Opportunistic Foraging of Eastern Woodrats (Neotoma floridana) in Manipulated Habitats

McMurry, Scott T.; Lochmiller, Robert L.; Boggs, James F.; Leslie, David M.; Engle, David M.

doi:10.2307/2426131

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…For each composited sample, botanical composition of the diet was determined by randomly locating 25 microscope fields on each of three slides, identifying the centre‐most fragment in each field at 100× magnification, and counting the 0·25‐mm 2 squares on a 10 × 10‐mm ocular grid that were occupied by each fragment (McMurry et al . 1993).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Schetter

Lochmiller

Leslie

et al. 1998

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary 0[ Nitrogen!containing nutrients have long been considered a frequently limiting resource to the growth of herbivore populations "nitrogen limitation hypothesis#[ To explore this hypothesis\ we examined the relationships between availability of essential amino acids and concentrations of phenolics in the diets of hispid cotton rats "Sigmodon hispidus# in central Oklahoma and the intrinsic characteristics of their non!cyclic populations[ We posited that lower quality proteins "i[e[ essential amino acid composition# and elevated phenolic levels "protein digestion inhibitors# in diets of cotton rats from low! compared to high!density populations\ especially during the breeding season\ would be supportive of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis[ Replicated low! and high!density populations were censused by live!trapping at 2!month intervals[ Samples of stomach digesta were collected from cotton rats in similar habitats adjacent to trapping grids to determine the botanical and nutrient composition of their diets[ 1[ During the breeding season\ concentrations of essential amino acids were as much as 32) greater in diets of cotton rats from high!density populations[ Dicots\ typically higher in protein than monocots\ were an important component of diets and were preferred forage in all seasonal collections[ Seeds and arthropods were frequently utilized by cotton rats as additional high!quality sources of essential amino acids[ Concentrations of total phenolics in the diet "greater in diets from low!density popu! lations# were consistent with the nitrogen limitation hypothesis[ 2[ Density was consistently higher in the high!density populations throughout the study[ Other demographic and body condition parameters were similar between low! and high!density populations in the non!breeding season\ but reproductive activity was greater in high!density populations during the breeding season[ Total number of juveniles recruited into the trappable population over the entire study was about _ve times greater in high! compared to low!density populations[ 3[ Our data did not refute the nitrogen limitation hypothesis where levels of essential amino acids and phenolic compounds in the diet during the breeding season may determine annual peak densities of cotton rats that can be supported in their habitat[ However\ we could not rule out the involvement of other environmental variables such as overhead cover "as well as other unmeasured variables# as contributing factors to determining annual peak densities[ Key!words] amino acids\ cotton rat\ food quality\ herbivore nutrition\ nitrogen limi! tation\ phenolics\ population dynamics\ Sigmodon hispidus[ Journal of Animal Ecology "0887# 56\ 694Ð610

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Schetter

Lochmiller

Leslie

et al. 1998

Journal of Animal Ecology

Self Cite

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“…In attempting to reconstruct the diet, including the potential use of invasive plant species, of L. conditor, microhistological faecal analysis is an ideal method. This is an established technique for rodent diet analysis (Bergstrom 2013;Castleberry et al 2002;Khanam et al 2015;McIntire 1989;McMurry et al 1993;Newmaster et al 2013;Soininen et al 2013), which relies on the identi cation of species-speci c characteristics of plant cuticle in faecal samples. Cuticle is the waxy, non-cellular layer that conforms to the surface of a terrestrial leaf epidermis, protecting it from desiccation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threatened stick-nest rats preferentially eat invasive boxthorn rather than native vegetation on Australia’s Reevesby Island

Kraehe,

Weisbecker,

Hill

et al. 2024

Wildlife Res.

