The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island
Dissertation (MSc (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 1981. House mice inhabit a variety of habitats on Marion Island, with the density of mice varying according to vegetation type and invertebrate biomass, and highest mouse densities occurring in biotically influenced areas. The density of mice flu...
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ftunivpretoria:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/83227 2023-08-27T04:10:32+02:00 The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island Skinner, J.D. (John Dawson), 1932- Gleeson, James Peter 19/8/2021 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83227 en eng University of Pretoria * http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83227 © 2021 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. UCTD Ecology house mouse Marion Island Dissertation 2021 ftunivpretoria 2023-08-08T00:27:47Z Dissertation (MSc (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 1981. House mice inhabit a variety of habitats on Marion Island, with the density of mice varying according to vegetation type and invertebrate biomass, and highest mouse densities occurring in biotically influenced areas. The density of mice fluctuated seasonally, peaking towards the end of summer. The reproductive season lasted ff,7 months, and was apparently regulated by the relative availability of food which mainly affected the reproductive activity of the females. The age structure of the population varied during the year, with no sex related mortality factors being observed. The mice, in the approximately 100-150 years that they have inhabited the island, appear to have adapted physiologically to this harsh climate, by having enlarged kidneys and adrenals, an increased amount of brown adipose tissue, and being in general larger in size. Mice ate predominantly invertebrate material throughout the year, with plant material occurring mainly during the summer months. The larvae of the flightless moth PringZeophaga marioni was the most important prey species. Zoology and Entomology MSc (Zoology) Unrestricted Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis Marion Island University of Pretoria: UPSpace |
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University of Pretoria: UPSpace |
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ftunivpretoria |
language |
English |
topic |
UCTD Ecology house mouse Marion Island |
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UCTD Ecology house mouse Marion Island The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
topic_facet |
UCTD Ecology house mouse Marion Island |
description |
Dissertation (MSc (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 1981. House mice inhabit a variety of habitats on Marion Island, with the density of mice varying according to vegetation type and invertebrate biomass, and highest mouse densities occurring in biotically influenced areas. The density of mice fluctuated seasonally, peaking towards the end of summer. The reproductive season lasted ff,7 months, and was apparently regulated by the relative availability of food which mainly affected the reproductive activity of the females. The age structure of the population varied during the year, with no sex related mortality factors being observed. The mice, in the approximately 100-150 years that they have inhabited the island, appear to have adapted physiologically to this harsh climate, by having enlarged kidneys and adrenals, an increased amount of brown adipose tissue, and being in general larger in size. Mice ate predominantly invertebrate material throughout the year, with plant material occurring mainly during the summer months. The larvae of the flightless moth PringZeophaga marioni was the most important prey species. Zoology and Entomology MSc (Zoology) Unrestricted |
author2 |
Skinner, J.D. (John Dawson), 1932- Gleeson, James Peter |
format |
Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis |
title |
The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
title_short |
The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
title_full |
The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
title_fullStr |
The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
title_full_unstemmed |
The ecology of the house mouse, Mus Musculus Linnaeus, on Marion Island |
title_sort |
ecology of the house mouse, mus musculus linnaeus, on marion island |
publisher |
University of Pretoria |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83227 |
genre |
Marion Island |
genre_facet |
Marion Island |
op_relation |
* http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83227 |
op_rights |
© 2021 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
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