Abstract:
Habitat fragmentation caused by both urban and agricultural development has led to an increase
in habitat “islands” surrounded by a sea of development. In Indiana specifically, woodland
habitat islands are surrounded by crop, pasture, and urban lands. This study sought to evaluate if
the theory of island biogeography also applies to this landscape. Specifically, this study
investigated whether species richness varies based on island area and relative isolation.
This was accomplished using camera traps with a targeted, non-random sampling approach to
achieve maximum species observability. Results indicate that the theory is not applicable to this
scenario based on area and relative isolation. This may be important to note for future
management decisions.