Although presence of riparian habitats may have influenced our results, we suggest that the right-of-way also had an effect on distribution and density of southern red-backed voles.
The open, early-successional habitats created by the powerline right-of-way likely favors increased abundance of least chipmunks and North American deermice.
Southern red-backed voles in edge and forested habitats at powerline sites exhibited significant directional movements parallel to the right-of-way (Rayleigh's test, P < 0.001, n = 15, mean direction of movement = 82.2[degrees]).
Least chipmunks crossed the right-of-way in their natural movements (four crosses by three individuals) and after translocation at powerline sites.
During their natural movements, North American deermice readily crossed the right-of-way (13 crosses by nine individuals) and the right-of-way at control sites (four crosses by four individuals).
An adult male southern red-backed vole crossed the right-of-way at powerline site 2 during its natural movements (two crosses by one individual).
Least chipmunks preferred the right-of-way ([chi square] = 11.93, P = 0.003) at powerline sites.
We used data from captured, nontranslocated southern red-backed voles and North American deermice at powerline sites to assess whether direction of movements in edge and forested habitats were random in reference to the right-of-way. Movements between captures were standardized such that 0[degrees] represented movement directly toward the right-of-way and 180[degrees] was directly away from the right-of-way.