Person:
McKnight, Aly

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https://www.husson.edu/directory/aly_mcknight
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Assistant Professor, College of Science and Humanities
Biology Lab Coordinator, College of Science and Humanities
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McKnight
First Name
Aly
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Ph.D. Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine
M.Sc. Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
B.A. Zoology, Connecticut College

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Author: Maher, Mackenzie × End date: 2026 ×

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Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    WETLAND VS. UPLAND HABITAT VEGETATION INFLUENCES ON SMALL MAMMAL ABUNDANCE
    (2026-04-16) Maher, Mackenzie; Cornell, Josie; Gibney, Chris; McKnight, Aly
    Small-mammal communities are strongly influenced by vegetation complexity and structure. This study compared small-mammal abundance between wetland and upland habitats on the Husson University campus in Bangor, Maine, to understand how vegetation structure shapes community dynamics. We conducted live trapping across four 30 m × 30 m grids (two wetland and two upland) over seven consecutive nights for the fall season, totaling 448 trap nights. We baited Sherman traps, checked them within 12 hours of setting, and identified, weighed, and, when possible, tagged captured individuals for recapture data. We developed an encounter history for each individual and used encounter histories to (1) evaluate whether capture-mark- recapture modeling assumptions were met, and (2) estimate capture rates, recapture rates, and population sizes for each focal species. Species observed included voles, mice, shrews, and squirrels. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that wetland habitats would support higher small mammal abundance due to increased vegetation complexity and resource availability. Results from this study contribute to understanding how specific habitat differences influence small mammal populations and provide insight into the role of vegetation structure in shaping community dynamics.
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    WETLAND VS. UPLAND HABITAT INFLUENCES ON SMALL MAMMAL SPECIES BIODIVERSITY IN CENTRAL MAINE
    (2026-04-16) Cornell, Josephine; McKnight, Aly; Maher, Mackenzie; Gibney, Chris
    Species biodiversity is a key indicator of ecosystem health, often indicating the status of the organisms within the system. This study investigated how environmental type affects small-mammal biodiversity, focusing on wetland versus upland environments. Small mammals are crucial seed dispersers within their habitats. We tested the hypothesis that wetland environments support greater small-mammal biodiversity because they are more likely to provide all the resources that multiple species rely on. To test this hypothesis, we carried out a capture-mark-recapture study on small mammals in both environments in the Husson University campus forest during the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026. Small mammals in the study were captured with Sherman live traps, ear-tagged with serially numbered tags, massed, and sexed. We used closed capture models in program MARK to evaluate CMR model assumptions and generate capture rate and population size estimates. We then used population size estimates in calculating biodiversity metrics for each species, including species richness, evenness, and Shannon-Weaver index values. Results showed that upland sites had a greater average biodiversity level, 1.42 [± 0.34], than the wetland sites, which were 1.08 [± 0.21]. Both sites showed consistent species evenness; both upland sites were 0.89 [± 0], while the wetland sites had a slightly lower evenness at 0.87 [± 0.03]. This means that, regardless of resource variances between the habitats, both support a similar number of individuals per species, but a different abundance of species. For example, the Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) was more commonly found in upland plots, while the Southern Red-Backed Vole (Clethrionomys gapperi) was more likely to be captured in the wetland. Our next steps this spring will be to investigate questions about seasonal shifts in habitat use, which is especially valuable information in temperate climates.