Supplemental Food and Two Island Populations of Peromyscus leucopus

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Abstract
Supplemental food was supplied to two island populations of Peromyscus leucopus in northwest Arkansas. Females responded to availability of supplemental food with a longer reproductive season. However, with increased reproduction female survival rate decreased and reproduction did not increase in summer months even with supplemental food. With supplemental food males had higher mass compared to males without supplemental food. Non-adult survival to a reproductive age increased with the addition of supplemental food as opposed to non-adults without extra food. Responses of Peromyscus leucopus suggest that food limitation occurred in these populations.