The woodland vole on Konza Prairie Biological Station,Kansas

摘要

Since 1981, we have surveyed small mammals in native tallgrass prairie and embedded forest and woodland habitats at Konza Prairie Biological Station near Manhattan, Kansas.One of the species of small mammals that was expected and then recorded was the woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum; Bee et al. 1981; Finck at al. 1986). Woodland voles were reported to be uncommon on Konza Prairie during the period of 1981-1985; only four individuals were captured in over 30,000 trap nights (Finck et al. 1986).These four individuals are the only woodland voles recorded for Konza Prairie through spring 2009, although we have surveyed small mammals every year for 28 years. We primarily have conducted surveys in grassland habitat (ca. 300,000 trap nights), including lowland prairie near ravines, but we also have surveyed a number of woodland sites as well as grassland sites invaded by woody vegetation (ca. 15,000 trap nights).