Ability of Prairie Rodents to Find Seeds in Plant Litter

Abstract

-Differential abilities of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), deer mice (P. maniculatus) and fulvous harvest mice (Reithrodontomys fulvescens) to find seeds covered by 0 and 75 g of litter were assessed during laboratory foraging trials. All individuals collected significantly fewer seeds in aquaria with litter. Mean percent reduction in seed harvest between 0 and 75 g of litter was significantly greater for P. leucopus than either P. maniculatus or R. fulvescens, which did not differ significantly. Mean grams of seeds harvested significantly decreased with increased amounts of litter (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 g) for P. leucopus and R. fulvescens. Interspecific differences for mean percent reduction in seed harvest for sparse (25 g) and deep/dense (100 and 125 g) litter were nonsignificant; however, seed harvest was significantly lower for P. leucopus than R. fulvescens in moderate litter (50 and 75 g). Our results imply that differences in the ability of grassland rodents to collect seeds in plant litter may be partially responsible for species-specific patterns of microhabitat