LOW SURVIVAL OF LONG-DISTANCE DISPERSERS OF THE ROOT VOLE (MICROTUS-OECONOMUS)

In the summer of 1992, 18 males and 20 females were equipped with mort ality transmitters. In the course of the summer 7 of the 18 males disp ersed average 722 meters pr. dispersing (450-1000 m) night. None of th e females showed any long distance dispersal. The dispersing animals s eem to have a very high mortality rate during or immediately after dis persal, but survived as resident if they made it through the first cou ple of days.