Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus
The vole Microtus epiroticus was accidentally introduced from Russia to the high arctic archipelago of Svalbard between 30 and 70 years ago. Data on growth patterns were collected in the laboratory for animals originating from the unique Svalbard population and from a population in Finland, close to...
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Canadian Science Publishing
1993
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z93-345 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z93-345 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z93-345 2023-12-17T10:23:38+01:00 Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus Yoccoz, Nigel G. Ims, Rolf A. Steen, Harald 1993 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z93-345 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z93-345 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 71, issue 12, page 2518-2527 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1993 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z93-345 2023-11-19T13:39:26Z The vole Microtus epiroticus was accidentally introduced from Russia to the high arctic archipelago of Svalbard between 30 and 70 years ago. Data on growth patterns were collected in the laboratory for animals originating from the unique Svalbard population and from a population in Finland, close to northern Russia. Gestation period, birth mass, litter size, and age at first reproduction were similar in both populations. Longitudinal growth data were analyzed using polynomial growth curve models. Growth was bimodal, with an early peak at 8–10 days and a later peak at 15 days. The Finnish animals differed from the Svalbard animals by a higher growth rate at 12–15 days. In the field, adult body masses were much greater on Svalbard than in Finland. This difference might have been due to a phenotypic response to the cold arctic climate. We discuss the lack of clear predictions regarding microtine adaptation to the unpredictable arctic environment, and emphasize that in terms of high reproductive rates in mammals, M. epiroticus represents an extreme case. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Archipelago Arctic Svalbard Microtus epiroticus Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Arctic Svalbard Canadian Journal of Zoology 71 12 2518 2527 |
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 Yoccoz, Nigel G. Ims, Rolf A. Steen, Harald Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
The vole Microtus epiroticus was accidentally introduced from Russia to the high arctic archipelago of Svalbard between 30 and 70 years ago. Data on growth patterns were collected in the laboratory for animals originating from the unique Svalbard population and from a population in Finland, close to northern Russia. Gestation period, birth mass, litter size, and age at first reproduction were similar in both populations. Longitudinal growth data were analyzed using polynomial growth curve models. Growth was bimodal, with an early peak at 8–10 days and a later peak at 15 days. The Finnish animals differed from the Svalbard animals by a higher growth rate at 12–15 days. In the field, adult body masses were much greater on Svalbard than in Finland. This difference might have been due to a phenotypic response to the cold arctic climate. We discuss the lack of clear predictions regarding microtine adaptation to the unpredictable arctic environment, and emphasize that in terms of high reproductive rates in mammals, M. epiroticus represents an extreme case. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yoccoz, Nigel G. Ims, Rolf A. Steen, Harald |
author_facet |
Yoccoz, Nigel G. Ims, Rolf A. Steen, Harald |
author_sort |
Yoccoz, Nigel G. |
title |
Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
title_short |
Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
title_full |
Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
title_fullStr |
Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
title_full_unstemmed |
Growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole Microtus epiroticus |
title_sort |
growth and reproduction in island and mainland populations of the vole microtus epiroticus |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1993 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z93-345 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z93-345 |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard |
genre |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Svalbard Microtus epiroticus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Svalbard Microtus epiroticus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 71, issue 12, page 2518-2527 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z93-345 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
71 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
2518 |
op_container_end_page |
2527 |
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1785559385446023168 |