Effect of arboreal activity on species composition and abundance estimates of rodents in a chaparral habitat in southern California

The effect of arboreal activity on species richness and abundance estimates of rodents was investigated in a chaparral habitat in southern California. During 2 y, 60% (2000) and 48% (2001) of the rodent captures were recorded in arboreal traps. There was no significant difference in numbers of rodents caught in arboreal vs. ground-level traps. Excluding juvenile Peromyscus, arboreal trap-success was significantly higher than ground-level trap-success. Arboreal trapping success did not differ significantly between other age groups or sexes in any of the species studied.