Winter ecology of prairie deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) in cultivated habitats: Implications for agricultural ecosystem services

Berl, Jacob L.; Flaherty, Elizabeth A.; Danielson, Brent J.; Kellner, Kenneth F.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2017.08.019

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Several species of small mammals are seed predators, and corn is a preferred seed type of Peromyscus maniculatus Wagner, the most abundant small mammal in Midwestern row‐crop fields (Berl et al, 2017a, b; Flick & Danielson, 2017). Indeed, waste corn comprised 55% of winter diets of P. maniculatus in corn fields (Berl, Flaherty, et al, 2017a) with removal rates of 59–66% from experimental patches (Flick & Danielson, 2017). Our research group has documented aboveground consumption of waste kernels in fields as well as hoarding of kernels, often with embryo excision (J. Berl in litt., Figure 3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All debris not containing corn kernels was returned to the plot. Once all kernels were removed, we scattered throughout the plot 100 new kernels of untreated field corn, a density within the range of waste corn lost during harvest (Berl, Flaherty, Danielson, Kellner, & Swihart, 2017a; Foster, Gray, & Kaminski, 2010). We left approximately 5 cm of kernel‐free margin within the border of each quadrat so that any small errors in sampling frame placement upon returning to the field would not affect kernel counts.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reduced overwinter survival of unharvested corn in fields with cover crops

Kosins

Prieur

2020

Weed Biology and Management

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Volunteer corn arising from unharvested kernels in fields is a common problem that reduces yield of crops like soybean in intensive rotational agricultural systems. Over the last decade, farmers in the Midwestern United States have increased use of cover crops to improve soil health and suppress weeds in corn-soybean rotational agriculture. We assessed whether the fate of unharvested corn kernels in cover-cropped fields differed from fields without cover crops. After the 2018 harvest season, we recorded overwinter removal and spring 2019 germination of corn kernels from plots in six fields in Tippecanoe county, west-central Indiana, United States. We used mixed effects logistic regression to model the role of a cereal rye cover crop, bare ground, soil drainage class, distance from field edge, and average height of vegetation on mortality of kernels. Probability of kernel absence from a plot was greater in fields planted to cover crops (0.93-0.98) than in no-till fields without cover crops (0.53-0.85). Distance from field edge was positively related to kernel loss in cover-cropped fields, but negatively related to loss in fields without cover crops. Within cover-cropped fields, kernel removal near field edges increased to levels comparable to field interiors only for plots with >15% bare ground. Cover crops substantially reduced survival of corn kernels that serve as prospective volunteer corn, consistent with increased foraging activity and use of cover-cropped fields by vertebrate seed predators. K E Y W O R D S kernel germination, seed predators, volunteer corn, waste grain, Zea mays 1 | INTRODUCTION Volunteer corn (Zea mays L.) is a common problem in rotational agriculture and occurs when kernels are left behind after harvest and survive to grow during the following commodity-crop season. Competition from volunteer corn decreases yield by outcompeting the intended commodity crop for sunlight, water, and nutrients and can result in reduced profit because of costs associated with chemical and mechanical removal of volunteer plants (Cerdeira & Duke, 2006; Marquardt, Krupke, &

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced overwinter survival of unharvested corn in fields with cover crops

Kosins

Prieur

2020

Weed Biology and Management

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“…Within our study area, deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus ) and prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) were commonly found in row‐crop agricultural fields (Berl, Flaherty, Danielson, Kellner, & Swihart, 2017), while additional species, such as meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus ) and northern short‐tailed shrews ( Blarina brevicauda ), were identified in adjacent permanent herbaceous habitats such as field borders or in‐field grass waterways (Prieur, 2019). Other potential prey items included avian prey (e.g., small passerines such as horned larks ( Eremophila alpestris ) and Lapland longspurs ( Calcarius lapponicus ) as well as larger species, such as killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus ) and blackbirds (Icteridae, personal observation).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Killing time in cover crops? Artificial perches promote field use by raptors

Zagorski

2020

Annals of Applied Biology

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Cover crops are an increasingly common conservation practice in intensive row‐crop agriculture of the Midwestern United States and can improve wildlife habitat. However, they also benefit agricultural pest species such as voles (Microtus), which have damaged cover‐cropped soybean fields in Indiana. We tested the feasibility of attracting raptors, which are natural predators of voles, to cover‐cropped fields by supplying artificial perches from which to hunt. We assessed raptor use of artificial perches in cover‐cropped fields during the winters of 2018 and 2019. Perches were erected at three different distances from the field edge: 50, 125 and 200 m. We modelled perch use of our three most common species, great horned owl, red‐tailed hawk and American kestrel, with a logistic generalised linear mixed model. Raptors used 82% of the perches, and perch use was greatest at 200 m. However, even at peak use, our best model predicted a low probability of overall perch use for all three species. Artificial perches can attract raptors into large row‐crop fields. Sturdier perch design, extended perch availability and greater vole populations could increase use of perches. Although raptor perch use by itself is unlikely to control vole populations in cover‐cropped fields, artificial perches could form a valuable component of an integrated pest management system.

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“…For each burrow hole located, we marked the location using a GPS and subsequently attributed a burrow entrance to voles if it was located ≤5 m from another burrow (Davis & Kalisz, 1992). In Indiana, deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus Wagner) are permanent residents in agricultural fields but are more frequently associated with single burrow holes (Berl, Flaherty, Danielson, Kellner, & Swihart, 2017;Davis & Kalisz, 1992;Houtcooper, 1972).…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vole activity surveys predict damage to cover‐cropped soybean plants

Prieur

2020

Annals of Applied Biology

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Across the Midwestern United States, farmers have increasingly used winter cover crops in corn-soybean rotations to improve soil health. Although this practice has many benefits, it also can provide habitat for potential pest species, such as voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus and M. ochrogaster). Voles have been reported by farmers to damage soybean plants in fields which had recently been cover cropped, but little has been done to quantify levels of damage related to their abundance. We evaluated the relationship between vole sign and soybean plant damage to help farmers manage this unintended consequence of using cover crops. We counted the frequency of vole sign along transects in cover-cropped fields. In addition to vole sign, we considered influence of cover-crop density, distance to field edge, and presence of artificial raptor perches when fitting negative binomial generalised linear mixed models to predict amount of soybean plant damage. An additive model including all explanatory variables and factors best explained variation in vole damage. Number of burrow entrances, presence of raptor perches, and cover-crop density were positively associated with soybean plant damage. Burrow entrances were most strongly associated with damage. Farmers can use frequency of burrow entrances to predict relative amounts of damage likely to be incurred; conditions in a field should be considered when deciding to manage for reduced vole populations before planting soybeans.

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Winter ecology of prairie deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) in cultivated habitats: Implications for agricultural ecosystem services

Cited by 16 publications

References 43 publications

Reduced overwinter survival of unharvested corn in fields with cover crops

Reduced overwinter survival of unharvested corn in fields with cover crops

Killing time in cover crops? Artificial perches promote field use by raptors

Vole activity surveys predict damage to cover‐cropped soybean plants

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