POPULATION-DYNAMICS OF FOSSORIAL WATER VOLE (ARVICOLA-TERRESTRIS SCHERMAN) - A LAND-USE AND LANDSCAPE PERSPECTIVE

This study investigates the effect of land use, and landscape composit ion and structure on the population dynamics of fossorial water vole ( Arvicola terrestris scherman Shaw). Water vole populations were monito red from 1989 to 1994 in the Doubs department, France, by using index methods. Land use patterns were studied based on agriculture and fores try data from the French Ministry of Agriculture collected in 1956, 19 70, 1979 and 1988. Grassland quality and landscape structure were stud ied based on field transects, combined with the assessment of landscap e structure from maps at 1:25,000 scale. Outbreaks of water vole popul ations occurred as a wave, spreading from epicentres over more than 25 00 km(2). The propagation speed was in excess of 10 km/yr. On a region al level (n x 10 km) and over 5 years and more, density variation patt erns of water vole were linked to the ratio of ploughed land and of pe rmanent grassland to farmland. At a sectional scale (n x 1 km), forest s and uncultivated lands had a dampening effect both on the outbreaks and on their duration. The evolution of farmlands from 1956 to 1988 wa s apparently the major cause of increase in density variations of wate r vole. Therefore, land use and landscape management could be a way to control water vole outbreaks, and their effects are discussed. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science B.V.