction
In the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest there are several areas to camp that have varying amounts of activity year-round. Many species of animals are seen such as black bear, rattlesnake, deer, and mountain lion. There are parts such as the desert peak wilderness where sheep and cattle are allowed to graze in the wildlands. At the Big Creek Canyon there is a herd of wild horses that occupy the area. The Deseret Peak Wilderness was established in 1984 and is located within the Stansbury Mountain range. It is approximately 25,000 acres and is bounded on the north by Pass Canyon drainage, on the south by Vickory Mountain, on the west by Skull Valley and on the east by the Mack Canyon-Big Hollow Trail.
The trailhead at the Loop Campground in South Willow Canyon is a popular spot and is used for horse packing, backpacking, and day hiking. It is called the Mining Fork Trail and is a 6.6-mile hike that is rated as difficult and ends at a lake. This is a location where domesticated dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash. The higher elevation is Alpine, and the vegetation includes dense mountain brush mixed with sagebrush and grass. In Little Cottonwood Canyon at the Ledgemere picnic area there are the same large animals that are seen as well as raccoons, weasels, and pika. Closer to the ground you see lizards, salamanders, rattlesnakes, and tarantulas. Mice, chipmunks, voles, and squirrels are known to frequent these areas as well. This is a protected watershed area and no domesticated dogs are allowed.
Methods
Two sites were chosen, one at the trailhead above loop campground and the Ledgemere picnic area in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Three boxes were brought to each site where one was placed at the campsite/picnic area, one placed ½ mile away from the campsite/picnic area, and one more placed one mile away. The boxes were placed under tree branches and covered in leaves to help them blend more into the natural environment. A small bowl was placed in each box towards the back that had peanut butter and tuna in it as an attractant to the small animals that would be around. The boxes then had paint or ink pads placed in the front to capture the footprints of any animal that would come inside the box. The boxes were placed approximately 25 yards to the west of the trails and left for 24 hours.
I predict that by choosing these sites there will be greater species diversity the further from the campsite due to humans having less of an impact on their environment. I expect there to be more than one species interacting with the boxes placed and all the food to be missing from each box.
Results
The boxes at the loop campground were placed in September and no footprints were yielded at the box at the campsite and from the box one mile from the campsite, however, food was missing from the box one mile away. The box that was placed ½ mile away had minimal footprints and small amount of food was missing. The Ledgemere picnic area had different results. The boxes were placed in November and the one at the picnic area had a lot of footprints and the box one mile away had a medium amount of footprint coverage. The box that was ½ mile away had no footprints or food missing. The footprints seen on all the boxes appear to be of a common squirrel.
Campsite one, box at campsite
Ink pads were placed at the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was placed next to a tree and then covered in leaves. The area around the box consisted of 75% grasses and 25% trees
Campsite one, box ½ mile away
Green paint was loaded in the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was placed under a fallen tree and covered in sticks. The area around the box was rocky and appeared to once have been a stream, it roughly consisted of 50% trees and 50% shrubs.
N 40 28.709
W 112 36.608
Campsite one, box one mile away
Brown paint was loaded in the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was put beneath a tree and covered in fallen branches and leaves. The area was roughly densely packed 50% trees and 50% shrubs.
N 40 28.709
W 112 36.863
Picnic area, box at site
Ink pads placed in the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was hidden under a fallen tree and covered in leaves. The area was roughly 30% trees, 50% shrubbery, and 30% grasses.
N 40 37.380
W111 45.469
Picnic area, box ½ mile away
Ink pads placed in the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was placed under a tree and covered in sticks. The area was roughly 25% trees and 75% shrubbery.
N 40 37.355
W 111 45.052
Picnic area, box one mile away
Ink pads placed in the front of the box to capture footprints. The box was placed next to a tree and then covered in branches and leaves. The area was roughly 25% grass, 25% shrubbery, and 50% trees.
N 40 37.476
W 111 44.549
I based my results off of how much coverage was on each paper placed in each box due to foot prints. There was no coverage on boxes placed one mile away and the campsite at Loop Campground. There was roughly 75% coverage at the box at the picnic area, no coverage on the box placed ½ mile away from the picnic area, and 25% coverage on the box one mile from the picnic area.
Discussion
I believe the boxes showed that campsites had no significant impact on small mammal diversity. The same species of small animal was the only visitor to the boxes and didn’t seem to favor any box over another. I had boxes at each interval interacted with but not at the same sites. The potential for small animals to avoid the trailhead at Loop campground is possible since it is a highly trafficked area at the time I was up there. The potential for animals to be more around the picnic area is potentially due to humans leaving more trash there compared to a campground. Some things to have modified to make these results show more would be to have found ink pads earlier for the first set of boxes and to have done the boxes at closer intervals to each other to eliminate the possibility of winter changing weather to impact whether or not the animals were coming around. I would also have enjoyed having more areas tested for species diversity impacted by campsites. I could obtain a larger sample size to get a more accurate reading of how impactful campsites are and I could obtain more varied species footprints. I would be able to identify foods that are particularly enjoyed by various types of small mammals.
REFERENCES
forest service, 2018. Desert Peak Wilderness. Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/uwcnf/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5043523
forest service, 2018. Uintah-Cache-Wasatch National Forest. Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/uwcnf/about-forest
Travel Services, 2018. South Willow Canyon via Mining Fork Trail. Retrieved from https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/south-willow-canyon-via-mining-fork-trail
Wikipedia, 2018. Desert Peak Wilderness. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_Peak_Wilderness
Upper Narrows, 2018. Upper Narrows. Retrieved from https://www.recreation.gov/camping/upper-narrows/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70805
Hooton, Jr. LeRoy W. September 1, 2000. Animals of the Wasatch. Retrieved from http://www.slcdocs.com/utilities/NewsEvents/news2000/news09012000.htm
Natural History Museum of Utah, 2018. Mammals of the Wasatch Front. Retrieved from https://nhmu.utah.edu/mammals-wasatch-front