Impact of Grazing Systems on Rodent and Cottontail Rabbit Populations in South Texas Meenakshi Nagendran
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Theses and Dissertations 1987 Impact of Grazing Systems on Rodent and Cottontail Rabbit Populations in South Texas Meenakshi Nagendran Follow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons Recommended Citation Nagendran, Meenakshi, "Impact of Grazing Systems on Rodent and Cottontail Rabbit Populations in South Texas" (1987). Theses and Dissertations. 188. http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/188 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. IMPACT OF GRAZING SYSTEMS ON RODENT AND COTTONTAIL RABBIT POPULATIONS IN SOUTH TEXAS BY MEENAKSHI NAGENDRAN A thesis submitted in partial fulfilllm' ent of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Major in Wtldlife' and Fisheries Sciences (Wildlife Option) South Dakota 1987State University IMPACT OF GRAZING SYSTEMS OrJ RODENT AND COTIONTAIL RABBIT POPULATIONS IN SOUTH TEXAS This thesis is approved as a creditable and independent investigation by a candidate for the degree, Master of Science, and is acceptable for meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Acceptance of this thesis does not imply that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department. Thesis Advisor Date Head, Dept. of Wildlife Date and Fisheries Sciences ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to extend my sincerest gratitude to all my friends and mentors without whose assistance nothing would have been possible. Much as I would like to mention each and every individual's name, I will have to limit myself to only a few for want of space. Sincerest thanks are extended to Dr. Lester D. Flake for his advice, encouragement, support and deep friendship throughout the study. Dr. William L. Tucker was always eager to explain statistical nuances and I wish to thank him for his advice, expertise, assistance and friendship, and for reviewing the manuscript. Sincere thanks are extended to Dr. T. R. McCabe for his advice, convnents and friendship during the course of the study, as well as to Dr. K. F. Higgins for his advice, friendship, conments and review of manuscript. I wish to thank Dr. E. P. Hogan for reviewing the manuscript. Dr. J. G. Teer continues to be a source of inspiration and encouragement. His role in this study was immeasurable. Words fall short in expressing my gratitude to Dr. Teer for his advice, assistance and everlasting friendship. Mrs. Joan Teer and Dr. Teer provided wonderful companionship and a home away from home during my stay in Texas. Their kindness and hospitality mean more to me than words can say. My sincerest thanks are also extended to Dr. D. Lynn Drawe, i i i Mr. G. Blacklock, Mr. J. Cox, Mr. R. Urabeck, Dr. A. Tipton, Dr. A. Chaney, Mr. A. Garza, Dr. Prasad, Mr. W. Richardson, Mr. R. Van Beek, J. Hovis, K. McCabe, A. Apa, F. Howe, M. Lechner, L. Layne, D. Baker, D. Sloane, and J. Bland for their invaluable advice, assistance and everlasting friendship. Sincere thanks are also extended to L. Landry, L. Weir, D. Hooks, A. Molengraaf, J. Swenson, L. Fisher and D. Buehre for their assistance and friendship. The Selbys, Boscamps, Harmonsons, Nalls, Galbraiths, Weilers, Kosiers and Kumars opened their homes to me and I extend my deepest gratitude to these wonderful people, as well as to Dr. and Mrs. Grier for their advice, assistance, encouragement and support. Except for the monthly remainder by the Border Patrol of my alien status, seldom did I feel like a mammal without a home and credit for this goes entirely to some of the finest people I have had the pleasure of associating with during the course of my stay in this country. To my parents I dedicate this thesis. Their love, understanding, encouragement and support are a monumental step in the realization of my dreams. I wish to acknowledge the Welder Wildlife Foundation for funding this study through a fellowship and providing other logistical support. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• iii TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................. v LIST OF TABLES••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••• vii LIST OF FIGURES••••••••. ••••••.•.••••••••.••••••••• xiii ABSTRACT. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • xiv GEtffRAL INTRODUCTION............................... 1 CHAPTER ONE........................................ 6 STUDY AREA. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 METHODS•••• ••••••••••• . 