Relative importance of early-successional forests and shrubland habitats to mammals in the northeastern United States

The majority of the 60 native terrestrial mammal species that reside in the northeastern United States (US) utilize resources from several habitats on a seasonal basis. However, as many as 20 species demonstrate some preference for early-successional forests, shrublands, or old-field habitats. A few of these (e.g. lagomorphs) can be considered obligate users of these habitats, and the specialist carnivores (e.g. felids) that prey on them may consequently also prefer such habitats. Other mammal species that prefer these habitats certainly depend on them to lesser and varying degrees; thus, the consequences of reducing or eliminating early-successional forests, shrublands, or old-field habitats across the landscape will likely have varying demographic consequences, and thus importance, to those species. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.