Pacific Banana Slug Habitat Selection using occupied and paired-random microhabitat analysis in the Arcata Community Forest

Presentation Year

2022

College or Department

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Short Description of your Research or Creative Project (700 characters or less)

The Pacific banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus) is a key detrivore and herbivore in Pacific Northwest forests. Understanding how this species utilizes different habitats in a heterogenous forest is important from a management perspective due to their wide distribution, abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and significant ecological roles in nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, and endemic predators. I hypothesized that banana slugs will show habitat selection within a heterogenous forest and tested this using an occupied and paired-random sampling method in four sites within the Arcata Community Forest. My results showed evidence of selection for several habitat variables.

Permission to Publish Work

Yes