StatusofKonza SmallMammalResearch2018

AndrewGHopeSabrinaGragg

AgustinJimenez-Ruiz(SIU)Vasyl Tkach (UND)JesseNippert

Konza SmallMammalsAre:

• Consumers– herbivores,granivores/frugivores,insectivores

• Seeddispersers– larderhoarders

• Sourcesoffertilizer– excrement,urine

• Sourcesofdisturbance– positive,negative

• Hoststoparasitesandcarriersofdisease– complexlifecycles,zoonotics

Questions1. Howdosmallmammalcommunitydynamicsvaryacrossgrazingand

firetreatments?(Kaufman)

2. Asconsumers:a) Howdoesdietvarybyspecies,byexperimentaltreatment,andthroughtime?b) Whatistherelativeimportanceofsmallmammalsvs.otherconsumergroupsc) Whataretheyeating?

3. Asparasitehosts:a) WhataretheparasitesandpathogensoccurringonKonza?b) Isprevalenceofparasites/pathogensinfluencedbyexperimentaltreatment?c) Whataretheco-evolutionaryrelationshipsbetweenhostsandparasites

(generalistvs.specialistparasites)?

FieldSampling - 5years(2016-2020),samplingonceperyear(summer)- 8watersheds(1D,SpB,SuB,4B,4F,20B,R1A,R20A)- 2transects/treatment,40trapseach,4nights- blue=catchandrelease,red=specimenremoval

LabMethods1

• Specimencuration•Collectionoftissues• Organs• Fur• Parasites• Skeletons

LabMethods2• Identificationofparasites• 3newspeciesofnematodes• 2fromleastshrews• 1frompocketmice

• Lyme-positiveshrews• Ongoingbiodiversitysurveys

StableIsotopes,ConsumerNiches,WoodyEncroachment

• AnalyzeCandNisotopicratiostoinvestigatedifferencesindietaryniche:• Intra-specificandinter-specific• Seasonal(intra-annual):

• Fur– reflectsspringdiet• Liver– reflectssummerdiet

• Inter-annualvariation– 2016,2017• Variationacrosswatersheds:

• Annual• 4Year• 20Year BiaGragg – ArtSciUGO

Scholarship2018

Hypotheses

1. Resourceusebysmallmammalswillbesignificantlydifferentbetweengrasslandandwoodlandhabitats

2. Dietarybreadthofspecieswillbegreaterinthemorefloristicallydiversewoodyhabitats

3. Dietarynichewillbemorestablethroughtimeinwoodyhabitatsthaningrasslandswhichexperiencehighervariabilitythroughseasonalfireandgreaterexposure

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1

4

7

10

C3

PLANTS

C4

PLANTS

P. leucopus

P. maniculatus

Liver 2016201720162017

2016201720162017

Liver

Fur

Fur

Arthropod

δ13C (‰)

δ15N

(‰)

PreliminaryResults– 2species(white-footed/deermouse),limitedsamples

• Differentfundamentalniches

• Variability:• Intra-annual• Inter-annual

• GeneralistDiet

Conclusions?

• Asgrasslandsexperiencewoodyencroachment,consumerschange,alongwithresourceuse.

• Woodyhabitatsappeartoprovideanarrowandstabledietcomparedwithgrasslands.

• But…• Whataretheyactuallyeating?• Whataboutthesespeciesinotherhabitats?• Whataboutotherspecies(CommunityDynamics)?

Sampling– 5dominantspecies

• Prairievole:N=32– Annual,4Year,Reversal(R1A)

• White-footedmouse:N=32– 4Year,Reversal,20Year(20B)

• Deermouse:N=28– Annual,4Year,Reversal

• Harvestmouse:N=8– Annual,4Year

• Cottonrat:N=32– 4Year,Reversal,20Year

dN(perm

il)

dC (permil)

Liver(SummerDiet)WholeCommunity

Example:Prairievole

• Generallyagrasslandspecies• Annual• 4Year• Reversals

• TrueHerbivore

dN(perm

il)

dC (permil)

Inter-annualVariationinCarbon

C3 C4

dN(perm

il)

dC (permil)

Season-specificNitrogenShifts

C3 C4

NextSteps• Multi-variateStatistics• Nicheellipses• Nicheoverlap• Temporalshiftsthroughnichespace• BayesianMixingModels• Foodgroupassignments

Thanks:RoryO’Connor

Questionsordiscussion?

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-28Liver Fur

δ13C

(‰)

µ σ²

* *µ σ²

* *

-2

0

2

4

6

8

δ15N

(‰)

Liver Fur

µ σ²

* µ σ²

*

PreliminaryResults– Continued…

• Differentmeanandvariance

• WoodlandDiet:• Narrow• Stable

• GrasslandDiet:• Broader• Morevariable

(Summer) (Spring) (Summer) (Spring)

GrasslandWoodland

dN(perm

il)

dC (permil)

Fur(SpringDiet)WholeCommunity

dN(perm

il)

dC (permil)

Intra-specificvariationamongtreatments?

C3 C4