Small Mammal Habitat Preferences in a Patchwork of Adjacent Reconstructed Grasslands Subject to Semiannual Burns

DeGolier, Teresa; Port, Jeff; Schottler, Shawn P.

doi:10.3368/er.33.4.388

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Deermice are omnivorous, primarily eating seeds and insects (Jameson 1952). Deermice prefer areas of low cover because foraging and locomotion are easier for them on bare ground (McGee 1982; Pearson et al 2001; DeGolier et al 2015). Deermice have been used as an indicator species for restoration projects because deermice prefer habitat features that correspond with degraded areas (Mulligan et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal responses to biosolids on grazed rangelands in British Columbia

Meineke,

Doyle,

Oukil

et al. 2023

Restoration Ecology

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Grasslands are globally declining due to habitat conversion, overgrazing, climate change, and changes in fire and drought regimes. Degraded grasslands are less able to support wildlife species, which contributes to the imperilment of many species. Biosolids are used by some ranchers as an organic amendment to support more plant growth and in turn more livestock. We worked on a large cattle ranch in central British Columbia, Canada, to determine how biosolids amendment affected small mammal populations, as mice and voles are major prey for many predators and contribute to seed dispersal and underground dynamics. We found that biosolids‐amended pastures had more grass cover and supported fewer deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) than did unamended pastures. Voles were scarce, likely due to a cyclic low. Although we sampled sites that had had biosolids applied 1 or 3 years prior to our work started, deermouse populations were similarly low across these sites. The reduction in deermice on sites with biosolids relative to unamended sites could be a signal of habitat restoration, because deermice prefer disturbed habitats rather than ones with high plant cover. Grass cover was more than twice as high on sites amended with biosolids, making these sites less suitable for deermice.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal responses to biosolids on grazed rangelands in British Columbia

Meineke,

Doyle,

Oukil

et al. 2023

Restoration Ecology

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“…Because early studies indicated positive results for nesting waterfowl using a low‐diversity seed mix known as dense nesting cover (DNC), this particular mix was often used for grassland restoration (Kaiser et al 1979, Higgins and Barker 1982, Haffele et al 2013). This resulted in plant communities characterized by low‐diversity stands of grass with minimal forb species cover (Schottler et al 2008, DeGolier et al 2015). While these restorations can restore ecosystem function and structure to an extent (Baer et al 2002), they do not reflect the vegetation diversity observed in native grasslands and require intensive management (Lokemoen 1984).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation diversity and structure influence small‐mammal communities in native and restored northern mixed grasslands

Minor,

Eichholz

2024

J Wildl Manag

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Current grassland restoration strategies aim to recreate grassland vegetation communities, and often rely on high‐diversity native seeding to promote vegetation diversity. Questions remain concerning the influence of vegetation richness and diversity on grassland fauna. Small‐mammal communities are integral parts of grassland ecosystems, but their responses to restoration are often mixed or overlooked. During July 2014 to 2016, we used Sherman live traps to survey grassland small‐mammal communities of 24 study sites in northeastern South Dakota and southeastern North Dakota, USA, to better understand their responses to vegetation cover type, diversity, richness, and site‐specific vegetation structure. Sites represented a vegetation species richness gradient and 3 vegetation cover types including low‐diversity restorations planted with dense nesting cover (DNC) seed mix, high‐diversity seeded restorations, and unseeded reference grasslands. Small‐mammal abundance was highest at low‐diversity DNC restoration sites and lowest in reference grassland. Small‐mammal diversity was highest at high‐diversity restoration sites and lowest at low‐diversity DNC restoration sites. Models assessing the influence of vegetation structure on the abundance of focal taxa differed. Deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) were negatively influenced by percent native vegetation cover, and voles (Microtus spp.) showed yearly variation and were influenced positively by litter depth and negatively by vegetation richness. Small‐mammal communities of low‐diversity DNC restorations differed from reference sites, but high‐diversity restorations were not different from reference or low‐diversity DNC sites. Thirteen‐lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) abundance was higher at reference and high‐diversity restored sites, while low‐diversity DNC sites had higher deer mice abundance. Results indicate small mammals are unlikely to respond uniformly to vegetation characteristics, and diversity of seed mixes used in grassland restoration is likely to influence grassland small‐mammal communities.

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Field attributes and farming practices associated with vole (Microtus) damage in cover-cropped fields

Prieur

2020

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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Small Mammal Habitat Preferences in a Patchwork of Adjacent Reconstructed Grasslands Subject to Semiannual Burns

Cited by 6 publications

References 22 publications

Small mammal responses to biosolids on grazed rangelands in British Columbia

Small mammal responses to biosolids on grazed rangelands in British Columbia

Vegetation diversity and structure influence small‐mammal communities in native and restored northern mixed grasslands

Field attributes and farming practices associated with vole (Microtus) damage in cover-cropped fields

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