. "000. Homing and space activity in bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus. Acta Theriologica 45: 155-165.Spatial activity and homing of bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, ] 780) have been studied in the 100 years old alder wood (Carici elongatae-Alneturn Koch, 1926) in the Kampinos National Park near Warsaw. Six parallel trap lines of 600 m each were set. Each of external lines consisted of 100 live-traps. Between the two lines, 4 lines of 200 snap-traps in each were set at 100 m intervals. Individuals caught in live-traps were individually marked and released in the centre of the study area. During the study 613 bank voles were marked and 424 recaptures were recorded. Considerable mobility of animals was found (a high proportion of animals moved more than 600 m). Distribution of animals retrapped made it possible to determine hypothetical spatial patterns of homing. It is suggested that familiarity with the given area acquired during long distance movements help small mammals to find their way when homing regardless of the nature of homing.
There are numerous studies showing that predation risk may change different aspects of the behavior of prey, such as habitat use, activity pattern, and foraging. Prey should exhibit the strongest antipredatory response against their most deadly predator. Small mustelids are considered the most important mammalian predators of voles. Nevertheless, there is no general agreement as to whether strong antipredatory reactions exist in natural free-living populations of voles. Here, we studied the field vole Microtus agrestis spatial reaction to high predation risk from small mustelids in the breeding (August) and nonbreeding (October) seasons under natural conditions. Voles were exposed to a caged weasel (Mustela nivalis) and a stoat (Mustela erminea), as well as to the odors of these predators. The reactions of 30 field voles were monitored with radiotelemetry. The field voles were found to display antipredator reactions that varied with season. In the breeding period, in response to predation risk, voles reduced locomotory activity and daily-range size, whereas in the nonbreeding period they did not. Changes in home range position were similar for control and treatment voles, in both the breeding and nonbreeding periods. The results indicate that mustelid predators modify the spatial behavior of small rodents in natural conditions depending on season. This might be a reflection of differences in state-dependent responses to predation from sexually active or inactive individuals. This suggests that the basic antipredatory reaction of voles under high predation risk from small mustelids limits their locomotory activity.
E. 1999. The range of olfactory familiarity between individuals in a population of bank voles. Acta Theriologica 44: 133-150.The aim of the study was to test a hypothesis that small rodents in natural conditions are able to distinguish between the scents of neighbour (N) and stranger (S) individuals of conspecific. Experiments were carried out in a 100-year-old alder forest of the association Circaeo-elongatae Alnetum (Koch. 1926), on a population of bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780). Experiment I found higher capture rates in traps with the scent of N individuals (n = 35) and showed that the rodents could distinguish between N and S scents. Analysis of 90 sheets of Bristol board laid down in the forest in experiment II showed that rodents left significantly more traces of faeces and urine on sheets with the N scents. Experiment III showed that at distances of as much as 200 m from the place of origin of a donor there had been no decrease in the interest of other voles in its scent. Experiment IV increased the distance at which a fall-off in interest in the N scent was sought. As a result of 856 observations of the reactions of voles to the scents of donors originating at different distances, it was found that voles treated as N individuals those donors coming from distances of up to about 1000 m. Analysis of 840 sheets of Bristol board with scents of donors originating between 200 and 1400 m away used in experiment V showed that those smelling of donors from 1200 and 1400 m away were visited significantly less often by the rodents than others. A distance of around 1000 m may thus be the threshold for a decline in the interest of rodents in the N scent.
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