Meeting Abstract
Population size and density are common metrics used to describe the population dynamics of a species. However, reproductive output and adult survival can be more informative. Further, individual reproductive success may vary between habitat types within one site, suggesting implications for the adaptive significance of dispersal and habitat selection. Here, we compare the reproductive output of brush mice (Peromyscus boylii) in two distinct, adjoining habitat types, chaparral and woodland, at 3 study sites in Napa, CA during 15 breeding seasons (2003-2017). Mice were genotyped at 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci and parentage assignment was conducted in CERVUS. We assigned 80/221 offspring (36%) to both parents. Preliminary analysis indicates that for adults that recruited at least one offspring into the trappable population, mean reproductive output was similar for individuals living in the chaparral (n=37) and woodland (n=40) habitat types, and for males (n=39) and females (n=38). Future analyses will compare the reproductive success and failure of individuals, as well as survival, between the two habitat types to gain further insight into factors influencing habitat selection.