10 Small mammal trapping••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 10 Survey of cottontail rabbits••••••••••••••••••• • 11 Vegetation 1984••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12 Vegetation 1985-1986•••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 13 Data Analysis ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 14 RESULTS•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 15 Sma11 marruna1 s. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 5 Rabbit Survey••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 15 Vegetation 1984.......................... .. •.. 15 Vegetation 1985-1986•••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 19 DISCUSSION••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 23 CONCLUSION•••••••••••••••••••••••• ................. 27 CHAPTER TWO•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 29 v STUDY AREA................. • • . • • . • • . • . • • • • • . • 30 METHODS••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••• 30 Sma11 mamma 1 s................................... 33 Vegetation•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 33 Data Analysis ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 34 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 35 Vegetation ••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••• 35 Small mammals ..••.•........•............••..•... 36 CONCLUSIONS••••••••••••• ........................... 48 LITERATURE CITED•••••• ............................. 53 APPENDIX A•••••••••••••••••••.•.•.• .•••.••••••••••• 60 APPENDIX 8••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••• 63 vi LI ST OF TA BLES Table Page Rainfall averages for Welder Wildlife Refuge during field seasons in 1984 and 1985-1986.................................... 9 2 Rodents captured by live trapping in Short-duration (SDG), Heavy Continuous (HC) and Moderate Continuous (MC) grazing treatments on the Welder Refuge in 1984. Each trapping session comprised 15 successive nights of trapping•••••••••••••••• 16 3 Vehicle spotlight counts of cottontail rabbits/km observed in Short-duration (SDG), Heavy Continuous (HC) and Moderate Continuous (MC) grazing treatments on the Helder Refuge in 1984 ...... ,. ................ 17 4 Vehicle spotlight counts of cottontail rabbits/km observed in Short-duration (SDG), Heavy Continuous (HC) and Moderate Continuous (MC) grazing treatments on the Welder Refuge in 1985-1986 ••••••••••••••••••• 18 5 Chi-square test of significance of percent ground cover of plant species between Short-duration, Heavy Continuous and vii Moderate Continuous grazing treatments within each season on the Welder Refuge in 1984......................................... 20 6 Modal class (M) and frequency (F) of occurrence of plant species measured by 20x50 cm Daubenmire frame in cover classes 1=0%, 2=1-5%, 3=6-25%, 4=26-50%, 5=51-75%, 6=76-95%, 7=96-100% on Short-duration (SDG), Moderate Continuous (MC) and Heavy Continuous (HC) grazing treatments within each season on the Welder Refuge in 1984•••••••••• 21 7 Averages and chi-square test of significance of frequencies of cover-classes of individual stratum of profile pole measuring visual obstruction of vegetation between Short-duration (SDG), Moderate Continuou� (MC) and Heavy Continuous (HC) grazing treatments for summer and fall 1984 on the Welder Refuge. Measurements are from ground level up to 100cm in height•••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••• 22 8 Averages and chi-square test of significance viii of frequencies of cover-class groups of percent ground cover between Short-duration (SOG), Moderate Continuous (MC) and Heavy Continuous (HC) grazing treatments within each season on the Welder Refuge in 1985-1986••.•••••.•••••••..•••.••••••.•••. 24 9 Averages and chi-square test of significance of frequencies of cover-class groups of individual stratum, of profile pole measuring percent visual obstruction of vegetation between Short-duration (SDG), Moderate Continuous (MC) and Heavy Continuous (HC) grazing treatments within each season on the Welder Refuge in 1985-1986. Measurements are from ground level up to 100cm in height••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••• 25 10 Rainfall averages for Encino study site in south Texas, 1985-1986••••••••••••••• 32 11 Averages and chi-square test of significance of frequencies of cover-class groups of percent ground ix cover between Short-duration (SDG) and Continuous (CG) grazing treatments within each season on the Encino study site, 1985-1986 •••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••• 37 12 Averages and chi-square test of significance of frequencies of cover-class groups of individual stratum of profile pole measuring visual obstruction of vegetation between Short-duration (SDG) and Continuous (CG) grazing treatments within each season on the Encino study site in 1985-1986. Measurements are