Journal of Comparative Physiology. A 9 by Springer-Verlag 1978 Short-Term Rhythms in Foraging Behaviour of the Common Vole, Microtus arvalis*

• Main Authors: Serge Daan, Steven Slopsema
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1978
• Subjects: Common vole; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.475.754; http://cbn.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/1978/JCompPhysiolADaan/1978JCompPhysiolADaan.pdf

other vole species, in captivity has a short-term activ-ity rhythm in daytime, with a period of circa two hours. Trapping records show that this rhythm exists also in field conditions, with the population in synchrony to some degree; a correlation of trapping frequency with vole predation by kestrels indicates that it reflects the true natural behaviour. 2. Lehmann's (1976) evidence in Microtus agrestis that the short-term activity rhythm is essentially a feeding rhythm is supported for the common vole by separate recording of wheel running, feeding and nestbox occupation. 3. The short-term rhythm is phase-locked to dawn. There is fair intraindividual constancy from day to day in the timing of meals, but interindividual varia-