The ecology of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations in contrasting farmland habitats
The ecology of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations in contrasting farmland habitats
The demography of wood mouse populations was studied using live-trapping methods on farmland in Southern England. The series of study sites used between 1982 and 1985 ranged from the centre of a 40ha cereal field in open arable land; an 18ha cereal field bordered along one margin by woodland; the marginal area of an adjacent 4ha mixed deciduous wood; and the centre of a 13ha mixed deciduous copse surrounded by arable land. Despite differences in physical disturbance of the environment, in the structure and composition of vegetation, the availability of potential invertebrate foodstuff, and abundance of autumn seed between the cereal field and woodland habitats, there were little significant variations in demography of wood mouse populations at the centres of the large field and the 13ha copse. Wood mouse populations recorded on the trapping grid of the 18ha wheat field were influenced by the proximity (200m away) of adjacent woodland; the annual cycle exhibited a summer peak and winter trough in contrast to the autumn-winter peak and summer trough recorded by populations on other arable field and woodland study sites. During 1985 and 1986, live-trapping continued in the 40ha field, and commenced in other cereal fields. Again little differences was found between the dynamics of woodmouse populations from the different study sites. Cereal seed was an important component of the diet of mice resident in winter wheat fields during the autumn and winter months, with animal food mainly being taken in the spring and summer. Although there was small variability in autumn seed supply on the main study site (the 40ha winter wheat field), overwintering success differed between years. It is suggested that survival was influenced by continuous runs of very cold nights. There was no evidence of wood mouse numbers being significantly affected (at least during the short-term) by any arable husbandry activity. (DX88383)
University of Southampton
1989
Havers, Steven John
(1989)
The ecology of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations in contrasting farmland habitats.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The demography of wood mouse populations was studied using live-trapping methods on farmland in Southern England. The series of study sites used between 1982 and 1985 ranged from the centre of a 40ha cereal field in open arable land; an 18ha cereal field bordered along one margin by woodland; the marginal area of an adjacent 4ha mixed deciduous wood; and the centre of a 13ha mixed deciduous copse surrounded by arable land. Despite differences in physical disturbance of the environment, in the structure and composition of vegetation, the availability of potential invertebrate foodstuff, and abundance of autumn seed between the cereal field and woodland habitats, there were little significant variations in demography of wood mouse populations at the centres of the large field and the 13ha copse. Wood mouse populations recorded on the trapping grid of the 18ha wheat field were influenced by the proximity (200m away) of adjacent woodland; the annual cycle exhibited a summer peak and winter trough in contrast to the autumn-winter peak and summer trough recorded by populations on other arable field and woodland study sites. During 1985 and 1986, live-trapping continued in the 40ha field, and commenced in other cereal fields. Again little differences was found between the dynamics of woodmouse populations from the different study sites. Cereal seed was an important component of the diet of mice resident in winter wheat fields during the autumn and winter months, with animal food mainly being taken in the spring and summer. Although there was small variability in autumn seed supply on the main study site (the 40ha winter wheat field), overwintering success differed between years. It is suggested that survival was influenced by continuous runs of very cold nights. There was no evidence of wood mouse numbers being significantly affected (at least during the short-term) by any arable husbandry activity. (DX88383)
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Published date: 1989
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Local EPrints ID: 461321
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/461321
PURE UUID: 3be9aff8-d552-4377-95f8-f08428c97390
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:43
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 18:43
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Author:
Steven John Havers
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