Effect of invasive plant removal on the density of Peromyscus sonoriensis (western deer mice) in Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA.

Ecological Restoration
By: , and 

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Abstract

Non-native plants can affect communities through direct competition, and by providing refuge to seed predators, creating apparent competition with native plants. Ammophila arenaria (European beachgrass) has been introduced to coastal dune habitats throughout the western United States where it forms dense monocultures, stabilizes dunes, and alters abiotic and biotic conditions. The dominance of European beachgrass has been linked to declines of Lupinus tidestromii (Tidestrom’s lupine), an herb endemic to coastal dune communities in central and northern California. Peromyscus sonoriensis (western deer mice), a native seed predator, use beachgrass as refuge from predators. Tidestrom’s lupine plants near European beachgrass stands experience greater predation pressure from deer mice. At Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA (PRNS), mechanical removal, manual pulling, and herbicide treatment have been used to reduce the density of European beachgrass near Tidestrom’s lupine populations. We trapped deer mice at five sites in PRNS that experienced different management regimes and used spatially-explicit capture-recapture models to estimate deer mouse density as a function of site and habitat treatment. We found that deer mouse density was lowest in areas where European beachgrass was mechanically removed and in herbicide-treated foredunes, and highest in areas highly invaded by European beachgrass and Carpobrotus spp. (iceplant). The density of deer mice increased from 2021 to 2022 at every site except one that underwent extensive mechanical removal of European beachgrass from 2010-2011. This study shows enduring effects of European beachgrass removal on the density of a native seed predator and highlights the importance of habitat management for conservation of Tidestrom’s lupine.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Effect of invasive plant removal on the density of Peromyscus sonoriensis (western deer mice) in Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA.
Series title Ecological Restoration
DOI 10.3368/er.42.4.271
Volume 42
Issue 4
Publication Date December 11, 2024
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher University of Wisconsin Press
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description 14 p.
First page 271
Last page 283
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial Point Reyes National Seashore
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