Trap type and positioning: how to trap Savi’s pine voles using the tunnel system

Abstract Savi’s pine vole, Microtus savii, is the most widespread Italian vole species, an important rodent pest in agriculture and yet one of the least studied species. One of the reasons for this gap in knowledge is that members of this species are quite difficult to capture with standard trapping procedures, being fossorial and rarely active aboveground. For this reason, we developed a protocol that maximizes trapping success. This method requires the identification of active tunnel holes and the placement of traps directly in front of the exits. We also compared capture and recapture rates of Savi’s pine voles in three different trap types: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Longworth and Ugglan. If properly equipped with food and nesting material, INRA, Longworth and Ugglan traps showed similar capture rates, but the recapture rate of Ugglan traps was the highest of the three kinds of traps. These results, in combination with the species’ fossorial and social habits, lead us to conclude that Ugglan traps are the best suited for studies on Savi’s pine voles. Our results may have implications for planning and implementing management strategies based on traps rather than rodenticides, as well as field studies on other fossorial small mammals.

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Differences in Depredation by Small Predators Limit the Use of Plasticine and Zebra Finch Eggs in Artificial-Nest Studies

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/103.1.180 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 103 (1) ◽

pp. 180-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Thomas J. Maier ◽

Richard M. Degraaf

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Zebra Finch ◽

House Sparrow ◽

Peromyscus Leucopus ◽

Passer Domesticus ◽

Field Studies ◽

Taeniopygia Guttata ◽

Artificial Nest ◽

Neotropical Migrant ◽

Passerine Species

Abstract Small mammals, such as mice and voles, have been implicated as major egg predators of Neotropical migrant passerines by field studies using soft plasticine eggs or the very small eggs of Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Nevertheless, the effort required to depredate these commonly used egg surrogates may be less than that required to depredate the larger, thicker-shelled eggs of most passerine species. To compare the depredation of these surrogates to that of the eggs of a mid-sized passerine by a ubiquitous small predator, we exposed dissimilar pairs of plasticine, Zebra Finch, and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs to captive white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Plasticine eggs were marked by mice more than either kind of real egg, and Zebra Finch eggs were breached more often than House Sparrow eggs. We conclude that the use of either plasticine or Zebra Finch eggs may lead to overestimation of the ability or proclivity of small mammals to actually depredate the eggs of most passerines.

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Interactions of Nitrogen Source and Rate and Weed Removal Timing Relative to Nitrogen Content in Corn and Weeds and Corn Grain Yield

International Scholarly Research Notices ◽

10.1155/2017/8961367 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alexandra M. Knight ◽

Wesley J. Everman ◽

David L. Jordan ◽

Ronnie W. Heiniger ◽

T. Jot Smyth

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Weed Management ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Weed Species ◽

Weed Interference ◽

Coated Urea ◽

N Fertility ◽

Corn Grain ◽

Corn Grain Yield

Adequate fertility combined with effective weed management is important in maximizing corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield. Corn uptake of nitrogen (N) is dependent upon many factors including weed species and density and the rate and formulation of applied N fertilizer. Understanding interactions among corn, applied N, and weeds is important in developing management strategies. Field studies were conducted in North Carolina to compare corn and weed responses to urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), sulfur-coated urea (SCU), and composted poultry litter (CPL) when a mixture of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis L.) was removed with herbicides at heights of 8 or 16 cm. These respective removal timings corresponded with 22 and 28 days after corn planting or V2 and V3 stages of growth, respectively. Differences in N content in above-ground biomass of corn were noted early in the season due to weed interference but did not translate into differences in corn grain yield. Interactions of N source and N rate were noted for corn grain yield but these factors did not interact with timing of weed control. These results underscore that timely implementation of control tactics regardless of N fertility management is important to protect corn grain yield.

