Social organization in free-living prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster

1986 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lowell L. Getz ◽  
Joyce E. Hofmann
Keyword(s):  
Social Organization ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Free Living

scholarly journals Social dynamics and dispersal in free-living prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty McGuire ◽  
Lowell L. Getz ◽  
William E. Bemis ◽  
Madan K. Oli
Keyword(s):  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Free Living

scholarly journals Social context alters spatial memory performance in free-living male prairie voles

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 190743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marissa A. Rice ◽  
Gloria Sanín ◽  
Alexander G. Ophir
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Intraspecific Competition ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Operational Sex Ratio ◽  
Contest Competition ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Male And Female

Spatial memory is crucial for mating success because it enables males to locate potential mates and potential competitors in space. Intraspecific competition and its varying intensity under certain conditions are potentially important for shaping spatial memory. For example, spatial memory could enable males to know where competitors are (contest competition), it could help males find mating partners (scramble competition) or both. We manipulated the intensity of intraspecific competition in two distinct contexts by altering the operational sex ratio of prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) living in outdoor enclosures by creating male- and female-biased sex ratios. After living freely under these contexts for four weeks, we compared males' performance in a laboratory spatial memory test. Males in the male-biased context demonstrated better spatial memory performance than males in the female-biased context. Notably, these data show that in spite of experiencing equally complex spatial contexts (i.e. natural outdoor enclosures), it was the social context that influenced spatial cognition, and it did so in a manner consistent with the hypothesis that spatial memory is particularly relevant for male–male interactions.

scholarly journals Chronic Intranasal Oxytocin has Dose-dependent Effects on Central Oxytocin and Vasopressin Systems in Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Neuroscience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 369 ◽  
pp. 292-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.D. Guoynes ◽  
T.C. Simmons ◽  
G.M. Downing ◽  
S. Jacob ◽  
M. Solomon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Dose Dependent

Do prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) change their activity and space use in response to domestic cat (Felis catus) excreta?

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Keane ◽  
Phillip J. Long ◽  
Yasmeen Fleifil ◽  
Nancy G. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Space Use ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Risk Of Predation

AbstractBehavioral changes that reduce the risk of predation in response to predator-derived odor cues are widespread among mammalian taxa and have received a great deal of attention. Although voles of the genus Microtus are staples in the diet of many mammalian predators, including domestic cats (Felis catus), there are no previous studies on vole space utilization and activity levels in response to odor cues from domestic cats. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate responses of adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) living in semi-natural habitats to odor cues from domestic cat excreta. Contrary to expectations, neither adult males or females showed significant changes in space use or willingness to enter traps in response to cat odors. One hypothesis to explain our results are that prairie voles have not co-evolved with domestic cats long enough to respond to their odors. Other possible explanations include whether levels of odors in the environment were sufficient to trigger a response or that the perceived risk of predation from odor cues alone did not outweigh relative costs of changing space use and activity levels. Future studies should consider multiple factors when determining what cues are sufficient to elicit antipredatory behavior.

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