Nest site preference of common dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) in two different habitat types of Central Italy

Figures & data

Table I. Vegetation variables measured in each 3‐m radius circular plot in both study sites. DBH = diameter breast height; total canopy cover = cumulative percentage of the overstorey and understorey vegetation cover; vegetation units = single stems or trunks, even if some of them belong to the same individual; total density = cumulative density of the overstorey and understorey layers.

Variables
Species of the plant where the best box was placed
DBH of the plant where the best box was placed (cm)
Total canopy cover (%)
Overstorey cover (%)
Overstorey height (m)
Number of overstorey species
Overstorey density (no. vegetation units/area)
Understorey cover (%)
Understorey height (m)
Number of understorey species
Understorey density (No. vegetation units/area)
Total density (No. vegetation units/area)
Shrub cover (%)
Shrub height (m)
Simpson Index
Deciduous oak density for overstorey stratum (No. vegetation units/area)*
Quercus ilex density for overstorey stratum(No. vegetation units/area)*
Erica arborea density for understorey stratum (No. vegetation units/area)*
Phyllyrea spp. density for understorey stratum (No. vegetation units/area)*
*Variable absent in BW site.

Table II. Mean values (±SE) for vegetation variables measured at the neighbourhood of both used and unused best boxes in BW. After Bonferroni correction P‐value was set to 0.0045.

Variables	Mean±SE unused best boxes	Mean±SE used best boxes	t‐value	P
DBH of the plant where the best box was placed (cm)^a	21.9±0.9	24.5.8±0.8	1.08	N.S.
Overstorey cover (%)^b	97±2	85±5	9.92	N.S.
Overstorey height (m)^a	17.4±0.9	18.1±0.33	0.97	N.S.
Overstorey density (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.07±0.008	0.03±0.01	3.02	<0.0045
Understorey cover (%)^b	18±4	43±4	3.17	<0.0045
Understorey height (m)^a	4.6±0.5	5.1±0.3	2.54	N.S.
Understorey density (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.06±0.01	0.16±0.02	4.33	<0.0045
Total density (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.13±0.01	0.19±0.02	.2.32	N.S.
Ruscus aculeatus cover (%)^b	21±3	19±5	0.26	N.S.
Ruscus aculeatus height (m)^a	0.55±0.03	0.49±0.04	2.14	N.S.
S impson Index	1.67±0.15	1.36±0.11	1.56	N.S.
^a Variable log10(x+1) transformed.^b Variable arcsin transformed.

Table III. Mean values (±SE) for vegetation variables measured at nearby used and unused best boxes in OW. After Bonferroni correction P‐value was set to 0.0028.

Variables	Mean±SE unused best boxes	Mean±SE used best boxes	t‐value	P
DBH of the plant where the best box was placed (cm)^a	20.0±1.8	19.0±3.5	0.72	N.S.
Total canopy cover (%)^b	75±2.5	81±2.5	1.04	N.S.
Overstorey cover (%)^b	63±3	42±6	3.19	<0.0028
Overstorey height (m)^a	11.3±0.2	10.2±0.6	0.65	N.S.
Overstorey density (no. vegetation units/area) ^a	0.08±0.006	0.06±0.01	1.78	N.S.
Understorey cover (%)^b	27±3	65±4	5.39	<0.0028
Understorey height (m)^a	2.5±0.2	4.1±0.3	6.01	<0.0028
Understorey density (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.24±0.02	0.55±0.03	7.50	<0.0028
Total density (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.32±0.02	0.61±0.02	6.59	<0.0028
Shrub cover (%)^b	44±4	52±8	1.32	N.S.
Shrub height (m)^a	1.23±0.12	0.89±0.08	3.44	<0.0028
Simpson Index	2. 40±0.14	2. 00±0.07	1.73	N.S.
Deciduous oak density for overstorey stratum (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.04±0.005	0.01±0.004	3.31	<0.0028
Quercus ilex density for overstorey stratum (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.004±0.002	0.02±0.004	4.49	<0.0028
Erica arborea density for understorey stratum (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.07±0.12	0.36±0.02	11.65	<0.0028
Phyllyrea spp. density for understorey stratum (no. vegetation units/area)^a	0.14±0.01	0.17±0.02	1.18	N.S.
^a Variable log10(x+1) transformed.^b Varable arcsin transformed.

Figure 1 Percentage of nest boxes occupied each month in BW(above) and in OW (below).

Figure 2 Mean value±SE and SD, of understorey density for used and unused nest boxes in BW site.

Figure 3 Mean value±SE and SD of Erica arborea density for used and unused nest boxes in OW site.