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Context The incorporation of invasive plants into novel ecosystems often has negative effects, but it can also sometimes enhance ecosystem function. The threatened native rodent species Leporillus conditor (greater stick-nest rat) is extinct on the Australian mainland and now lives primarily on small islands off the coast of southern Australia. Many of these are degraded novel ecosystems invaded by African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), a weed of national significance. However, L. conditor does not appear to be negatively affected by the presence of boxthorn, raising the question of how the two species co-exist. Aims To understand how L. conditor uses African boxthorn, we evaluated dietary composition of L. conditor on parts of Reevesby Island by comparing consumption of invasive boxthorn with that of native vegetation. Methods We identified three key vegetation types on the centre of the island and used point-intercept vegetation surveys to estimate relative availability of plant species in each. We then used micro-histological faecal analysis to estimate the proportions of each species in the diet of L. conditor, and quantified plant species selection by using selection ratios (use/availability). Key results Qualitative evidence of L. conditor activity suggested that it was mostly confined to vegetation with greater abundance of boxthorn than the other vegetation types (13.5%, compared with 5.7% total sampled vegetation). Furthermore, 51.7% of the faecal plant content and 11.8% of total sampled vegetation was African boxthorn, resulting in a selection ration for boxthorn of 4.4. Native species that appeared to be favoured food sources of L. conditor included Olearia axillaris, Myoporum insulare and Enchylaena tomentosa. Conclusions Stick-nest rats of Reevesby Island demonstrate a clear selection for African boxthorn, both in terms of diet (tested quantitatively) and nesting (from previous research and our field observations). Implications The strong selection of stick-nest rats for a declared noxious weed as its main food source and persistence of stick-nest rats on Reevesby Island require consideration with regards to vegetation management on islands where L. conditor occurs. More broadly, it highlights that some elements of novel ecosystems may have unexpected positive impacts on parts of original ecosystems.

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“…A valuable approach to understanding the use of invasive plant species by L. conditor is microhistological faecal analysis. This is an established technique for rodent diet analysis (McIntire 1989;McMurry et al 1993;Castleberry et al 2002;Bergstrom 2013;Newmaster et al 2013;Soininen et al 2013;Khanam et al 2015), which relies on the identi cation of species-speci c characteristics of plant cuticle in faecal samples. Cuticle is the waxy, non-cellular layer that conforms to the surface of a terrestrial leaf epidermis, protecting it from desiccation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Threatened stick-nest rats preferably consume invasive boxthorn over native vegetation on Australia’s Reevesby Island

Kraehe

Weisbecker

Hill

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Due to an abundance of feral predators on the mainland, native rodent species Leporillus conditor (greater stick-nest rats) live almost exclusively on small islands off the coast of South Australia. Many of these islands are heavily degraded novel ecosystems, overrun with African Boxthorn. African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) is an aggressive invasive plant that negatively impacts biodiversity by outcompeting native vegetation and degrading habitat. However, it can also provide habitat and food sources for vulnerable native species. To understand if boxthorn is an important dietary component of the stick-nest rat, we used point-intercept vegetation surveys to estimate relative availability for each plant species in areas inhabited by stick-nest rats. We then collected faecal pellets from the study site and used micro-histological faecal analysis to measure plant use by the animals. This allowed us to calculate the “selection ratio” of plant use (abundance in faecal pellets)/plant availability. We found a strong preference of the stick-nest rat for the highly invasive African boxthorn, with a selection ratio of 4.397. This is valuable information as it suggests that other heavily degraded, African boxthorn-infested ecosystems have the potential to provide suitable habitat for the greater stick-nest rat. However, due to the potential of African boxthorn to continue to invade and inflict damage on the greater ecosystem, further research is crucial to ensure a context specific management plan that maximises the resilience of the greater stick-nest rat, as well as the other native species that rely on these island habitats.

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Opportunistic Foraging of Eastern Woodrats (Neotoma floridana) in Manipulated Habitats

Cited by 10 publications

References 19 publications

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Threatened stick-nest rats preferentially eat invasive boxthorn rather than native vegetation on Australia’s Reevesby Island

Threatened stick-nest rats preferably consume invasive boxthorn over native vegetation on Australia’s Reevesby Island

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