A method of estimating diet digestibility in wild meadow voles

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1020-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. MacPherson ◽  
Frederick A. Servello ◽  
Roy L. Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Chemical Analyses ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Digestible Energy ◽  
Microtus Pinetorum

Regression equations for estimating diet digestibility in meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) were developed using laboratory digestion trials and chemical analyses of diets and stomach contents. These equations were used to obtain estimates of the apparent digestible dry matter (DDM) and apparent digestible energy (DE) in the diets of wild meadow voles. The estimated DDM and DE in the diets of two wild meadow vole populations varied between 62.9 and 75.2% and 62.0 and 74.2%, respectively, and were similar to those reported previously for pine voles (Microtus pinetorum).

Seasonal variation in diet digestibility of pine voles

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1484-1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. MacPherson ◽  
Frederick A. Servello ◽  
Roy L. Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Apple Orchards ◽  
Digestible Energy ◽  
Habitat Variation ◽  
Microtus Pinetorum

Seasonal and habitat variation in diet digestibility of pine voles (Microtus pinetorum) in four apple orchards was estimated using regression equations and the Van Soest analysis of stomach contents. The estimated percent digestible energy of diets in the four orchards varied from 57 to 72% during the year but a uniform seasonal pattern was not found among orchards. Weights of stomach contents declined markedly during winter in all four habitats.

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.

Control of Small Mammals on a Hardwood Plantation by Poison-Bait Feeders

1977 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-99
Author(s):  
Arthur M. Martell ◽  
Andrew Radvanyi
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Southern Ontario

Poison-bait feeder stations were placed on a hardwood plantation in southern Ontario in 1973 to attempt long-term control of a meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) population by continuous dispensing of poisoned grain. Baiting by means of feeders successfully reduced the numbers of meadow voles and maintained them at a low density, about 3-6/ha (1.2-2.4/acre), through April 1976. During the same period, the density of meadow voles on surrounding unpoisoned areas declined from a 1973 peak to about the same as that found on the poisoned plot by fall and winter 1975-76. Despite that low density, less than 4/ha (1.6/acre), severe gnawing and girdling of young hardwoods occurred during winter. Poison-bait feeders are efficient at reducing meadow vole populations from high to low density, but it cannot be assumed that even those low-density populations will not damage hardwood plantations.

Eléments minéraux du régime alimentaire du campagnol des champs, Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord.)

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1565-1570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marie Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Régime Alimentaire ◽  
Reproductive Condition ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Calcium Phosphorus ◽  
Males And Females

One hundred and ninety-five meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord.) were captured by means of 485 traps installed each month during the summer of 1974 in four types of culture. The analysis of minerals in their diet indicates low variation in potassium levels, whereas nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium levels appear to be much more environment-dependent. There are a few differences between the diets of males and females. Stomach contents of captured voles do not vary significantly from one type of culture to another, but the physiological reproductive condition of the animals accounts for significant differences in stomach contents.[Journal translation]

A comparison of faecal and stomach contents analysis in the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 715-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. R. Neal ◽  
D. A. Pulkinen ◽  
B. D. Owen
Keyword(s):  
Correction Factor ◽  
Quantitative Assessment ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Paired Comparisons ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Stomach Contents Analysis

The food preferences of 14 specimens of Microtus pennsylvanicus were studied by the quantitative assessment of plant cuticular fragments in the stomachs and faeces. Paired comparisons of stomach with faecal observations indicated that sedges and dicotyledons were considerably underrated, grasses were generally slightly overrated, and unidentifiable fragments were considerably more abundant in the faecal samples. About half of the sedge and dicotyledon cuticular fragments appeared to be lost between the stomach and colon sampling sites. It was concluded that most of these fragments were rendered unidentifiable, but some were probably completely digested. Stomach and faecal samples provided similar estimates of food preferences when few sedges and dicotyledons were observed, but were markedly different when sedges and dicotyledons formed a substantial proportion of the diet. A simple correction factor was used to compensate for differences in the digestibility of the different food items. The corrected faecal observations were very similar to the stomach observations.

scholarly journals Seasonal Diets of Newfoundland Martens, Martes americana atrata

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Gosse ◽  
Brian J. Hearn
Keyword(s):  
Food Item ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Diet Breadth ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Martes Americana ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Snowshoe Hares ◽  
Time Of Year

We analyzed scats (n = 679) and stomach contents (n = 25) collected from 1980-2003 to assess the relative frequencies of food types utilized by Newfoundland Marten (Martes americana atrata) during summer and winter. Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) were the most prevalent food item occurring in 80% and 47.5% of samples from summer and winter, respectively. Apart from Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americana), which occurred in 28% of winter samples, all other food types occurred in <16% of samples during each season. Diet breadth was widest during winter and may be related to a lower availability of Meadow Voles during this time of year. Erratum included.

