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Peromyscus Population Dynamics and Seed Predation of Lupinus Perennis in and Near Oak Savannas of Northwest Ohio

Kappler, Rachel Hope
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1245433734

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Biological Sciences.
Wild blue lupine (Lupinus perennis) in the Oak Openings Region of Northwest Ohio is an important nitrogen fixer and serves as an essential food source for the federally endangered Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis). We focused on potential factors that might be affecting mice predation on wild blue lupine seeds in oak savannas. Previous studies have found that: wild blue lupine responds favorably to prescribed burns (Grigore and Tramer 1996); mice (Peromyscus spp.) foraging success decreases with increased leaf litter depth (Reed 2005); mice seed predation on bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus) showed decreased seedling recruitment, seed bank size, and adult numbers (Maron 2005, Kaufmann 2006); and seed predation increases when an herb/shrub layer is present at edges (Kollmann and Buchard 2002). This suggests that management practices and vegetation affect foraging behavior. We used seed trays placed in the open or the edge of oak savannas to estimate predation rate, estimated mice abundance with a mark-recapture study, and used tracking tubes to evaluate mice distribution. We performed vegetation surveys, recorded weather and management histories, and used GIS to find spatial variables to assess how they affect seed predation. Our major findings were that mice seed removal for the summer averaged at 22 percent, seed removal varied significantly across time (P < 0.05), was more likely in areas with increased crypto-biotic crust (P < 0.0001) and rates varied under different management histories (P < 0.05). Only P. leucopus was found during live trapping and they were trapped in similar numbers for both woodlands and oak savannas. Mice abundance estimates were similar when comparing the use of live trapping versus tracking tube data. Mice tracks were influenced by bare ground (June) (P = 0.0002), distance from water (P = 0.0032), and vegetation sheltering the tracking tubes (P = 0.0115). There were also a few hot spots of mice activity and seed predation, although they were not influenced by any environmental variables. Overall, this study increased our understanding of the relationship between mice and lupine populations in this globally rare ecosystem.
Karen Root (Advisor)
Helen Michaels (Committee Member)
Enrique Gomezdelcampo (Committee Member)
93 p.
Biology; Ecology
Peromyscus; Lupinus perennis; oak savanna; seed predation; Northwest Ohio; Program MARK; tracking tubes

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kappler, R. H. (2009). Peromyscus Population Dynamics and Seed Predation of Lupinus Perennis in and Near Oak Savannas of Northwest Ohio [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1245433734

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kappler, Rachel. Peromyscus Population Dynamics and Seed Predation of Lupinus Perennis in and Near Oak Savannas of Northwest Ohio. 2009. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1245433734.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kappler, Rachel. "Peromyscus Population Dynamics and Seed Predation of Lupinus Perennis in and Near Oak Savannas of Northwest Ohio." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1245433734

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.