Showing papers on "Flying squirrel published in 2001"

Gliding Performance of the Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Sabrinus) in Mature Mixed Forest of Eastern Canada

Abstract: There is a paucity of empirical data on gliding abilities of most gliding mammals, including flying squirrels in the genus Glaucomys. I assessed gliding performance of the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) by calculating glide parameters for 100 glides observed between July 1999 and July 2000 in southern New Brunswick, Canada. G. sabrinus had a glide angle of 26.8° and a glide ratio of 1.98. The difference between the vertical drop at the start of a glide and the vertical rise at the end of a glide was about 1.91 m. Males tended to glide farther than females (X = 19.0 m versus 14.2 m), although sexes did not differ in heights of launch (X = 9.8 m) or landing (X = 2.0 m). Red spruce (Picea rubens) trees were favored as landing sites over hardwood species. Most glides (59%) were with the slope of terrain, allowing a greater net height loss (X = 10.2 m) than initial height of launch. Horizontal glide distance ranged from 3.2 to 45 m, with most glides being 5–25 m.

Space use of the Siberian flying squirrel Ptevomys volans in fragmented forest landscapes

Abstract: in fragmented forest landscapes. – Ecography 24: 588–600.We studied the space use of the Siberian flying squirrel in fragmented forestlandscapes in southern Finland in 1996–1999. Twenty-four adult males and 23 adultfemales were radio tracked in three different study areas. The use of differentlandscape elements by flying squirrels was compared to their availability usingcompositional analysis. Effects of fragmentation on flying squirrels were studied bycomparing the use of different habitat types, number of used patches, and size ofhome range to the principal components formed from the landscape variables patchsize, patch isolation, area of spruce-dominated forests, and area of other habitatswith trees.Flying squirrels preferred spruce- and deciduous-dominated forests, but other habi-tats with trees were also used for moving and foraging. These less preferred habitatsconnected spruce and deciduous forest patches in a matrix of open areas. Males usedseveral separate patches of preferred habitat, but females usually stayed in one patch.The spacing behaviour of males was affected by the structure of the landscape in away that home ranges were larger and males used more spruce patches in the morehighly fragmented landscape. Home-range size of females was not affected by thelandscape structure. Basically, the space use of males seemed to be reflected by thelocation and number of female home ranges. In the study area where female densitywas high, the home ranges of males were small. Our results give empirical evidenceof the effects of habitat loss and landscape connectivity for the Siberian flyingsquirrel and the implications of these for the conservation of the species.

Reduced genetic variation in insular northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) along the North Pacific Coast

Abstract: Nearshore oceanic archipelagos are natural laboratories that could provide valuable insight into the role of evolutionary processes such as founder effects and incipient speciation in biotic conservation. The Alexander Archipelago of Southeast Alaska is an example of such a complex, yet few biological investigations have been conducted. For the past 50 years, the region has experienced intense anthropogenic disturbances (particularly timber harvesting), causing habitat fragmentation and potential disruption of biotic communities. As part of a series of studies of mammals endemic to Southeast Alaska, we examined mitochondrial DNA sequences from 118 flying squirrels to investigate genetic diversity across Southeast Alaska. Mitochondrial sequence divergence corroborates the subspecific designation of the endemic Prince of Wales flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons). This island lineage exhibits severely reduced genetic variation and may be the result of an early Holocene founder event. Nearly all of the animals we examined on Prince of Wales Island and ten islands to the west had identical cytochrome b (52 of 53) and control region (21 of 21) sequences. In contrast, substantial polymorphism and little genetic structuring were found in comparable populations on the mainland of Southeast and Interior Alaska. Because flying squirrels in the Pacific Northwest are associated with old-growth forest, forest-use plans should aim to conserve this unique lineage of island squirrels.

Phylogeography of the Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista leucogenys, Based on Mitochondrial DNA Control Region Sequences

Abstract: To investigate genetic diversity among populations of the Japanese giant flying squirrel Petaurista leucogenys, the mitochondrial DNA control region sequences (1,052–1,054 bases) were determined in 37 specimens from 17 localities on the Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu Islands of Japan. Of the 37 animals examined, 24 haplotypes were identified. All haplotypes from Kyushu consisted of 1,052 bases, whereas those from Honshu and Shikoku consisted of 1,054 bases including two insertions, except for three haplotypes (which had 1,052 or 1,053 bases). Phylogenetic relationships reconstructed using neighbor-joining and maximum parsimony methods indicated that P. leucogenys is essentially separated into three major lineages: Group A consisting of a single haplotype from Kyushu, Group B consisting of some haplotypes from Kyushu and one haplotype from Honshu, and Group C consisting mostly of haplotypes from Honshu and Shikoku. Animals with the Kyushu haplotypes were split into two lineages (Groups A and B), sugg...

The woolly flying squirrel and gliding: does size matter?

Abstract: The woolly flying squirrelEupetaurus cinereus! Thomas, 1888 is the longest sciurid and most massive mammalian glider in the world. Because of this, there has been some question about the squirrel’s gliding ability. I document three glide events performed by this species. These glide events, coupled with comparisons of glide ratios, ponderal ratios, and a log-log plot of head + body length versus body mass with other flying squirrels, demonstrates that the woolly flying squirrel, despite its size, is a capable glider and is no more robust than other flying squirrels. Predation attempts that were observed during glide events are discussed within an evolutionary context.

Status and habitat relationships of northern flying squirrels on mount desert island, maine

Abstract: Northern (Glaucomys sabrinus) and southern (G. volans) flying squirrels occur in Maine, but there is uncertainty about range overlap in southcentral Maine where the southern flying squirrel reaches its geographic range limit. We surveyed flying squirrels on Mount Desert Island (MDI), located along the central Maine coast, to update the current status and distribution of these species. We captured only northern flying squirrels, and populations (≥ 2 individuals) were located in two conifer stands and one mixed conifer-hardwood stand. All three stands were located in relatively older forests, outside a large area burned in a 1947 fire. Tree diameters were similar between trap stations with and without captures, understory density was low overall, and there was a trend of higher seedling density at capture locations. Low understory density may allow squirrels more effective gliding movements between trees, which may enhance predator avoidance. Although the southern flying squirrel was reported from ...