Effect of reclamation technique on mammal communities inhabiting wetlands on mined lands in east-central Ohio

Sites represented varying degrees of disturbance from mining activity and subsequent reclamation techniques, including a wetland constructed to treat mine water drainage. Each site was composed of a series of three cattail Typha latifolia cells. Mammal diversity and richness was highest at the constructed wetland and lowest at the site established with traditional reclamation procedures. Preditable patterns of land use disturbance for species presence/absence were observed with some alpha diversity (habitat specific) species being absent (tree squirrels) and gamma diversity (wide-ranging) species such as mustelids occuring rately. Beta diversity species (habitat generalists) like woodchucks Marmota monax and white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus were common at all sites. The white-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus was the small mammal captured most frequently, being the most abundant small mammal at the constructed wetland and the undisturbed site, with meadow voles Microtus pennsylvanicus most prevalent at the remaining sites. A wetland constructed for the treatment of mine water drainage can thus provide secondary benefits as habitat for a variety of mammal species. -from Authors