Studies of Natural Populations of White-Footed Mice: Reduction of Reproduction at Varying Densities

A population of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis) on an 11-ha area was studied monthly during 1983-1989 with 600 live-traps and with 254 wooden nest boxes attached to trees. I hypothesized that regulation of population growth would occur each year in the same area at markedly different numerical levels and that the characteristics of reproductive curtailment would be similar between animals in populations of widely different densities. More than 90% of the population known to be alive were captured each month;