%0 Journal Article %J The Prairie Naturalist %D 1989 %T Small mammals in tallgrass prairie: patterns associated with grazing and burning %A Clark, B.K. %A D.W. Kaufman %A Finck, E.J. %A Kaufman, G.A. %K tallgrass prairie %X

Impacts of cattle grazing and prescribed spring burning on small mammals were assessed in (1) ungrazed and unburned, (2) ungrazed and burned, and (3) grazed and burned grassland habitats in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. Twelve species of small mammals were represented by the 287 individuals captured. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus; 41% of all individuals), Elliot's short-tailed shrews (Blarina hylophaga; 22%), white-footed mice (P. leucopus; 14%), and prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster; 11%) were the four most common species. Deer mice avoided ungrazed, unburned sites, whereas Elliot's short-tailed shrews and prairie voles were most abundant in ungrazed, unburned habitats. Habitat use by these species was probably influenced by differences in amount of litter and vegetation cover resulting from grazing and burning. White-footed mice were most common in grazed, burned sites, probably due to the numerous shrub patches in this habitat. Assemblage diversity and total numbers of small mammals captured were not significantly influenced by either grazing or burning

%B The Prairie Naturalist %V 21 %P 177 -184 %G eng %M KNZ00219