| Maritime pocket gophers (Geomys personatus maritimus) are a genetically distinct subspecies of pocket gopher that only occurs in deep sandy soils in Nueces and Kleberg counties of southern Texas. Because a large proportion of this gopher's current distribution occurs on Navy property, active management for the Maritime pocket gopher populations on Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi and Navy Landing Airfield (NALF) Waldron Station play a key role in the conservation of this species. Therefore, our objectives were to assess the distribution, abundance, and habitat preferences of Maritime pocket gophers on Navy properties. A distance sampling survey was conducted to assess the number and distribution of gopher mounds on the Navy base. GIS layers were created of the different disturbance types and plant communities. Disturbance and plant communities were considered preferred or avoided, respectively, if the proportion of available area used by Maritime pocket gophers was below or above the corresponding 90% confidence interval. Maritime pocket gophers preferred mowed and frequently disturbed areas of native prairie and avoided developed areas and areas of dense vegetation and brush. |
