Influence of Forest Herbicide on Deer Mouse and Oregon Vole Population Dynamics

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Abstract
I investigated the direct effects of a forest application of glyphosate herbicide on recruitment, growth, and survival in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and Oregon voles (Microtus oregoni) by comparing populations in control and treatment habitats. Recruitment of deer mice declined during the first postspray summer and winter, but increased on the treatment area in subsequent years. Generally, there was little difference in recruitment of Oregon voles between control and treatment areas; survival of animals was similar on control and treatment areas. However, female voles did survive significantly (P < 0.05) better on the treatment than on the control area in the postspray summer 1982 and winter 1982-83. Lack of consistent differences in body mass and growth rates of deer mice and voles between control and treatment areas during postspary periods indicated that glyosphate had little or no direct effect on metabolic or general physiological processes in the development of young animals. The manifestation of physiological changes in individual animals that might have resulted from exposure to or ingestion of glyphosate was not apparent in demographic attributes at the population level.
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