St. Mcmurry et al., WOODRAT POPULATION-DYNAMICS FOLLOWING MODIFICATION OF RESOURCE AVAILABILITY, The American midland naturalist, 129(2), 1993, pp. 248-256
We examined the influence of four experimental brush treatments on rel
ative population density, reproduction and body condition of eastern w
oodrat (Neotoma floridana) populations on Cross Timbers rangeland in O
klahoma. Experimental brush treatments were tebuthiuron and triclopyr
herbicides, applied with and without annual prescribed burning. Untrea
ted reference sites also were evaluated. A total of 333 eastern woodra
ts were collected from March 1986 through December 1988. Relative popu
lation density varied among seasons and experimental treatments. Maxim
um summer peaks in density were observed each year on triclopyr treatm
ents. Density was similar between populations on tebuthiuron treatment
s and reference sites. Reproductive activity of females varied among s
easons but not among experimental treatments; peaks occurred in spring
and autumn 1986 and summer 1987. Percentage of reproductively active
males, as evidenced by spermatogenesis, was less than expected in wint
er. Mean body weights and condition scores were highest in autumn and
spring but were not influenced by experimental treatments. Mean stomac
h content weight did not differ among seasons or experimental brush tr
eatments.