Meeting Abstract

P3.2  Friday, Jan. 6  Habitat Preferences of Peromyscus boylii SANDERS, Dana*; MABRY, Karen; New Mexico State University; New Mexico State University dannasan@nmsu.edu

The habitat that an animal chooses to live in is crucial for the survival and reproductive success of that animal. The habitat must support dietary needs, and provide living space and the resources necessary for reproduction. We conducted an experiment to assess habitat preferences of brush mice (Peromyscus boylii). Observational studies have shown that individual brush mice prefer the habitat they were born in, a result that has not been confirmed experimentally. We gave juveniles and subadults from two different habitats a two-choice test between those habitat types. We filmed test subjects during a one-hour trial period, and are quantifying the number of times the animal entered each habitat, and the total time spent in each habitat. We predict that animals will spend the most time in the habitat from which it originated.