This study was initiated in 1973 in a 2-ha oak/hickory woodlot
(Carter Woods), 3 km northeast of Bowling Green, Ohio. We now
have 34 years of data from live-trapping and nestbox sampling.
Our main interest is to understand the biotic and abiotic factors
that drive population density. As a part of this effort we study
social behavior and life history tactics.
A sampling of results
1. The relationship between mast crop and population density (Vessey
and Vessey, 2007):
Hickory nuts have been counted in mid-October for most years since 1986. Nut production by the dominant trees, shag-bark hickories, is highly irregular, with some bumper crops:
We found a strong correlation between the size of the mast crop and the number of overwintering mice as seen the following April (= spring mice). Peak densities the following August (= peak mice) were only weakly correlated with mast crop:
Earlier Work
2. Natal dispersal differs between the sexes: Females seem to
disperse to the nearest available site, whereas males show a u-shaped
pattern, with some males remaining near the natal area and others
settling > 100 meters away (Jacquot and Vessey 1995).
3. Recruits from litters vary as a function of both season and parity: Litters from females having their first and second litters in spring were the most successful. Numbers above bars represent number of litters (Jacquot and Vessey, 1998).
Wang, G., J. O. Wolff, S. H. Vessey, N. A. Slade, J. W. Witham, J. F. Merritt, M. L. Hunter, Jr. and S. P. Elias. 2009. Comparative population dynamics of Peromyscus leucopus in North America: influences of climate, food, and density dependence. Population Ecology 51:133-142
Vessey, S. H. and K. B. Vessey. 2007. Linking behavior, life history and food supply with the population dynamics of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Integrative Zoology 2:123-130.
Lewellen, R. H. and S. H. Vessey. 1999. Analysis of fragmented
time series data using Box-Jenkins models. Communications in Statistics
- Simulation and Computation 28:667-685.
Bruseo, J., S. H. Vessey, and J. Graham. 1999. Discrimination
between Peromyscus maniculatus and P. leucopus in the field. Acta
Theriologica 44:151-160.
Lewellen, R. H. and S. H. Vessey. 1999. Estimating Peromyscus
leucopus densities using live-trap and nestbox censuses. J. Mammal.
80:400-409.
Lewellen, R. H. and S. H. Vessey. 1998. The effect of density
dependence and weather on population size of a polyvoltine species:
the importance of time scale. Ecol. Mongr. 68:571-594.
Jacquot, J. J. and S. H. Vessey. 1998. Recruitment of offspring
in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) as a function of parity
and season. J. Mammal. 79:312-319.
Lewellen, R. H. and S. H. Vessey. 1998. Modeling biotic and abiotic
influences on population size in small mammals. Oecologia 113:210-218.
Jacquot, J.J. and S.H. Vessey. 1995. Influence of the natal environment
on dispersal of white-footed mice. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 37:407-412.
Jacquot, J.J. and S.H. Vessey. 1994. Non-offspring nursing in
the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Anim. Behav. 48:1238-1240.
Cummings, J.C. and S.H. Vessey. 1994. Agricultural influences
on movement patterns of white footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus).
Am. Mid. Nat. 132:209-218.
Schug, M.D., S.H. Vessey, and E.M. Underwood. 1992. Paternal behavior
in a natural population of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus).
Am. Mid. Nat. 127:373-380.
Korytko, A.I. and S.H. Vessey. 1991. Agonistic and spacing behavior
in white-footed mice. Anim. Behav. 42:913-919.
Schug, M.D., S.H. Vessey, A.I. Korytko. 1991. Longevity and survival
in a population of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). J.
Mamm. 72:360-366.
Krohne, D.T., J.E. Merritt, S.H. Vessey, and J.O. Wolff. 1988.
Comparative demography of forest Peromyscus. Can. J. Zool. 66:2170-2176.
Vessey, S.H. 1987 Long term population trends in white-footed
mice and the effects of supplemental food and shelter. Amer. Zool.
27:879-890.
Goundie, T. R. and S. H. Vessey. 1986. Survival and dispersal
of young white-footed mice born in nest boxes. J. Mammal. 67:53-60.
Vessey, S. H. and L. H. Mitchell. 1978. Immigration by white-footed
mice (Peromyscus leucopus): absence of females. Ohio J. Sci. 78:282-283.
Rintamaa, D. L., P. A. Mazur and S. H. Vessey. 1976. Reproduction
during two annual cycles in a population of Peromyscus leucopus
noveboracensis. J. Mammal. 57:593-595.
Links to other sites on Peromyscus
The Peromyscus Genetic
Stock Center of USC
