Paula Covey

"Endophyte infected tall fescue grass and testosterone levels in prairie voles."
BSES Senior Research Project 2007

Abstract

The endophyte ( N. coenophialum) is known to infect 80 percent of Tall Fescue grass ( Fescuta arundinacea) across the United States. Tall Fescue grass makes up a large portion of the diet of the Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Previous studies have indicated that endophyte infected fescue seed lowers food intake, growth rate and reproductive activity in prairie voles. In this study prairie voles were studied in a more natural habitat. Prairie voles were trapped on 20m by 20m plots that were planted with either infected or uninfected fescue grass. Testosterone levels were tested to determine the effect that the endophyte was having on reproductive activity. It is known that environmental stressors such as weather patterns can also affect reproduction. Physical signs of reproductive activity were documented for each trapped animal so that they could be compared with testosterone levels. This study indicated that the endophyte, along with other environmental factors such as temperature had a nearly significant impact on testosterone levels in male prairie voles.

Figure 1. Tall Fescue grass