126 Daemar P. Thurmond and Karl V. Miller 



Dickson and Williamson 1988). Nevertheless, the relationships between 

 SMZ width and small mammal communities have not been investigated 

 adequately. We censused the small mammal communities in SMZs of 

 varying width, in adjacent pine plantations, and in mature riparian 

 areas. 



MATERIALS AND METHODS 



Study areas were located in the Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia 

 on the Ogeechee River drainage in Jefferson and Emanuel counties. 

 All SMZs were along first order streams in a 450-ha pine plantation 

 owned by Federal Paper Board Company. The stand was clearcut in 

 1985, the site prepared chemically, and planted in a 2-m X 3-m spacing 

 to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in 1987. All SMZs were selectively 

 harvested. Remaining overstory in the SMZs was dominated by 

 blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), 

 red maple (Acer rubrum), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and 

 loblolly pine. Understory composition in the SMZs was dominated by 

 blackberry (Rubus spp.), greenbriar (Smilax spp.), poison ivy {Toxicodendron 

 radicans), gallberry (Ilex glabra), and fetterbush (Lyonia lucida). 



Three width categories of SMZs were compared using two 

 replicates of each: narrow (15-18 m), medium (28-30 m), and wide 

 (49-53 m). Additional plots were established along two creeks in 

 mature, riparian forests on Old Town Plantation near Louisville, Georgia. 

 Streams in these forests averaged 2 m in width and were at least 100 

 m away from any forest edge. Dominant overstory included loblolly 

 pine, cypress (Taxodium distichum), hickory (Carya spp.), oaks (Quercus 

 spp.), sweetgum, and red maple. 



Populations of small mammals were sampled by removal trapping 

 along a 200-m transect in the center of each SMZ and along the 

 stream in the mature riparian area. An additional transect was established 

 just inside the outer edges of the medium and wide SMZs. Parallel 

 200-m transects were sampled in the adjoining pine plantations, 50 m 

 from the SMZ edge. Transect paths were lightly cleared for access. 

 Ten trapping stations were placed at 20-m intervals along each 

 transect. 



Small mammal populations were censused during four consecutive 

 nights in December 1990, June 1991, January 1992, and June 1992. 

 Sampling did not occur on rainy days. One Victor™ mouse trap, a 

 Victor™ rat trap, and a pitfall trap were placed at each trapping 

 station. Snap traps were baited with a mixture of peanut butter and 

 peanut oil. Pitfall traps (10-cm diameter, and filled to a depth of 7 cm 

 with water) were used to increase trapping success for shrews. Shrews 



