scholarly journals Gonadal hormones modulate sex differences in judgments of relative numerousness in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Ferkin ◽  
Andrew A. Pierce ◽  
Robert O. Sealand
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Gonadal Hormones ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Relative Numerousness

scholarly journals Male and female meadow voles Microtus pennsylvanicus respond differently to scent marks from the top- middle-, and bottom-scent donors of an over-mark

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Ferkin ◽  
Nicholas J. Hobbs ◽  
Benjamin D. Ferkin ◽  
Adam C. Ferkin ◽  
Daniel A. Ferkin
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Receptive Female ◽  
Scent Mark ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals

Abstract Previous studies have shown that individuals responded preferentially to the mark of the top-scent donor relative to that of the bottom-scent donor of an over-mark. However, terrestrial mammals are likely to encounter over-marks consisting of the scent marks of more than two same-sex conspecifics in the intersections of runways, near the nests of sexually receptive female conspecifics, and inside and along the borders of the territories of conspecifics. We determined how meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, respond to the marks of the top-, middle-, and bottom-scent donors of an over-mark. We tested the hypothesis that voles exposed to an over-mark will respond preferentially to the scent marks that were deposited more recently, the scent marks that were on top or near the top of the over-mark, compared to the scent marks that were deposited earlier or near the bottom of the over-mark. Voles spent more time investigating the mark of the top-scent donor than that of the either the middle- or bottom-scent donor. However, males but not female voles spent more time investigating the middle-scent mark than the bottom-scent mark. We also tested the hypothesis that voles evaluate and respond to over-marks differently from single scent marks. Voles spent more time investigating the marks of the top-, middle-, and bottom-scent donors compared to scent marks that were not part of the over-mark. Voles can distinguish among the overlapping scent marks of three scent donors and sex differences exist in the values they appear to attach to each of these scent marks.

scholarly journals Influence of gonadal hormones on odours emitted by male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

Reproduction ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Ferkin ◽  
M. R. Gorman ◽  
I. Zucker
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Gonadal Hormones ◽  
Meadow Voles

Sex differences in olfactory social recognition memory in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus

Ethology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 126 (10) ◽  
pp. 993-1003
Author(s):  
Kelsey E. Clark ◽  
Kaitlynn A. Messler ◽  
Michael H. Ferkin
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Recognition Memory ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Social Recognition Memory

Winter coexistence of voles in spruce forest: relevance of seasonal changes in aggression

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 1004-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian N. Turner ◽  
Michael R. Perrin ◽  
Stuart L. Iverson
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Spruce Forest ◽  
Vole Population ◽  
Reproductive Condition ◽  
Interspecific Aggression ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Short Period

Beginning in November 1973, numerous meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) moved onto a spruce forest grid occupied by red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). A resident meadow vole population resulted, the two species coexisting until April 1974, when most meadow voles disappeared from the grid during a relatively short period. Interspecific aggression levels, as determined from voles temporarily removed from the populations and tested in paired encounters in a laboratory arena, were low during the winter, but increased when males of both species entered reproductive condition in the spring. Microtus was generally dominant in early breeding period encounters, but this dominance declined concurrently with the meadow voles' disappearance from the forest. It is argued that meadow voles did not leave the forest to breed, or because the snow cover melted, since this species will live and reproduce in forest in the absence of Clethrionomys. The results are interpreted as support for an earlier hypothesis that competitive habitat exclusion varies seasonally with reproduction-related aggression. Thus, these species apparently may coexist in either of their preferred habitats when interspecific aggression is low (the nonbreeding season), but this relationship terminates when interspecific aggression levels increase with the resumption of breeding in the spring.

scholarly journals Gender-specific modulation of short-term neuroplasticity in the visual cortex induced by transcranial direct current stimulation

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
LEILA CHAIEB ◽  
ANDREA ANTAL ◽  
WALTER PAULUS
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Gonadal Hormones ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Significant Difference

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method of modulating levels of cortical excitability. In this study, data gathered over a number of previously conducted experiments before and after tDCS, has been re-analyzed to investigate correlations between sex differences with respect to neuroplastic effects. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs), phosphene thresholds (PTs), and contrast sensitivity measurements (CSs) are used as indicators of the excitability of the primary visual cortex. The data revealed that cathodally induced excitability effects 10 min post stimulation with tDCS, showed no significant difference between genders. However, stimulation in the anodal direction revealed sex-specific effects: in women, anodal stimulation heightened cortical excitability significantly when compared to the age-matched male subject group. There was no significant difference between male and female subjects immediately after stimulation. These results indicate that sex differences exist within the visual cortex of humans, and may be subject to the influences of modulatory neurotransmitters or gonadal hormones which mirror short-term neuroplastic effects.

scholarly journals The duration of sociosexual behaviors in male meadow voles Microtus pennsylvanicus varies before, during, and after copulation

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashlee A. Vaughn ◽  
Daniel A. Ferkin ◽  
Javier Delbarco-Trillo ◽  
Michael H. Ferkin
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Voles

Abstract The behaviors that surround copulation are characterized as sociosexual behaviors. These behaviors displayed by males that are directed at females may include allogrooming, wrestling, chasing, approach, and time spent together. The data supported the hypothesis that the duration of sociosexual behaviors differs during the pre-copulatory, peri-copulatory, and post-copulatory phases of the mating bout in meadow voles. Voles spent more time approaching conspecifics during the pre- and peri-copulatory phases than during the post-copulatory phase. Voles spent more time allogrooming, wrestling, and chasing during the pre-copulatory phase than during the peri- and post-copulatory phases. Voles spent similar amounts of time together during the pre-, peri-, and post-copulatory phases. The data suggest that sociosexual behaviors displayed by males may be involved in setting the pace and temporal components of the mating bout. During the pre-copulatory phase particular behaviors by male voles may attract females, during the peri-copulatory phase some of these behaviors may stimulate or motivate the female to mate, and during the post-copulatory phase certain behaviors may prepare the male to mate again.

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