EFFECTS OF PRIOR POPULATION-DENSITY ON USE OF SPACE BY MEADOW VOLES, MICROTUS-PENNSYLVANICUS

We examined the effect of prior population density on use of space by meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, by maintaining two replicates e ach of populations of voles at low, medium, and high density in 0.16-h a fenced enclosures in southeastern New York for 20 months. All voles were then removed by Live-trapping and equal numbers of new animals we re introduced into each enclosure and monitored by biweekly Live-trapp ing for 7 months. We determined patterns of space use of these voles u sing radiotelemetry. if previous density had a long-lasting effect on habitat quality, voles placed in enclosures that previously maintained high-density populations should have had larger home ranges with grea ter overlap than individuals in enclosures that previously maintained low-density populations. We found no significant effect of previous de nsity on home-range size and overlap, or interfix movement distance. T hese results do not support the herbivore-resource mechanism for delay ed density-dependence in meadow voles.