Effects of enclosed large ungulates on small mammals at Land Between The Lakes, Kentucky

Abstract

Ungulates can affect primary production, plant and animal species composition, nutrient cycling, and soil properties. We conducted a study at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Land Between The Lakes to investigate the effects of introduced Elk (Cervus elaphus) and Bison (Bison bison) on small mammal fauna in a 324-ha enclosure. From June 1998 through May 1999, live traps were set for small mammals in open-canopy hardwood, closed-canopy hardwood, and pine sites both inside and outside the enclosure, for 7020 trap nights. Small mammals were captured significantly more often inside than outside the enclosure; habitat type was not a significant factor, Habitat management practices inside the ungulate enclosure, including burning, mowing, and fertilizing, may have contributed to the higher abundance of small mammals.