Increasing night hours minimally impact nocturnal mammalian diel activity on SUNY Purchase campus
By Robyn Graygor
Abstract
Globally diurnal animals have been observed changing their activity patterns in response to shifting hours of daylight. Some species in the Northeast will alter their diel activity as well if their period of activity is shortened. On SUNY Purchase campus I have studied how five common species of nocturnal animals (skunks, opossums, raccoons, bobcats, and coyotes) respond to longer hours of night. I have found that there is a slight impact on the frequency, abundance, and diversity of nocturnal animals on Purchase campus as the hours of night increase.