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Preserving Wildlife: An International Perspective

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc010146 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 146

Author(s):

Nadia Elizabeth Tapp

Keyword(s):

Wildlife Management ◽

Native Species ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Moral Values ◽

International Perspective ◽

Management Approaches ◽

Sport Hunting ◽

Selection Of

PRESERVING Wildlife: An International Perspective is an anthology of twenty papers exploring the issues related to the preservation of wildlife, with an emphasis on related management approaches. This topic is introduced philosophically with a discussion of moral values associated with human activities. Sport hunting, the medical aid of injured wild animals and the manipulation of wildlife during ecological field studies are discussed within this context. The focus then shifts to a selection of wildlife management strategies including habitat protection, captive breeding, culling of non-native species, eco-tourism and marketing of wildlife products.

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Do dense layers of invasive plants elevate the foraging intensity of small mammals in temperate deciduous forests? A case study from Pennsylvania, USA

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.56.49581 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 56 ◽

pp. 73-88

Author(s):

Ryan M. Utz ◽

Alysha Slater ◽

Hannah R. Rosche ◽

Walter P. Carson

Keyword(s):

Experimental Design ◽

Invasive Plants ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Small Mammal ◽

Capture Rate ◽

Tree Seedling ◽

Invasive Shrub ◽

Temperate Deciduous ◽

Temperate Deciduous Forests ◽

Capture Rates

Monospecific stands of invasive plants can dramatically restructure habitat for fauna, thereby elevating population densities or promoting foraging of consumer species who benefit in the altered habitat. For example, dense stands of invasive plants may protect small mammals from predators, which in turn could increase foraging pressure on seeds that small mammals feed upon. We used a before-after, control-impact experimental design to test whether small mammal capture rates were higher and giving-up densities (GUDs) lower beneath dense stands of Berberis thunbergii, an invasive shrub with a rapidly expanding range throughout eastern North America. Our experimental design included three plot categories: 1) plots heavily invaded by B. thunbergii, 2) control plots lacking invasive shrub cover, and 3) invaded plots where we eradicated B. thunbergii midway through the study. Although our overall small mammal capture rate was low, small mammal captures were 65% higher in B. thunbergii invaded habitat relative to control plots and eradication lowered capture rates by 77%. GUDs were also 26% higher within B. thunbergii relative to control plots and eradication decreased GUDs by 65%. Our findings suggest that small mammals perceive dense stands of B. thunbergii as relatively safe foraging habitat. Prior surveys within our study locations revealed dramatically depressed tree seedling densities under B. thunbergii, thus invasive plants may promote intensive foraging by small mammals and reduce recruitment for species with foraged seeds or seedlings.

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Volunteer potato interference in carrot

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-05-044r.1 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 94-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Martin M. Williams ◽

Rick A. Boydston

Keyword(s):

Weed Management ◽

Yield Loss ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Functional Relationships ◽

Weed Growth ◽

Volunteer Potato ◽

Tuber Production ◽

Hand Weeding ◽

Management Recommendations

Weed management systems in carrot are limited in part by a lack of fundamental understanding of crop–weed interactions. Irrigated field studies were conducted to quantify the effect of volunteer potato density and duration of interference on carrot yield and to determine relationships among weed density, duration of weed growth, and volunteer potato tuber production. A season-long volunteer potato density of 0.06 plants m−2produced from 150 to 230 g tubers m−2and resulted in an estimated 5% crop yield loss. At two volunteer potato plants m−2, the same level of crop loss was estimated with a duration of interference of 430 growing degree days (GDD), a time at which the weed had already produced 130 g tubers m−2. Volunteer potato height at the time of weed removal predicted carrot yield loss (R2= 0.77) and may be useful for timing of management strategies such as hand weeding. Functional relationships describing carrot–volunteer potato interactions provide simple information that is useful for developing weed management recommendations for carrot, a crop that relies on multiple tactics for managing weeds, and rotational crops that are negatively affected by persistence of volunteer potato.

