J. R. Sweeney

In 1989 and 1990 a green salamander (Aneides aeneus) habitat study was conducted in the mountains of Oconee, Pickens, and Greenville counties, South Carolina. Based upon the topographic characteristics of 14 known green salamander sites in South Carolina, a list of criteria was developed to identify areas of potential habitat in the state. Twenty-four 7.5' topographic maps containing areas with possible habitat were subdivided into 0.16-km2 sections and evaluated to determine the number of potential green salamander habitat areas. Of 15,789 sections in the study area, 670 grids (107.20 km2...

The effect of disking fallowed agricultural fields was studied in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Six combinations of disking frequency and time-of-year and a control were tested. Although plant communities responded by returning to an earlier serai stage, well-established perennials prevented a complete return to Stage 1 succession. The effect of disking frequency proved more influential than that of time-of-year. Treatments were evaluated for their ability to produce food plants for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). In the Piedmont, food values were found to have...

During a 19-month intensive control program 589 feral hogs (Sus scrofa) were removed from 4,500 ha of forest-marsh habitat in the lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Of 112 adult females removed, 66 were pregnant, 79 were lactating, and 44 of these were pregnant and lactating. Of 43 females in the 6-11 months age class, 34 had conceived at least 1 litter by the time of death and 9 had conceived twice. Litter size in 45 females was 5.0 ± 2.3. Cost per animal removed was $54. A substantial number of animals remained in the habitat after the program was terminated. Incidence rates for...

Adulteastem bluebirds (Sialia sialis) were monitored by radio-telemetry during the breeding (5M:5F) and wintering (5M:5F) seasons to obtain home range and habitat data. All birds used natural cavities on forested land in west-central South Carolina. Mean home range size of breeding season bluebirds was 19.2 ± 4.4 ha (¯x ± SE)for males and 13.7 ± 4.4 ha for females. Wintering season home ranges were 105.9 ± 15.5 ha and 120.8 ± 16.6 ha for males and females, respectively. Home ranges did not differ (P >0.05) by sex but did by season. Mean minimum total distance moved was similar for both...

Ten wood ducks (Aix sponsa) were radio-tracked during the wintering period on Steel Creek, Savannah River Plant, South Carolina. Home range size, daily movement and habitat use were determined from 1,140 radio-locations. Data collected during approximately 21 to 28 days of intensive radio-tracking were sufficient for delineating individual wintering wood duck home range size.. Males had significantly larger home ranges than females (42 ha vs 12 ha) and exhibited greater diurnal movements. Females made 0.5 to 3-day excursions (N = 10) to locations outside their home ranges throughout the...