Peles and Barrett studied the effects of manipulated habitat, in the form of cover enhancements/reductions, and how that affected the population dynamics of meadow voles in southwestern Ohio. Twelve, 0.04 ha patches were set up to look at a reduction of cover by removing litter and harvesting above ground biomass to a height of 0.5 m, and enhanced cover by adding litter from reduced cover plots and laying down plywood squares within the plot. Each treatment type had four patches: reduced cover, enhanced cover, control. Body mass, population size and recruitment were significantly higher in the enhanced cover and control plots as compared to the reduced cover plot. Forage quality increased on the reduced cover plot, but the lack of cover lead to increase in predation. There was no significant difference in patch quality between the enhanced cover and control plots for population numbers and requirements were similar. The authors believed that the plywood boards reduced population numbers on the enhanced sites because territorial females were using them as breeding grounds and would run other females off.
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