Evidence of pregnancy failure in the wild meadow vole, <i>Microtus pennsylvanicus</i>

Mallory, Frank F.; Clulow, F. V.

doi:10.1139/z77-001

Cited by 65 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…In other species of rodents, contact with another breeding female may cause reproductive cessation as a result of pseudopregnancy (Brown 1985a), estrus suppression (Hoover and Drickamer 1979;McClintock 198 1 ) , and pregnancy block (Mallory and Brooks 1980). Reproductive cessation may be involved in microtine demography, because at high population densities many adult females stop breeding (Mallory and Clulow 1977). This may explain why breeding, nonpregnant females preferred the odor of males to the odor of other females, but pregnant females, who can have their pregnancies blocked by unfamiliar males, did not (Clulow and Langford 197 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences

Ferkin¹,

Seamon²

1987

Can. J. Zool.

101

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FERK~N, M. H., and SEAMON, J. 0 . 1987. Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences. Can. J. Zool. 65: 293 1 -2937. Olfactory cues play a major role in inter-and intra-sexual agonistic behavior for Microtus pennsylvanicus. We show that seasonal changes in odor preference and behavioral interactions coincide with varying patterns of social organization. Odor preference trials were conducted in a Y maze and social behavior was measured in dyadic encounters in a neutral arena. During the breeding season, paired encounters between females contained more agonistic acts than did encounters between males, or those between males and females. Breeding males preferred the odor of females to the odor of coyspecific males. In contrast, breeding females preferred their own odor and the odor of males to the odor of other females. The data support female exclusiveness during the breeding season. During the nonbreeding season, paired encounters between females contained fewer agonistic acts than did encounters between males or those between males and females. Nonbreeding females preferred the odor of female conspecifics to their own odor or the odor of male conspecifics. These results are consistent with group nesting and a relaxation of female territoriality during the nonbreeding season. Nonbreeding males did not exhibit a preference for their own odor, the odor of other males, or the odor of female conspecifics. Our results indicate that nonbreeding males are solitary, and overwintering groups are female-biased. Odor preferences may underlie seasonal changes in social organization. F E R K~N , M. H., et SEAMON, J. 0 . 1987. Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences. Can. J. Zool. 65 : 293 1-2937.Les signaux olfactifs jouent un r61e important dans les comportements agonistiques intersexuels et intrasexuels chez Microtus pennsylvanicus. Nos donnCes indiquent que des changements saisonniers dans les prCfCrences d'odeurs et les interactions de comportement coi'ncident avec une variation dans l'organisation sociale. Des epreuves de choix d'odeurs ont Ct C realiskes dans un labyrinthe en Y et les comportements sociaux observees dans une arene neutre lors de rencontres deux par deux. Durant la saison de reproduction, il y a plus de manifestations d'agressivite au cours des rencontres entre femelles que dans les rencontres entre miles ou les rencontres mile-femelle. Les miles reproducteurs prCfkrent l'odeur de femelles a celles d'autres miles. En revanche, les femelles reproductrices choisissent leur odeur propre ou celle de miles de preference a celle d'autres femelles. C'est la un indice de l'isolement des femelles durant la saison de reproduction. Hors de la saison de reproduction, les rencontres entre femelles sont moins agressives que celles entre miles ou celles entre un mile et une femelle. A cette pCriode, les femelles prkferent l'odeur d'autres femelles a leur propre odeur ou a celle de miles. Ces rCsultats concor...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences

Ferkin¹,

Seamon²

1987

Can. J. Zool.

