The burrow system of the common vole ( M. arvalis, Rodentia) in Switzerland
Abstract Fifty burrow systems of Microtus arvalis were excavated, from October 2006 to August 2007 in wildflower fields and quasi-natural habitats in five areas near Bern, Switzerland. They comprise an aboveground part, which is longer in spring/summer, and a subterranean part, which is longer in au...
| Published in: | mammalia |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mamm.2010.035 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/mamm.2010.035/xml https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/mamm.2010.035/pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract Fifty burrow systems of Microtus arvalis were excavated, from October 2006 to August 2007 in wildflower fields and quasi-natural habitats in five areas near Bern, Switzerland. They comprise an aboveground part, which is longer in spring/summer, and a subterranean part, which is longer in autumn/winter. Three main construction types exist: (a) linear burrows, (b) compact and tight networks, and (c) structures containing both a compact network around the nest and linear parts elsewhere. The subterranean length was on average 16.9 m (range: 0.5–70.2 m) and aboveground length 39.4 m (range: 0–95 m). Numbers of intersections, dead ends, and openings correlate significantly with subterranean burrow length. Nests and food caches were located at a maximal depth and mostly in a central position, as revealed by graph theory. |
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