Effects of mowing and burning on small mammal populations of a restored prairie.

Immediate and short-term effects of mowing and burning management on populations of small mammals inhabiting a reestablished grassland were evaluated. Mowed, burned, and unburned, unmowed areas were separately live-trapped during 1975 and 1976. Ten species were observed but only four were in sufficient numbers to be used for population estimations; these were Peromyscus maniculatus, Microtus ochrogaster, Perognathus flavescens, and Reithrodontoyms megalotis. Direct mortality was only observed as a consequence of buring; young Reithrodontoyms megalotis in surface nets were particularly susceptible. Immediately after both burning and mowing management R. megalotis and M. ochrogaster populations declined significantly. Pergnathus flavescens populations were not diminished by either practice. Peromyscus maniculatus populations did not decline after mowing and burning management select against certain other small mammal species, none of the four principal prairie species in this study were eliminated from either trapping area