Response of two prairie forbs to repeated vole herbivory

Abstract

Vertebrate herbivores as diverse as ungulates, geese, and rabbits preferentially feed on plants that have previously experienced herbivory. Here, we ask whether smaller grassland "cryptic consumers" such as voles (Microtus ochrogaster and M. pennsylvanicus) preferentially clip (cut stems for access to leaves or seeds) or avoid previously clipped individuals of two tallgrass prairie species (Desmanthus illinoensis and Echinacea purpurea) within a growing season. Further, we ask how these plants respond to repeated clipping within a growing season, and whether the effects of this herbivory last into the subsequent growing season. Voles preferentially clipped stems of D. illinoensis and E. purpurea plants that had been previously clipped. The exception was indiscriminant clipping of stems of E. purpurea late in the growing season when its achenes, a favorite vole food, ripened. For D. illinoensis, repeated clipping resulted in a 59% reduction in biomass, 42% lower ratio of reproductive to vegetative biomass, and 57% fewer seeds produced per plant compared with unclipped plants. These effects lasted into the following growing season in which plants were protected from voles. In contrast, the only effect of repeated clipping for E. purpurea was that the number of achenes per plant was substantially reduced by three episodes of clipping. This effect did not carry over to the next growing season. Such differences in D. illinoensis and E. purpurea response to repeated stem clipping by voles offer insights into how these small rodents can effect major changes in composition and dominance in grassland communities.

Climatic stress mediates the impacts of herbivory on plant population structure and components of individual fitness

“…and ). Together, these results suggest that the frequency of both large and small plants is more strongly affected by chronic, low‐severity herbivory pressure than by infrequent‐but‐catastrophic herbivory events (such as by elephants), as has also been seen in other systems (Sullivan & Howe ).…”

To mulch or not to mulch? Effects of gravel mulch toppings on plant establishment and development in ornamental prairie plantings

“…Additionally, its population was heavily affected by mice herbivory from 2012 on (digging and feeding on the roots and rhizomes, no further investigation). Herbivore preferences for Echinacea and Liatris species are well documented for leaves and seeds [38, 39], as well as for the tuberous roots [40, 41]. L .…”

Small rodent population cycles and plants – after 70 years, where do we go?

“…Vaccinium myrtillus/ericoids/shrubs(Dahlgren et al, 2009a*;Dahlgren et al, 2009b*; Grellman, 2002*; Hambäck & Ekerholm, 1997*; Hambäck et al, 2004*;Hoset et al, 2017*;Oksanen & Oksanen, 1981), Empetrum nigrum(Dahlgren et al, 2009b*), mosses(Kalela & Koponen, 1971*;Oksanen & Oksanen, 1981;Virtanen et al, 1997*), herbs(Moen & Oksanen, 1998*), deciduous shrubs, Medicago sativa(Truszkowski, 1982*), Desmanthus illinoensis(Sullivan & Howe, 2011*). Response was greatest (or only present) in winter season(Hambäck et al, 2004*;Howe & Brown, 2000*;Ravolainen et al, 2014*).…”