Natural Resources, 2012, 3, 213-228 1 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/nr.2012.34029 Published Online December 2012 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/nr) Riparian and Riverine Wildlife Response to a Newly Created Bridge Crossing Joshua A. Vance1, Norse B. Angus2, James T. Anderson1* 1West Virginia University, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, Morgantown, USA; 2West Virginia Department of Transpor- tation, Division of Highways, Charleston, USA. Email: *
[email protected] Received September 11th, 2012; revised October 23rd, 2012; accepted November 4th, 2012 ABSTRACT Construction of man-made objects such as roads and bridges can influence wildlife presence and abundance. We invest- tigated waterbirds, songbirds, anurans, turtles, small mammals, and furbearers along the Ohio River, WV, at a new bridge crossing, a 45-year-old bridge, and 1 or 2 islands with no bridge and at 3 distances from the bridge or center point at each site (0 m, 100 m, and 300 m). We sampled 19 waterbird, 60 songbird, 7 anuran, 5 turtle, 9 small mammal, and 4 furbearer species. Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) abundances were greater at the site with no bridge. Songbird composition differed among sites and between transects under and away from the bridge with higher abundances or association of rock pigeon (Columba livia) and cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) under the bridges and lower abundances of Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) and common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) under the bridges. Total small mammal abundance, diversity, and richness were lower under the new bridge compared to other sites and distances. We conclude that overall the new bridge is causing minimal relative abundance impacts to wildlife.