Small mammals are important components of many terrestrial ecosystems.
They are major consumers of primary productivity as well as being an important food base for many vertebrate predators. Thus, factors affecting the abundance and diversity of small mammals affect the abundance and diversity of species throughout the food chain. Further, small mammals are excellent subjects for testing many hypotheses about the effects of forest management and fragmentation on biodiversity. Interactions Between Southern Flying Squirrels and Red-cockaded woodpeckers. Cavities are used year-round for roosting and nesting and excavation takes from several months to several years to complete.