The status, habitat, and response to grazing of water vole populations in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, USA
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Authors: M. Klaus,
Date: 2003
Journal: Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
Volume: 35
Number: 1
Pages: 100-109
Summary of Methods: Water vole populations were surveyed in the Big Horn Mountains of north central Wyoming to determine how livestock grazing affects their habitat. Voles were surveyed using a mark and recapture method in early summer and mid-summer in 2000 and 2001. Sites were either grazed by cattle in a rest-rotation system or were excluded from grazing. During the same time period as the vole surveys, streamside canopy cover and biomass were measured as well as site characteristics including stream water depth, elevation, precipitation, and temperature. These measurements were then used in a model to predict vole habitat.
Article Summary / Main Points: Overall, more voles were caught in ungrazed sites and none were captured below 2440 meters elevation. Site characteristics and biomass were similar between grazed and ungrazed sites. Ferns, mosses, and liverworts had the highest percent cover and were the primary vegetation in predicting areas with voles, although ferns were only found on one site, which was ungrazed. In locations where water was deep enough, voles used it for escape after capture. The two highest ranked sites for vole capture were willow/wet Carex vegetation communities, while the other sites had different vegetation.
Vegetation Types: Riparian and Wetlands
MLRA Ecoregions: 43B Central Rocky Mountains
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Documented Case History
Keywords: water vole, microtus richardsoni, livestock grazing, sensitive species, habitat degradation, habitat requirements, willow, carex
Annotation: As with most livestock/wildlife interactions, if livestock grazing reduces habitat, wildlife populations could decrease. The authors contend that effects of grazing, including a reduction of cover, reduced vole habitat. However, this study is quite site specific due the grazing intensity, nature of the mountains, and limited water vole range. In addition, because the authors wanted to determine habitat characteristics, the sites surveyed had different vegetation communities and soil moisture; therefore, direct comparisons among the sites should be examined with caution.
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