Small Mammal Habitat- Use After 40 Years of Differing Prairie Management with Fire and Mowing
Advisor Information
James Wilson
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 232
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
4-3-2016 3:15 PM
End Date
4-3-2016 3:30 PM
Abstract
Historically the prairie has included factors that affect the plant structure, such as natural burns and grazing from large herbivores. However, modern prairies typically do not have these natural factors and must rely on man-made simulations to perform the same function. Fire and mowing treatments have the ability to alter plant community composition, and consequently the small mammal community. Small mammal species have a spectrum of responses to both fire and mowing treatments. As a result, heterogeneous habitat driven by spatially and temporally heterogeneous fire and mowing regimes may create a more diverse assemblage of small mammal species than habitat generated from a more homogeneous treatment regime. Initial trapping results support this presumption, with increased species richness and evenness in treatment plots with temporally and spatially heterogeneous fire and mowing treatments than in an equally large neighboring plots receiving one type of treatment.
Small Mammal Habitat- Use After 40 Years of Differing Prairie Management with Fire and Mowing
UNO Criss Library, Room 232
Historically the prairie has included factors that affect the plant structure, such as natural burns and grazing from large herbivores. However, modern prairies typically do not have these natural factors and must rely on man-made simulations to perform the same function. Fire and mowing treatments have the ability to alter plant community composition, and consequently the small mammal community. Small mammal species have a spectrum of responses to both fire and mowing treatments. As a result, heterogeneous habitat driven by spatially and temporally heterogeneous fire and mowing regimes may create a more diverse assemblage of small mammal species than habitat generated from a more homogeneous treatment regime. Initial trapping results support this presumption, with increased species richness and evenness in treatment plots with temporally and spatially heterogeneous fire and mowing treatments than in an equally large neighboring plots receiving one type of treatment.