The effect of road density on white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) relative abundance in rural and urban landscapes in eastern Ontario

Numerous studies have shown that roads can act as barriers to some small mammal movements. However, studies investigating the relationship between road density and small mammal abundance are lacking. I compared Peromyscus leucopus populations in landscapes with varying road densities to test for relationships between (1) road density and the presence of P. leucopus in a forest patch during the early spring and (2) road density and relative abundance of P. leucopus during the summer. I did not find a significant relationship between road density and the presence of P. leucopus, however I did find a significant positive effect of road density on P. leucopus relative abundance. My results suggest that in rural landscapes, the impact of roads on population subdivision may not be as important as originally predicted. I suggest that roads are positively correlated with an important as-yet-undetermined component of habitat quality or that roads positively affect small mammals by negatively affecting their predators.