OTREC-RR-10-14

One of the most obvious impacts roads have on the natural world is direct mortality to individual animals that attempt to cross roads. A less obvious but likely more important impact of roads on many species is habitat fragmentation. The ability for individuals to travel between subpopulations is the key to genetic diversity as well as ultimately the survival of the species. This study examines the effectiveness of a variety of under-road passage structures for a community of animals in an urban wetland at a location which includes a bridge, two box culverts and eleven round concrete culverts to facilitate wildlife passage as well as a mammal fence atop an amphibian/reptile wall. Our results indicate that large and medium mammals overall did not use passages less than would be expected based on their local movement in habitats.