scholarly journals Numerical response of predators to large variations of grassland vole abundance, long-term community change and prey switches

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Giraudoux ◽  
Aurélien Levret ◽  
Eve Afonso ◽  
Michael Coeurdassier ◽  
Geoffroy Couval
Keyword(s):  
Large Amplitude ◽  
Population Control ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Vole Population ◽  
Predator Species ◽  
Annual Population

AbstractVoles can reach high densities with multi-annual population fluctuations of large amplitude, and they are at the base of large and rich communities of predators in temperate and arctic food webs. This status places them at the heart of management conflicts wherein crop protection and health concerns are often raised against conservation issues. Here, a 20-year survey describes the effects of large variations in grassland vole populations on the densities and the daily theoretical food intakes (TFI) of vole predators based on roadside counts. Our results show how the predator community responds to prey variations of large amplitude and how it reorganized with the increase in a dominant predator, here the red fox, which likely negatively impacted hare, European wildcat and domestic cat populations. They also indicate which subset of predator species might have a role in vole population control in the critical phase of a low density of grassland voles. Our study provides empirical support for more timely and better focused actions in wildlife management and vole population control, and it supports an evidence-based and constructive dialogue about management targets and options between all stakeholders of such socio-ecosystems.

Macroinfauna of Northern New England marine sand. IV. Infaunal ecology of Amphiporeia virginiana Shoemaker, 1933 (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 1511-1519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Hager ◽  
Robert A. Croker
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
New England ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Breeding Period ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Marine Sand ◽  
Annual Population ◽  
Early Fall

Amphiporeia virginiana occurs from Nova Scotia to South Carolina where it is a dominant inhabitant of high energy sand beaches. Maximum abundance occurs on the lower foreshore in fine sand particularly during summer months. Within-habitat segregation of sexes occurs, with females more abundant at higher beach levels; ovigerous females are confined to higher levels only. Annual population fluctuations of up to 14-fold on a geometric basis are related to life history events and sedimentary changes. Breeding occurs during most of the year with peak recruitment during June and late summer to early fall, yielding summer and overwintering generations. Precopulating animals are commonly seen swimming, with two males per female occasionally evident. Females produce a mean of 6–11 eggs during the year and have one brood per breeding period. The species is a detritivore and generally inhabits the upper 2.5 cm of sand. It is most tolerant of salinities in the range of 25–35‰; mortality increases rapidly in salinities less than 20‰, and in sediments containing less than 11% water by weight exposed to temperatures simulating hot summer days.

The role of seasonality in vole cycles

1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 2871-2872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Ostfeld ◽  
Robert H. Tamarin
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
High Population Density ◽  
Vole Population ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuations ◽  
Microtus Californicus ◽  
Vole Cycles ◽  
California Vole

We examined the assertion that seasonal fluctuations in food availability are necessary for vole cycles to take place by studying the dynamics of a California vole (Microtus californicus) population inhabiting a relatively aseasonal environment. That population was one of the most stable (noncyclic) microtine populations yet described. Reproduction was comparatively aseasonal but appeared to be suppressed at high population density. We suggest that the role of seasonality in vole population fluctuations deserves further study.

Use of host population reduction to control wildlife infection: rabbits and paratuberculosis

2008 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. DAVIDSON ◽  
G. MARION ◽  
P. C. L. WHITE ◽  
M. R. HUTCHINGS
Keyword(s):  
Population Control ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Rabbit Population ◽  
Population Reduction ◽  
Annual Population

