Gm. Fortier et Rh. Tamarin, MOVEMENT OF MEADOW VOLES IN RESPONSE TO FOOD AND DENSITY MANIPULATIONS - A TEST OF THE FOOD-DEFENSE AND PUP-DEFENSE HYPOTHESES, Journal of mammalogy, 79(1), 1998, pp. 337-345
The space-use patterns of female voles are believed widely to be drive
n by food availability, whereas male voles respond primarily to availa
bility of receptive females. Alternatively, female voles may maintain
exclusive territories to prevent infanticide. We manipulated populatio
n densities and levels of food availability in replicate populations o
f the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, to determine the impact of
each on movement distances. Sex differences occurred in the responses
of voles to food and density treatments. Adult male voles responded t
o food supplementation by decreasing movement distances, irrespective
of density. Adult female voles only contracted movement distances unde
r high densities. Male voles may respond to changes in food availabili
ty when female voles are dispersed widely and do not constitute a defe
nsible resource. Female voles may retain fairly constant home ranges i
n the face of increased food availability to prevent infanticide. Our
data suggest that habitat characteristics are important in the spacing
behavior of male voles and food abundance is not the primary determin
ant of the spacing behavior of female voles.