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Richness, abundance, and mass in snake assemblages from two Atlantic Rainforest sites (Ilha do Cardoso, São Paulo) with differences in environmental productivity

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/s1676-06032008000300011 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 117-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha ◽

Helena Godoy Bergallo ◽

Carla Fabiane Vera y Conde ◽

Emerson Brum Bittencourt ◽

Hilda de Carvalho Santos

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Total Mass ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Lowland Forest ◽

Fruit Availability ◽

Paulo State ◽

Study Sites ◽

Capture Rates

We analyzed richness, composition and mass of snakes in two sites in the Atlantic forest of Ilha do Cardoso (25º 03' S and 47º 53' W), an island (22,500 ha), Cananéia municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. A monthly index of arthropod availability (in mm³) was estimated in each site through capture rates in pit-fall traps. Fallen fruits were collected along trails in the study sites (mass of fruit gave an index of fruit availability) and small mammals were sampled in grids with 120 traps which covered the lowland (5.2 ha) and in the slope forests (3.6ha). The abundance and mass of small mammals were standardized for the size of each sampled area (in g.ha-1). To sample snakes we established 20 pit-fall traps in each area and performed monthly transects in four consecutive days (totaling 1000 m long) along trails in the study sites. Snakes found were measured, weighted marked and released. Abundance and total mass of snakes were standardized by the size of each area. The areas differed consistently in in the productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, and also in richness, composition and total mass of snakes. We found 36 individuals (total mass = 9884 g) of 12 snake species belonging to three Families (Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae) in the lowland forest, whereas in the slope forest we sampled only 9 individuals of 2 species (total mass = 1820 g). Our results suggest that the area of lowland forest, showing higher productivity of arthropods, fruits and small mammals, maintains a snake community with a higher richness, diversity and biomass than its slope forest counterpart.

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Pathogen suppression by microbial volatile organic compounds in soils

FEMS Microbiology Ecology ◽

10.1093/femsec/fiz105 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 95 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Wietse de Boer ◽

Xiaogang Li ◽

Annelein Meisner ◽

Paolina Garbeva

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Growth Media ◽

Soil Borne Pathogens ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Pathogen Suppression

ABSTRACT There is increasing evidence that microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) play an important role in interactions between microbes in soils. In this minireview, we zoom in on the possible role of mVOCs in the suppression of plant-pathogenic soil fungi. In particular, we have screened the literature to see what the actual evidence is that mVOCs in soil atmospheres can contribute to pathogen suppression. Furthermore, we discuss biotic and abiotic factors that influence the production of suppressive mVOCs in soils. Since microbes producing mVOCs in soils are part of microbial communities, community ecological aspects such as diversity and assembly play an important role in the composition of produced mVOC blends. These aspects have not received much attention so far. In addition, the fluctuating abiotic conditions in soils, such as changing moisture contents, influence mVOC production and activity. The biotic and abiotic complexity of the soil environment hampers the extrapolation of the production and suppressing activity of mVOCs by microbial isolates on artificial growth media. Yet, several pathogen suppressive mVOCs produced by pure cultures do also occur in soil atmospheres. Therefore, an integration of lab and field studies on the production of mVOCs is needed to understand and predict the composition and dynamics of mVOCs in soil atmospheres. This knowledge, together with the knowledge of the chemistry and physical behaviour of mVOCs in soils, forms the basis for the development of sustainable management strategies to enhance the natural control of soil-borne pathogens with mVOCs. Possibilities for the mVOC-based control of soil-borne pathogens are discussed.

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Between Home and Work: Commuting as an Opportunity for Role Transitions

Organization Science ◽

10.1287/orsc.2020.1370 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jon M. Jachimowicz ◽

Julia Lee Cunningham ◽

Bradley R. Staats ◽

Francesca Gino ◽

Jochen I. Menges

Keyword(s):

Family Conflict ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Self Control ◽

