Effects of woodchuck activity on woody plants near burrows

The relationship between woodchuck (Marmota monax) activity and characteristics of woody plants was examined at two woodlands in Connecticut. Areas within 3 m of main burrow entrances were characterized by a lower number of live stems and greater mortality of stems than were areas of the same size located 13 m from burrows. These and other differences were not related to either plant age or edaphic or light characteristics. We attribute the observed vegetation changes to behaviors associated with burrowing and scent marking by woodchucks, and conclude that woodchucks in wooded areas can promote localized, long-term changes in the abundance, and possibly the distribution, of woody plants.