Pine needle oil causes avoidance behaviors in pocket gopherGeomys bursarius

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Ecology
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Herbivorous mammals are deterred from feeding by secondary metabolites in coniferous tree essential oils.
• Plains pocket gophers are significant agricultural pests, causing damage through feeding and burrowing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of pine needle oil on the feeding behavior and other responses of plains pocket gophers.
• To evaluate the potential of pine needle oil constituents as natural repellents for pocket gopher damage control.

Main Methods:

• Feeding trials using sweet potato scented with pine needle oil versus mineral oil.
• Maze experiments to assess olfactory responses and spatial behavior in scented environments.
• Behavioral observations including food removal, goal entry, time spent, and gnawing frequency on treated materials.

Main Results:

• Pocket gophers consumed significantly less food scented with pine needle oil.
• Animals avoided pine needle oil-scented goals in mazes and reduced activity within them.
• Gnawing on electrical cable insulation soaked in pine needle oil was significantly reduced compared to mineral oil controls.
• d-Pulegone, a component, did not show aversive effects, indicating other compounds are responsible.

Conclusions:

• Constituents of pine needle oil are aversive to plains pocket gophers.
• These findings support the role of pine needle oil as a natural feeding deterrent in ecological contexts.
• Specific compounds within pine needle oil show promise as effective and environmentally friendly repellents for managing pocket gopher damage.