Parameter 

Covariate 

Hypothesis 

Survival^a  

weight (wt) 

Smaller squirrels may be more prone to mortality or dispersal. 

age 

Younger squirrels will show lower survival rates. 

sex 

Male squirrels may show a higher mortality rate or tendency to disperse. 

cover type (trt) 

Apparent survival should increase from open pine to young to mature cover types.  

weather
(snowmax)
(mindays) 

Maximum snow-depth or days of freezing temperatures will decrease apparent survival rates. 

Recruitment^b 

weight 

Smaller squirrels may be more prone to immigrate into stands during dispersal events. 

age 

Younger squirrels may be more prone to immigrate into stands. 

sex 

Male squirrels may show a higher immigration rate into stands. 

cover type  

Birth rates should be lowest in open pine, intermediate in young, and highest in mature forest. Immigration should be high in open pine and young forests (sink habitats) vs. mature forest (source habitat).  

weather 

Birth and immigration events will be more likely during milder winter and springs. 

Recapture probability 

snow depth 

Higher snow depth results in reduction in recapture rate.  

weight 

Smaller squirrels may be more prone to capture. 

age 

Younger squirrels may be more prone to capture. 

understory cover 

High understory species cover will affect encounter rates with traps. 

cover type 

Recapture rates will increase from open pine to mature forest as spatial patchiness of vegetation and resources, and associated space use by squirrels, decreases.