Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors
Abstract Background Adaptive behavioural strategies promoting co-occurrence of competing species are known to result from a sympatric evolutionary past. Strategies should be different for indirect resource competition (exploitation, e.g., foraging and avoidance behaviour) than for direct interspecif...
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ftbiomed:oai:biomedcentral.com:1472-6785-13-33 2023-05-15T15:56:39+02:00 Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors Liesenjohann, Monique Liesenjohann, Thilo Palme, Rupert Eccard, Jana 2013-09-08 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/13/33 en eng BioMed Central Ltd. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/13/33 Copyright 2013 Liesenjohann et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Behavioural adaptations Small mammals Interspecific interactions Nest predation Stress response Faecal corticosterone metabolites Burrow system Shrews Voles Research article 2013 ftbiomed 2013-09-22T00:17:29Z Abstract Background Adaptive behavioural strategies promoting co-occurrence of competing species are known to result from a sympatric evolutionary past. Strategies should be different for indirect resource competition (exploitation, e.g., foraging and avoidance behaviour) than for direct interspecific interference (e.g., aggression, vigilance, and nest guarding). We studied the effects of resource competition and nest predation in sympatric small mammal species using semi-fossorial voles and shrews, which prey on vole offspring during their sensitive nestling phase. Experiments were conducted in caged outdoor enclosures. Focus common vole mothers ( Microtus arvalis ) were either caged with a greater white-toothed shrew ( Crocidura russula ) as a potential nest predator, with an herbivorous field vole ( Microtus agrestis ) as a heterospecific resource competitor, or with a conspecific resource competitor. Results We studied behavioural adaptations of vole mothers during pregnancy, parturition, and early lactation, specifically modifications of the burrow architecture and activity at burrow entrances. Further, we measured pre- and postpartum faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) of mothers to test for elevated stress hormone levels. Only in the presence of the nest predator were prepartum FCMs elevated, but we found no loss of vole nestlings and no differences in nestling body weight in the presence of the nest predator or the heterospecific resource competitor. Although the presence of both the shrew and the field vole induced prepartum modifications to the burrow architecture, only nest predators caused an increase in vigilance time at burrow entrances during the sensitive nestling phase. Conclusion Voles displayed an adequate behavioural response for both resource competitors and nest predators. They modified burrow architecture to improve nest guarding and increased their vigilance at burrow entrances to enhance offspring survival chances. Our study revealed differential behavioural adaptations to resource competitors and nest predators. Article in Journal/Newspaper Common vole Microtus arvalis BioMed Central |
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Open Polar |
collection |
BioMed Central |
op_collection_id |
ftbiomed |
language |
English |
topic |
Behavioural adaptations Small mammals Interspecific interactions Nest predation Stress response Faecal corticosterone metabolites Burrow system Shrews Voles |
spellingShingle |
Behavioural adaptations Small mammals Interspecific interactions Nest predation Stress response Faecal corticosterone metabolites Burrow system Shrews Voles Liesenjohann, Monique Liesenjohann, Thilo Palme, Rupert Eccard, Jana Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
topic_facet |
Behavioural adaptations Small mammals Interspecific interactions Nest predation Stress response Faecal corticosterone metabolites Burrow system Shrews Voles |
description |
Abstract Background Adaptive behavioural strategies promoting co-occurrence of competing species are known to result from a sympatric evolutionary past. Strategies should be different for indirect resource competition (exploitation, e.g., foraging and avoidance behaviour) than for direct interspecific interference (e.g., aggression, vigilance, and nest guarding). We studied the effects of resource competition and nest predation in sympatric small mammal species using semi-fossorial voles and shrews, which prey on vole offspring during their sensitive nestling phase. Experiments were conducted in caged outdoor enclosures. Focus common vole mothers ( Microtus arvalis ) were either caged with a greater white-toothed shrew ( Crocidura russula ) as a potential nest predator, with an herbivorous field vole ( Microtus agrestis ) as a heterospecific resource competitor, or with a conspecific resource competitor. Results We studied behavioural adaptations of vole mothers during pregnancy, parturition, and early lactation, specifically modifications of the burrow architecture and activity at burrow entrances. Further, we measured pre- and postpartum faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) of mothers to test for elevated stress hormone levels. Only in the presence of the nest predator were prepartum FCMs elevated, but we found no loss of vole nestlings and no differences in nestling body weight in the presence of the nest predator or the heterospecific resource competitor. Although the presence of both the shrew and the field vole induced prepartum modifications to the burrow architecture, only nest predators caused an increase in vigilance time at burrow entrances during the sensitive nestling phase. Conclusion Voles displayed an adequate behavioural response for both resource competitors and nest predators. They modified burrow architecture to improve nest guarding and increased their vigilance at burrow entrances to enhance offspring survival chances. Our study revealed differential behavioural adaptations to resource competitors and nest predators. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Liesenjohann, Monique Liesenjohann, Thilo Palme, Rupert Eccard, Jana |
author_facet |
Liesenjohann, Monique Liesenjohann, Thilo Palme, Rupert Eccard, Jana |
author_sort |
Liesenjohann, Monique |
title |
Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
title_short |
Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
title_full |
Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
title_fullStr |
Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
title_full_unstemmed |
Differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (Microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
title_sort |
differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors |
publisher |
BioMed Central Ltd. |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/13/33 |
genre |
Common vole Microtus arvalis |
genre_facet |
Common vole Microtus arvalis |
op_relation |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/13/33 |
op_rights |
Copyright 2013 Liesenjohann et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. |
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1766392042628317184 |