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PE EIE[R-Rg RESEARCH ON - HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

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proportionally about the same for each plot .<br />

Future studies will tell us what fractions of<br />

this biomass are attributable to variou s<br />

nutrient substances ; that is, what the chemical<br />

constitution of these small mammal bodies is .<br />

We can already make preliminary estimate s<br />

of energy flow through these small mamma l<br />

populations. The initial energy source for ecosystems<br />

is sunlight. It is fixed by green plants<br />

and may be passed to populations of plant -<br />

eating animals. Within animal population s<br />

energy is used in respiration and tissue production<br />

and may also be passed on to othe r<br />

(predatory) animal populations . Much less<br />

energy is expended in tissue production tha n<br />

respiration .<br />

We can combine published data on the<br />

caloric value of animal tissue and on smal l<br />

mammal metabolic rates with our estimates o f<br />

biomass and information on populatio n<br />

dynamics to estimate the energy consumed i n<br />

tissue production and respiration for ou r<br />

small mammal populations .<br />

The energy incorporated in tissue production,<br />

for small mammals, has been estimate d<br />

to average 1 .5 kcal/gm (Gorecki 1965) . Th e<br />

energy expended by the animal in its dail y<br />

activity-the metabolic rate-varies by species .<br />

The values used in our calculations are given<br />

in table 3 .<br />

We do not as yet have a detailed knowledg e<br />

of the dynamics of these small mammal populations.<br />

However, we now know enough t o<br />

establish upper and lower limits of energ y<br />

Table 3 .-Metabolic rates used in calculating the energy<br />

expended in respiration by small mammal s<br />

Species Cal/gm/day Authority<br />

Sorex trowbridgei 806 Pearson (1948 )<br />

S. vagrans 920 Pearson (1948), Gebczyski (1965 )<br />

Neurotrichus gibbsi 800 Authors' estimate<br />

Microtus oregoni 500 Estimate based on value fo r<br />

red-backed vole (Pearson 1947)<br />

Peromyscus maniculatus 440 McNab (1963)<br />

Table 4.-Estimated energy flow (respiration + tissue production )<br />

through small mammal population s<br />

(kcal per hectare per year )<br />

Species Minimum Maximu m<br />

Sorex trowbridgei 5,250 15,75 0<br />

S_ vagrans 3,470 7,42 0<br />

Neurotrichus gibbsi 2,760 6,81 0<br />

Microtus oregoni 4,300 6,43 0<br />

Peromyscus maniculatus 4,450 6,86 0<br />

Total 20,230 43,27 0<br />

202

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