SUMMARYReduction in wildlife populations is a common method for the control of livestock infections which have wildlife hosts, but its success is dependent on the characteristics of the infection itself, as well as on the spatial and social structure of the wildlife host. Paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis; Map) is a widespread and difficult infection to control in livestock populations and also has possible links to Crohn's disease in humans. Rabbits have recently been identified as a key wildlife species in terms of paratuberculosis persistence in the environment and risk to the wider host community, including cattle. Here we use a spatially explicit stochastic simulation model of Map dynamics in rabbit populations to quantify the effects of rabbit population control on infection persistence. The model parameters were estimated from empirical studies of rabbit population dynamics and rabbit-to-rabbit routes of Map transmission. Three rabbit control strategies were compared: single unrepeated population reductions based on removing individual animals; single unrepeated population reductions based on removal of entire social groups; and repeated annual population reductions based on removing individual animals. Unrealistically high rabbit culls (>95% population reduction) are needed if infection is to be eradicated from local rabbit populations with a single one-off population reduction event, either of individuals or social groups. Repeated annual culls are more effective at reducing the prevalence of infection in rabbit populations and eradicating infection. However, annual population reductions of >40% are required over extended periods of time (many years). Thus, using an approach which is both highly conservative and parsimonious with respect to estimating lower bounds on the time to eradicate the infection, we find that Map is extremely persistent in rabbit populations and requires significant and prolonged effort to achieve control.

scholarly journals The importance of predator species in the population dynamics of the Brown hares (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778) – Literature review

2017 ◽  
pp. 43-49
Author(s):  
Péter Farkas ◽  
Szilvia Kusza ◽  
István Majzinger
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Game Management ◽  
Nature Protection ◽  
Predator Species ◽  
Small Game ◽  
Important Prey

One of the conditions for successful small game management is the good management of predator species. The predator species play an important role in the sustainable utilization of the domestic brown hare populations. A portion of these species are under nature protection and with the rest of the species can be utilizing by the wildlife management professionals. Important prey species of brown hares: perspective are red fox, domestic dog and domestic cat. Based on latest date of the National Game Management Database in hunting bags increasing every year the number of the European badger, the stone marten and the golden jackal. In Hungary the brown hare’s most important predator bird species are common buzzard, marsh-harries and goshawk. The human race is not only as a top predator affects the number of the population of brown hares with the wildlife management but indirectly with traffic, (soil cultivation, mowing, and pest control) as well. The control of predators is absolutely necessary for successful small game management, but without sufficient habitat size and habitat development it is hardly sufficient.

scholarly journals VOLE POPULATION FLUCTUATIONS: FACTORS THAT INITIATE AND DETERMINE INTERVALS BETWEEN THEM IN MICROTUS OCHROGASTER

2006 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lowell L. Getz ◽  
Madan K. Oli ◽  
Joyce E. Hofmann ◽  
Betty McGuire
Keyword(s):  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Vole Population

scholarly journals An overview of monitoring for raptors in Finland

Acrocephalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (154-155) ◽  
pp. 203-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pertti Saurola
Keyword(s):  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
National Board ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
The North ◽  
Economic Support ◽  
Annual Population ◽  
Occupied Territories ◽  
Population Indices

Abstract In Finland, population monitoring for both diurnal and nocturnal raptors has been almost entirely based on fieldwork carried out by voluntary raptor ringers. Responsible organisations include the Finnish Museum of Natural History, with economic support for administration from the Ministry of Environment, “Metsahallitus” (former National Board of Forestry) and WWF Finland. Since the early 1970s, numbers and productivity of four endangered species, the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Osprey Pandion haliaetus and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus have been monitored by country-wide Comprehensive Surveys, with the aim of checking all known nest sites of these species every year. The Gyrfalcon F. rusticolus was included in this group in the late 1990s. Data for monitoring the populations of the other raptor species have been gathered by the Raptor Grid and Raptor Questionnaire projects. The Raptor Grid project produces annual population indices, which are calculated from the data collected from 10 × 10 km study plots (n = ca. 130/year) and quite well reflect the annual population fluctuations and longterm trends of seven common species of diurnal and six species of nocturnal raptors breeding in the southern part of Finland. For the rest of the species, which are either rare all over Finland or breed mostly in the north, outside the good coverage of the distribution of Raptor Grid study plots, conclusions on population changes are based on the total numbers of occupied territories and active nests reported annually by the Raptor Questionnaires

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document