Work Role ◽

Boundary Management ◽

Daily Routine ◽

Work Family Conflict ◽

Work Related ◽

Work Family

Across the globe, every workday people commute an average of 38 minutes each way, yet surprisingly little research has examined the implications of this daily routine for work-related outcomes. Integrating theories of boundary work, self-control, and work-family conflict, we propose that the commute to work serves as a liminal role transition between home and work roles, prompting employees to engage in boundary management strategies. Across three field studies (n = 1,736), including a four-week-long intervention study, we find that lengthy morning commutes are more aversive for employees with lower trait self-control and greater work-family conflict, leading to decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover. In addition, we find that employees who engage in a specific boundary management strategy we term role-clarifying prospection (i.e., thinking about the upcoming work role) are less likely to be negatively affected by lengthy commutes to work. Results further show that employees with higher levels of trait self-control are more likely to engage in role-clarifying prospection, and employees who experience higher levels of work-family conflict are more likely to benefit from role-clarifying prospection. Although the commute to work is typically seen as an undesirable part of the workday, our theory and results point to the benefits of using it as an opportunity to transition into one’s work role.

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Safety of U-Turns at Unsignalized Median Openings

Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board ◽

10.1177/0361198105191200109 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 1912 (1) ◽

pp. 72-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Herbert S. Levinson ◽

Ingrid B. Potts ◽

Douglas W. Harwood ◽

Jerome Gluck ◽

Darren J. Torbic

Keyword(s):

Safety Concern ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Left Turn ◽

Detailed Classification ◽

Local Access ◽

Accident Data ◽

State And Local ◽

Median Opening ◽

Alternate Routes

Many state and local transportation agencies install nontraversable medians on multilane highways to improve safety and travel times and to manage local access better. While nontraversable medians restrict direct left-turn access to and from adjacent developments, traffic destined for these locations must use alternate routes, some of which may involve making U-turns at nearby median openings–-a movement often referred to as an indirect left turn. Until recently, the safety effects of increased U-turn volumes have been largely unknown. NCHRP Project 17–21, Safety of U-Turns at Unsignalized Median Openings, documented the safety performance and operational effects of U-turns at median openings. This paper presents the key findings from that research. It presents a summary of key literature and current highway agency practice related to median openings, a detailed classification scheme for median openings, and a summary of the results of comprehensive field studies. The research results indicate that access management strategies that increase U-turn volumes at unsignalized median openings can be used safely and effectively. Analysis of accident data found that accidents related to U-turn and left-turn maneuvers at unsignalized median openings occur infrequently. In urban arterial corridors, unsignalized median openings experienced an average of 0.41 U-turn-plus-left-turn accidents per median opening per year. In rural arterial corridors, unsignalized median openings experienced an average of 0.20 U-turn-plus-left-turn accidents per median opening per year. On the basis of these limited accident frequencies, there is no indication that U-turns at unsignalized median openings are a major safety concern.

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Modelling the demography of crenate broomrape (Orobanche crenata) as affected by broad bean (Vicia faba) cropping frequency and planting date

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s004317450009281x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 261-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Francisca López-Granados ◽

Luis García-Torres

Keyword(s):

Broad Bean ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Field Studies ◽

Planting Date ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Cropping Frequency ◽

Seed Loss ◽

Model Predictions ◽

Reported Data

A mathematical model of crenate broomrape populations in broad bean as affected by cropping frequency and planting dates in the absence of crenate broomrape control practices was constructed using previously reported data. In consecutive broad bean cropping, broomrape populations reached a maximum infection severity (D) of 62, 47, and 30 emerged broomrape m−2for early (mid-October), intermediate (mid-November), and late (mid-December) planting dates, respectively. The maximumDvalues were reached earlier as planting dates were brought forward, taking from 4 to 6 yr, starting from very low initial infections (D ≤0.2 emerged broomrape m−2). If broad bean was cropped every 3 yr, 15, 21, and 27 yr were needed, respectively, according to the model, to reach the maximumDfor the three planting dates considered. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effect of changing the values of the main demographic parameters in broomrape life cycle (germination, attachment, and seed loss) on the output of the model under different management strategies (planting dates and cropping frequency). Generally, an increase in seed attachment and a decrease in seed loss affected broomrape population dynamics. Between the two processes evaluated, the time taken to reach the maximum infection severity (D) was less sensitive than the maximum broomrape population values. Model predictions were validated using results from long-term field studies at the late planting date sown every year. Simulated values generated good predictions (R2= 0.82).

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