Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska
This study makes important contributions 10 our understanding of the life history and population dynamics or a little-known yet widespread member of the taiga community. A live trapping grid plus supplemental snaptrapping were used for 3 years. Less intensive efforts covered 3 additional years. Repr...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1980
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z80-247 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z80-247 |
id |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z80-247 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z80-247 2023-12-17T10:50:53+01:00 Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska Wolff, J. O. Lidicker Jr., W. Z. 1980 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z80-247 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z80-247 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 58, issue 10, page 1800-1812 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1980 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z80-247 2023-11-19T13:39:28Z This study makes important contributions 10 our understanding of the life history and population dynamics or a little-known yet widespread member of the taiga community. A live trapping grid plus supplemental snaptrapping were used for 3 years. Less intensive efforts covered 3 additional years. Reproduction begins when the snow melts and continues to mid-July. Litters average 8.8, each female producing only two liners in a lifetime. Young do not mature in the year of their birth and adults do not survive a second winter. Body weights are reduced during winter and huddling reduces heat loss. In good microhabitat, densities were similar over a 6-year period, but progressively declined in marginal areas. No multiannual cycle was evident. Flank glands are active in both sexes during the reproductive season and for one additional ensuing month. There are two major dispersal periods; one in August dominated by juvenile males, and a second in spring in which both sexes participate equally. Feeding is opportunistic with horsetail, grasses, and berries predominating in summer and stored rhizomes in winter. Primary habitat requirements include a source of storable rhizomes for winter and good burrowing conditions. These resource needs explain the species' predilection for riparian forest edge and lightly burned forest. Article in Journal/Newspaper taiga Alaska Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Canadian Journal of Zoology 58 10 1800 1812 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Wolff, J. O. Lidicker Jr., W. Z. Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
This study makes important contributions 10 our understanding of the life history and population dynamics or a little-known yet widespread member of the taiga community. A live trapping grid plus supplemental snaptrapping were used for 3 years. Less intensive efforts covered 3 additional years. Reproduction begins when the snow melts and continues to mid-July. Litters average 8.8, each female producing only two liners in a lifetime. Young do not mature in the year of their birth and adults do not survive a second winter. Body weights are reduced during winter and huddling reduces heat loss. In good microhabitat, densities were similar over a 6-year period, but progressively declined in marginal areas. No multiannual cycle was evident. Flank glands are active in both sexes during the reproductive season and for one additional ensuing month. There are two major dispersal periods; one in August dominated by juvenile males, and a second in spring in which both sexes participate equally. Feeding is opportunistic with horsetail, grasses, and berries predominating in summer and stored rhizomes in winter. Primary habitat requirements include a source of storable rhizomes for winter and good burrowing conditions. These resource needs explain the species' predilection for riparian forest edge and lightly burned forest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Wolff, J. O. Lidicker Jr., W. Z. |
author_facet |
Wolff, J. O. Lidicker Jr., W. Z. |
author_sort |
Wolff, J. O. |
title |
Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
title_short |
Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
title_full |
Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
title_fullStr |
Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
title_full_unstemmed |
Population ecology of the taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus , in interior Alaska |
title_sort |
population ecology of the taiga vole, microtus xanthognathus , in interior alaska |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1980 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z80-247 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z80-247 |
genre |
taiga Alaska |
genre_facet |
taiga Alaska |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 58, issue 10, page 1800-1812 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z80-247 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
58 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
1800 |
op_container_end_page |
1812 |
_version_ |
1785575992099602432 |