Relative Dominance Affects Use of Scent‐Marked Areas in Male Snow Voles Chionomys nivalis

Abstract

We conducted a laboratory experiment to examine whether dominance status affects the use of locations occupied (i.e. scent‐marked) by same‐sex conspecifics among wild‐caught snow vole males (Chionomys nivalis). Given that the costs of invading scent‐marked areas should partially depend on the intruder's competitive ability, we hypothesised that, once a dominance relationship has been established with the owner of marks, the use of these areas by males would vary differently between dominant and subordinate individuals. Before any previous experience with the owner, scented substrates and nests were highly attractive to all males, indicating a general preference for recently occupied areas. However, after relative social status was established through direct interaction the subsequent response of males was altered differently, subordinate individuals reducing the use of marked areas to a much greater extent than dominants. Competitive relationships between male C. nivalis were found to be influenced by differences in body weight, larger males tending to display a more dominant pattern of behaviour. Our results reveal that male C. nivalis may require some direct experience with potential opponents to modulate their response towards occupied locations. Additionally, we suggest that the ability of males to conditionally respond to social signals from particular competing conspecifics might be used to lower the costs of prospective agonistic interactions.

Spacing behavior and morphology predict promiscuous mating strategies in the rock-dwelling snow vole, Chionomys nivalis

“…Our data revealed that overlap between males was extensive, as in other non-territorial systems (Ostfeld 1990). However, C. nivalis males are known to mediate space use within territories through scent marking, and they establish dominance relationships that determine access to marked localities, suggesting that some degree of spatial exclusiveness is linked to particular sites (Luque-Larena et al 2001, 2002b.…”

“…For microtines, alpine rocky formations constitute an atypical environment (Yoccoz and Ims 1999;LuqueLarena et al 2002a), and we might expect selection to favor particular spacing strategies facilitating reproductive success within such distinctive habitats (Mares and Lacher 1998). Despite some recent studies of the social behavior of C. nivalis (Luque-Larena et al 2001, 2002b, very little is known about the spacing and mating behavior of this species. To the best of our knowledge, only fragmentary data are available regarding spatial patterns of individuals during the breeding season.…”

Spatial capture-recapture design and modelling for the study of small mammals

“…The olfactory cues in and around a trap can strongly influence trap detection and entry by small mammals [ 84 ]. The complete absence of biological odours in new traps may therefore explain an initial neophobic response in voles, which typically show an active preference for substrates tainted with chemical signals from conspecifics [ 85 – 87 ]. We had no evidence for common voles to be trap-shy (less likely to enter a trap after an initial capture) or trap-happy (the opposite), at least in May when the behavioural effect could be included in the models.…”