Effects of grazing on the northern three‐toed jerboa pre‐ and post‐hibernation

Abstract

Resource availability pre‐hibernation and post‐hibernation may be crucial phases for the survival of hibernators. However, the effects of grazing on food availability in pre‐hibernation and on the winter survival of hibernating rodents remains unstudied. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of domestic sheep grazing on northern three‐toed jerboa (Dipus sagitta) populations pre‐, post‐, and during hibernation. We conducted a grazing exclusion experiment with randomized complete block design in the Alxa Desert, Inner Mongolia, China, from April to October 2006 to 2011. We live‐trapped jerboas in 3 grazed plots and 3 ungrazed plots. We measured the quantity of vegetation in grazed and ungrazed plots to determine the relationship between jerboas and plant food resources. We observed higher jerboa densities both pre‐ and post‐hibernation, and heavier individual body mass pre‐hibernation, in ungrazed sites. More food availability contributed to higher jerboa body mass in ungrazed areas during pre‐hibernation, and attracted more jerboas immigrating to ungrazed areas during the post‐hibernation period. These results demonstrate that grazing negatively affects the northern three‐toed jerboa population by adjusting food availability pre‐ and post‐hibernation; survival rates were not affected by grazing. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Activity strategy and pattern of the Siberian jerboa (Orientallactaga sibirica) in the Alxa desert region, China

“…Shrubs mainly consisted of Zygophyllum xanthoxylon , Nitraria tangutorum , Caragana brachypoda , Ceratoides latens , Oxytropis aciphylla , Artemisia sphaerocephala , and Artemisia xerophytica with Reaumuria soongorica as the dominant species. The major grasses/forbs species were Cleistogenes squarosa , Peqanum nigellastrum , Cynanchum komarovii , Salsola pestifer , Suaeda glauca , Bassia dasyphyll a, Corispermum mongolicum , Artemisia dubia , and Plantago lessingii ( Yuan et al, 2018 ). Coexistent rodent species included Dipodidae ( Orientallactaga sibirica , and Dipus sagitta ), Cricetidae ( Meriones meridianus , Cricetulus barabensis , and Phodopus roborovskii) and Sciuridae ( Spermophilus alaschanicus ) .…”

“…Samples were dried and the dry weight was taken. We measured the height of herb samples taken from a 1-m 2 plot, cut the herbs and dried them, then took the dry weight ( Yuan et al, 2018 ). We estimated the aboveground standing biomass of shrubs, grasses, and forbs by species.…”

The effect of grazing on winter survival of midday gerbil (Meriones meridianus) of different genders

“…Shrubs mainly consist of Zygophyllum xanthoxylon , Nitraria tangutorum , Caragana brachypoda , Ceratoides latens , Oxytropis aciphylla , Artemisia sphaerocephala, and Artemisia xerophytica , with Reaumuria soongorica as the dominant species. The major grasses/forbs species are Cleistogenes squarosa , Peqanum nigellastrum , Cynanchum komarovii , Salsola pestifer Suaeda glauca , Bassia dasyphylla , Corispermum mongolicum , Artemisia dubia, and Plantago lessingii (Yuan et al., 2018). Midday gerbil, northern three‐toed jerboa ( Dipus sagitta ), and Mongolian five‐toed jerboa ( Allactaga sibirica ) are dominant small‐mammal species, and predators such as long‐eared hedgehog ( Hemiechinus auritus ), Eurasian eagle owl ( Bubo bubo ), Marbled polecat ( Vormela peregusna ), and Corsac fox ( Vulpes corsac ) are also present in the system (Wu & Fu, 2005; Xu, 2013).…”

“…A 7 × 8 gerbil trapping grid (0.96 ha) at a 15‐m intertrap distance was established at the center of each plot (60 ha). One wire‐mesh live trap (42 cm × 17 cm × 13 cm) was placed at each trap station (Yuan et al., 2018). A wooden protective box (15 cm × 7 cm × 10 cm) is placed inside each live cage to protect rodents from natural enemies, precipitation, or low temperatures.…”

“…So the grazing affect the life of rodent may influenced by many external condition and different object. Most studies have assessed the responses of rodent density or population growth rates to grazing (Cockburn & Lidicker, 1983; Klemolaet al, 2000; Rosi et al., 2009), while few studies have investigated the effects of grazing on demographic rates such as survival probabilities of small mammals with different genders (Keesing, 1998b; Korslund & Steen, 2006; Yuan et al., 2018).…”