Investigation of badger setts using soil resistivity measurements

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Journal

Journal of Zoology Volume 232 Issue 3,Pages409-418 Published Online: 23Mar2009

Authors

J. Butler 1 , T. J. Roper* , 1 and A. J. Clark 2
1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BNI 9QG 2 19 The Crossways, Onslow Village, Guildford, Surrey GU2 5QG
*Address for correspondence

Abstract

Eight badger (Meles meles L.) Setts (two main setts, four subsidiaries, one annex and one outlier) were surveyed by means of soil resistivity and magnetometry techniques, of a type normally used for the detection of buried archaeological remains.

The results were compared with data concerning the underground sleeping locations adopted by radio-collared badgers in the same setts.

Of the eight resistivity surveys, six gave sufficiently detailed results for the overall size of the setts in question to be determined and for some features of the constituent tunnel systems to be discerned.

Areas of low resistivity matched locations where radio-collared badgers were found to sleep, so presumably corresponded with underground tunnels and chambers.

Magnetometry surveys were not successful, probably because tunnels and chambers were too deep to be detected by this method.

Keywords

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Web site

• http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118535410/home

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