Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in Water Research at  Colorado State University

Project Title Riparian habitat use by a federally listed species the Preble's meadow jumping mouse

Project Abstract The Preble's meadow jumping mouse (PMJM), Zapus hudsonius preblei, has been listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened. PMJM utilize riparian habitats that are structurally and compositionally diverse. Mitigation measures within riparian corridors often involve providing plants and shrubs (e.g., willow, Salix spp.) that will eventually provide increased habitat diversity, but whether or not PMJM can be enticed to utilize more structurally diverse habitats is unclear. This research will focus on examining the movements of PMJM in natural and artificially-created habitats to better understand whether mitigation measures are feasible.