101

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“…The nature of the phenomenon also suggests that it may have a role in controlling population density (Chipman, Holt & Fox, 1966;Clulow & Clarke, 1968 ;Whitten & Bronson, 1970), and Mallory (1972) has suggested that pregnancy blocking may be involved in the population fluctuations of microtine rodents. A number of variables, however, may affect the importance of pregnancy blocking to animal populations in the wild : in mice, laboratory experiments indicate that some strains are more susceptible than others (Chapman & Whitten, 1969) and that blocking effectiveness may be reduced by grouping the females (Bruce, 1963), pre-exposing the females to many males, or the continued presence of the stud male (Parkes & Bruce, 1962).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy blocking in the vole, Microtus agrestis

Milligan¹

1976

Reproduction

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Pregnancy failed in a high proportion of newly mated Microtus agrestis females when they were exposed to a strange male between 48 and 72 hr after mating with a stud male. This effect of the strange male was testosterone dependent. Direct contact with the strange male was normally necessary, and even a single barrier of wire mesh between the female and strange male prevented the male from exerting his pregnancy-blocking effect. The results suggest that the stimuli mediating pregnancy blocking in the vole may differ from those operative in the mouse.

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“…According to these hypotheses, frequent interactions between individuals at high population density result in reduced reproduction and increased mortality through social stress (Christian 1980), infanticide (Mallory and Brooks 1980), and strange male-induced pregnancy block (Mallory and Clulow 1977). Social interactions are thus assumed to be primarily stressful and agonistic .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for social interaction in a natural population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

McGuire¹,

Pizzuto²,

Getz³

1990

Can. J. Zool.

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MCGUIRE, B., PIZZUTO, T., and GETZ, L. L. 1990. Potential for social interaction in a natural population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Can. J. Zool. 68: 39 1-398. Many hypotheses on the role of social behavior in population regulation of microtine rodents assumethat social interactions are more frequent at high density than at low density. We evaluated this assumption by measuring potential for social contact in a population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Our livetrapping regime monitored presence of resident and nonresident animals at the periphery of home ranges of social groups. Resident adults and young of both sexes were captured at home range boundaries. Potential for social interaction with nonresidents was greater at the periphery of home ranges than at nests. Intruders tended to be male adults from neighboring social groups. Presence of adult males in the resident group played an important role in deterring visits by nonresident males. During the spring, summer, and autumn reproductive period, number of captures of nonresident males, but not females, showed a strong positive relationship with population density. Despite relatively high densities during the winter nonreproductive period, there were few captures of residents and nonresidents at the periphery of home ranges. We conclude that the relationship between potential for social interaction and population density varied as a function of sex and season. MCGUIRE, B., PIZZUTO, T., et GETZ, L. L. 1990. Potential for social interaction in a natural population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) . Can. J . Zool . 68 : 39 1 -398.Plusieurs hypothitses sur le r61e du comportement social dans le contr6le dkmographique des rongeurs microtinks supposent que les interactions sociales sont plus frkquentes lorsque la densit6 de la population est ClevCe que lorsqu'elle est faible. Nous avons tent6 d'kvaluer cette supposition en mesurant la probabilitk des contacts sociaux chez une population de Campagnols des prairies (Microtus ochrogaster). Notre systkme de piCgeage de campagnols vivants permettait d'enregistrer la prCsence des individus rksidants et des individus non rCsidants a la pCriphCrie du domaine vital de groupes sociaux. Des adultes rCsidants et des jeunes des deux sexes ont Ct C capturCs en bordure du domaine vital. La probabilitk des interactions sociales avec des individus non rksidants s'est avCrCe plus ClevCe en pCriphCrie du domaine vital qu'au nid. Les intrus Ctaient gCnCralement des miles adultes provenant de groupes sociaux avoisinants. La prksence de mdles adultes au sein d'un groupe rksidant CtCit un important facteur de dktournement de miles non rksidants. Au cours des saisons de reproduction du printemps, de I' CtC et de l'automne, le nombre de captures de miles non rksidants Ctait en corrklation trks forte avec la densit6 de la population; cette relation n'a pas Ct C constatke dans le cas des femelles. En dCpit des densitCs relativement ClevCes en hiver, au cours de la pCriode inactive de la reproduction, le nombre d...

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Evidence of pregnancy failure in the wild meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

Cited by 65 publications

References 0 publications

Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences

Odor preference and social behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus: seasonal differences

Pregnancy blocking in the vole, Microtus agrestis

Potential for social interaction in a natural population of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

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