View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by K-State Research Exchange FACTORS INFLUENCING NIGHTLY ACTIVITY OF DEER MICE (Peromyscus maniculatus) IN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE by RYAN L. REHMEIER B.S., Trinity University, 1997 M.S., Kansas State University, 2000 AN ABSTRACT OF A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Division of Biology College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2005 ABSTRACT Little is known about nightly activity patterns of nocturnal small mammals under natural conditions, and how these activity patterns might be affected by photoperiod, season, and sex, age, and reproductive status of individuals. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to find an appropriate method for marking individual deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) so that their activity could be monitored remotely; 2) to design a portable activity-monitoring system to investigate temporal patterns of shelter use by deer mice under natural conditions; 3) to determine the influence of environmental conditions such as photoperiod and season on nightly activity of deer mice; and 4) to compare effects of demographic or physiological factors such as sex, age, and reproductive status on nightly activity of deer mice at artificial burrows in tallgrass prairie. In general, commencement of activity was correlated positively with timing of sunset, and time of retirement to the burrow was correlated positively with sunrise. Among adults, males first emerged from the burrow earlier and made more trips of shorter duration in a night than did females, although total duration of trips was similar. Return visits and subsequent stays typically were shorter for males than females, but total time spent in the burrow and retirement time relative to sunrise were similar for both sexes. Young deer mice emerged significantly later, made more trips of shorter duration, spent less total time outside, and retired to their burrow earlier than adults. Reproductive females emerged later, made fewer trips of generally longer duration, and spent shorter total amounts of time away from the burrow each night than non-reproductive females. Return visits of reproductive females were of longer duration than non-reproductives, but total time spent inside and time of retirement for the night did not differ relative to reproductive status. From parturition through lactation, activity of females showed a number of directional trends. Results suggest that under natural conditions, activity patterns of deer mice are highly variable but responsive to both the changing physical environment and internal conditions related to sex-specific maximization of fitness. FACTORS INFLUENCING NIGHTLY ACTIVITY OF DEER MICE (Peromyscus maniculatus) IN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE by RYAN L. REHMEIER B.S., Trinity University, 1997 M.S., Kansas State University, 2000 A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Division of Biology College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2005 Approved by: Co-Major Professor Glennis A. Kaufman Co-Major Professor Donald W. Kaufman COPYRIGHT Ryan L. Rehmeier 2005 ABSTRACT Little is known about nightly activity patterns of nocturnal small mammals under natural conditions, and how these activity patterns might be affected by photoperiod, season, and sex, age, and reproductive status of individuals. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to find an appropriate method for marking individual deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) so that their activity could be monitored remotely; 2) to design a portable activity-monitoring system to investigate temporal patterns of shelter use by deer mice under natural conditions; 3) to determine the influence of environmental conditions such as photoperiod and season on nightly activity of deer mice; and 4) to compare effects of demographic or physiological factors such as sex, age, and reproductive status on nightly activity of deer mice at artificial burrows in tallgrass prairie. In general, commencement of activity was correlated positively with timing of sunset, and time of retirement to the burrow was correlated positively with sunrise. Among adults, males first emerged from the burrow earlier and made more trips of shorter duration in a night than did females, although total duration of trips was similar. Return visits and subsequent stays typically were shorter for males than females, but total time spent in the burrow and retirement time relative to sunrise were similar for both sexes. Young deer mice emerged significantly later, made more trips of shorter duration, spent less total time outside, and retired to their burrow earlier than adults. Reproductive females emerged later, made fewer trips of generally longer duration, and spent shorter total amounts of time away from the burrow each night than non-reproductive females. Return visits of reproductive females were of longer duration than non-reproductives, but total time spent inside and time of retirement for the night did not differ relative to reproductive status. From parturition through lactation, activity of females showed a number of directional trends. Results suggest that under natural conditions, activity patterns of deer mice are highly variable but responsive to both the changing physical environment and internal conditions related to sex-specific maximization of fitness. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. ix DEDICATION................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Marking small mammals for field studies: recent trends and new observations. ....................................................................................................................... 1 Abstract........................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 2 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................... 5 Literature Survey ........................................................................................................ 5 Field Study.................................................................................................................. 7 Results........................................................................................................................... 13 Literature Survey ...................................................................................................... 13 Field Study................................................................................................................ 19 Discussion..................................................................................................................... 23 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................. 28 Literature Cited for Appendix 1.................................................................................... 77 Chapter 2: An automatic activity-monitoring system for small mammals under natural conditions........................................................................................................................ 125 Abstract....................................................................................................................... 125 Introduction................................................................................................................. 125 i Materials and Methods................................................................................................ 127 Study site................................................................................................................. 127 Artificial burrows.................................................................................................... 127 Trapping methods ................................................................................................... 128 Marking methods .................................................................................................... 128 Automatic activity-monitoring system ................................................................... 129 Monitoring activity at artificial burrows................................................................. 132 Results......................................................................................................................... 133 Efficacy of monitoring and data logging ................................................................ 134 Discussion................................................................................................................... 141 Advantages of the system ....................................................................................... 141 Disadvantages of the monitoring system ................................................................ 143 Future applications.................................................................................................