A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
MORTALITY FACTORS IN A CYCLIC VOLE POPULATION
Tekijät: NORRDAHL K, KORPIMAKI E
Kustantaja: ROYAL SOC
Julkaisuvuosi: 1995
Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Lehden akronyymi: P ROY SOC B-BIOL SCI
Vuosikerta: 261
Numero: 1360
Aloitussivu: 49
Lopetussivu: 53
Sivujen määrä: 5
ISSN: 0962-8452
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1995.0116
Tiivistelmä
The causes of cyclic fluctuations in microtine rodent populations are still a bone of contention. In particular, the actual causes of mortality in the different phases of the 3-4-year vole are an enigma. We present results from studies of radio-collared voles (Microtus agrestis, M. rossiaemeridionalis and Clethrionomys glareolus), which show that small mustelid predation was the major mortality factor of voles in the decline phase, but had less importance in the increase phase of the S-year population cycle. After the initial decline in the non-breeding season (winter), vole-kill rate from predators increased to a point where mortality substantially exceeded the reproductive capacity of microtine prey. Our results suggest that predators may alone cause a decline in the density of these vertebrate-prey populations.
The causes of cyclic fluctuations in microtine rodent populations are still a bone of contention. In particular, the actual causes of mortality in the different phases of the 3-4-year vole are an enigma. We present results from studies of radio-collared voles (Microtus agrestis, M. rossiaemeridionalis and Clethrionomys glareolus), which show that small mustelid predation was the major mortality factor of voles in the decline phase, but had less importance in the increase phase of the S-year population cycle. After the initial decline in the non-breeding season (winter), vole-kill rate from predators increased to a point where mortality substantially exceeded the reproductive capacity of microtine prey. Our results suggest that predators may alone cause a decline in the density of these vertebrate-prey populations.
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