Impact of Livestock Grazing on Common Shrew Populations
Author Information
Author(s): Niels M. Schmidt, Henrik Olsen, Herwig Leirs
Primary Institution: National Environmental Research Institute, University of Aarhus
Hypothesis
How does livestock grazing intensity affect the abundance of Common shrews in Danish meadows?
Conclusion
Low intensity grazing does not negatively affect Common shrew abundance compared to ungrazed areas, while high intensity grazing significantly reduces their numbers.
Supporting Evidence
- High grazing intensity significantly reduced Common shrew numbers compared to low grazing and ungrazed controls.
- Common shrew abundance was generally higher in low grazing intensity plots than in ungrazed controls, but not significantly.
- No significant differences in body mass, sex ratio, or reproductive output were found among Common shrews from different grazing treatments.
Takeaway
This study found that Common shrews like to live in meadows with low grazing, but too much grazing makes them go away.
Methodology
The study involved trapping Common shrews in two meadows with different grazing intensities over several sessions.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding effects from using different livestock species for grazing treatments.
Limitations
The study was limited to two meadows, which may not represent all habitats for Common shrews.
Participant Demographics
Common shrews (Sorex araneus) were the primary species studied.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0038
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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