UNH Today has an article (here it is) about research into how small woodland mammals that depend on tree seeds for much of their food – shrews, voles, mice – react to the way wild seed crops (“mast”) fluctuate wildly from year to year.
During years with significant masting events, many small mammals breed later in the season to align peak lactation with peak seed availability. Conversely, when seeds are scarce, these animals breed earlier, relying on stored resources to support their offspring.
There’s more to this than “gosh, that’s interesting” – although it is interesting.
By aligning their reproductive strategies with the availability of seeds, these animals play a crucial role in the health and regeneration of forests. The timing of their reproduction influences seed dispersal and tree regeneration, both of which are essential for maintaining biodiversity and stability within forest ecosystems.
Note that this is the result of a 12-year study -12 years! – at the Bartlett Experimental Forest in the White Mountains. That’s why experimental forests were established, to allow long-term research.
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