100 Troy A. Ladine and Angela Ladine 



selected for habitat assessment might not be representative for the species being inves- 

 tigated or may affect the results of the study (see Levin 1991, Schneider 1994). 



The need for a multiscale approach has been demonstrated in several 

 studies of species interactions. Depending on the scale selected, species of 

 marine birds were or were not associated with their prey species (Woodby 1984, 

 Schneider and Piat 1986). Least flycatchers (Empidonax minimus) and redstarts 

 (Setophaga ruticilla) had a negative association at small scales and a positive 

 association at larger scales (Sherry and Holmes 1988). Furthermore, behavior of 

 an animal can be affected by the spatial scales at which prey are distributed 

 (Boyd 1996). 



Similarly, the association between habitat around a live trap and capture 

 of a selected species lends itself to a multiscale approach. However, capture- 

 recapture studies rarely, if ever, use multiple scales to assess correlations 

 between captures and habitat use. Using capture success is warranted for stud- 

 ies investigating habitat correlations because densities within a habitat can be 

 influenced by factors (e.g. intra- and interspecific interactions) that place subor- 

 dinates into suboptimal habitats (van Home 1983). Also, factors such as curios- 

 ity of a new object (e.g. a trap) in an area may influence captures (Lackey et al 

 1985). However, an animal must be present in a habitat for a capture to occur; 

 thus, must use the habitat in some way. 



The objective of our study was to investigate the association between 

 captures of Peromyscus leucopus and selected habitat variables at three spatial 

 scales centered on location of live traps. Although there is a large amount of lit- 

 erature on P. leucopus (see Lackey et al. 1985), to our knowledge, no study has 

 been conducted relating spatial scale to the association between capture success 

 of P. leucopus and selected habitat variables. 



Peromyscus leucopus is an excellent organism to use in multiscale 

 analyses of correlations between captures and habitat. The species is well stud- 

 ied throughout its range, and habitat affinities are well documented (see Lackey 

 et al. 1985). Because P leucopus is a small mammal, a multiscale study design 

 can be done at small scales, and fine grained changes in habitat are more likely 

 to be exhibited. Previous investigations of habitat affinities of P. leucopus (see 

 Lackey et al. 1985) indicate loosely defined associations. However, these loose- 

 ly defined associations may become more clearly defined with a different or 

 more meaningful choice of scales. 



STUDY AREA AND METHODS 

 The study was conducted at the 252-ha Edward J. Meeman Biological 

 Station (hereafter referred to as the station) located ca. 20 km north of Memphis, 

 Tennessee, (35°20' N, 90°01* W) on the third Chickasaw loess bluff. The station 

 is surrounded on three sides by private lands and on the fourth by the Shelby For- 

 est Wildlife Management Area. 