Comparison of Postnatal Brain Development in Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and Pine Voles (Microtus pinetorum)

1989 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Gutierrez ◽  
J. S. Meyer ◽  
M. A. Novak
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Postnatal Brain ◽  
Microtus Pinetorum

Seasonal variations in the mass and composition of brown adipose tissue in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 547-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Didow ◽  
J. S. Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Relative Mass ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Percentage Composition ◽  
Brown Adipose

Wild meadow voles were collected each month of the year and analyzed for the mass and composition of their brown adipose tissue. The relative mass of brown adipose tissue decreased with increasing body weight in both summer and winter.Seasonal changes in the relative mass of brown adipose tissue were inversely related to seasonal changes in ambient temperature. In mature voles, the relative mass of brown adipose tissue was lowest during summer (0.5%) and increased rapidly to a level of 1.7% in early winter. Similarly, immature voles had their lowest relative mass in summer (1.0%) and increased this to 2.3% in winter. Both groups showed some decrease in the winter amount of the tissue when the subnivean environment became established. The percentage composition of brown adipose tissue with respect to water, lipid, and protein did not change significantly through the year.The results provide corroboration for laboratory studies which show that the mass and composition of brown adipose tissue are related to the requirement for cold thermogenesis. In voles, this requirement was present throughout the year and varied only in degree.

Similarities between female meadow voles mating during post-partum oestrus and raising two concurrent litters and females raising only one litter

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier delBarco-Trillo ◽  
Michael H. Ferkin
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Litter Weight ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Males And Females

In many species of small mammals, females undergo post-partum oestrus soon after delivering a litter, becoming pregnant while suckling the previous litter. Females raising two concurrent litters need to allocate many more resources to reproduction than females raising only one litter. Consequently, there may be differences between litters raised concurrently or singly. We investigated this issue in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, a species in which most females in the wild reproduce during post-partum oestrus. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that the development of pups in two concurrent litters differs from that of pups in a single litter. To test this hypothesis, we measured the following variables for concurrent and singly reared litters: gestation length; litter size; sex ratio; bodyweight of males and females at different ages; total litter weight at weaning; growth rates; and intra-litter variation in body mass. Except for bodyweight of males at 60 days of age, which was higher in the first of the concurrent litters, none of the variables differed among the litters. These results indicate that females are able to adjust to differing loads of maternal care to provide equivalent resources to concurrent litters and singly reared litters.

Macrogeographic variation in mitochondrial DNA of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Plante ◽  
Peter T. Boag ◽  
Bradley N. White
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Fragment Length Polymorphism ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Mtdna Sequence ◽  
Nucleotide Divergence ◽  
Phenotype Diversity ◽  
Single Locality

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 99 meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) collected in 13 localities and from 2 Townsend's voles (M. townsendii) from a single locality was assayed for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with 13 restriction endonucleases. There was evidence of extensive mtDNA sequence heterogeneity within and among meadow vole populations. Thirty-eight different mtDNA composite phenotypes were found. Two common mtDNA composite phenotypes were shared among five populations, the other mtDNA composite phenotypes being characteristic of individual populations. Estimates of nucleon diversity (ĥ) were high (0.303–0.893), as were measures of intrapopulational nucleotide divergence (px values ranged from 0.0 to 0.038). Population fluctuations and periodic dispersal are the likely mechanisms maintaining high mtDNA composite phenotype diversity in meadow vole populations. Overall interpopulational nucleotide divergence (pxy) was also high (values ranged from 0.007 to 0.045). Cluster analysis clearly separates M. pennsylvanicus and M. townsendii and suggests the separation of the meadow vole populations into eastern and central groups, but there is little evidence of structure within the regional groups. Based on the zoogeography of the populations sampled, the mtDNA RFLP data support the differentiation of Microtus pennsylvanicus into at least two previously described subspecies.

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