USE OF CAVES BY EASTERN WOODRATS (NEOTOMA-FLORIDANA) IN RELATION TO BAT POPULATIONS, INTERNAL CAVE CHARACTERISTICS AND SURFACE HABITATS

We assessed use of caves by eastern woodrats (Neotoma floridana) in north-eastern Oklahoma by examining distributions of old and new fecal pellets. Old pellets were found in all 18 caves examined. No significant difference was noted in numbers of plots with old pellets for transects along left, center and right regions of all cave passages. Further, no difference was noted when numbers of plots with old pellets along both walls were pooled and then compared to those in the middle of passages. Length of each cave passage was subdivided into three zones (entrance, middle and deep). Numbers of plots with old pellets decreased significantly from entrance to deep zones in caves with few bats (<50 bats at a single time). However, in caves with many (greater-than-or-equal-to 50) bats at a single time, no significant decrease was noted in plots with pellets from the entrance to deep zones. No significant difference was noted between plots with old pellets near the entrance of caves with many and few bats. Caves that were used by many bats had more plots with old pellets in middle and deep zones than did caves with few bats. Distributions of new pellets were positively correlated with distributions of old pellets. Reasons for woodrat use of middle and deep zones of caves remain unclear; most of these areas have no readily apparent resources except for aggregations of bats.