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Sánchez N, Plaza J, García-Ariza C, Pérez-Sánchez R, Baños-Herrero A, Pallavicini Y, Caminero-Saldaña C. Analyzing the spatiotemporal habitat colonization dynamics of the common vole (Microtus arvalis Pallas) in Castilla y León, northwest Spain, using a hotspot-based approach †. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39073220 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The common vole is an agricultural pest and population outbreaks have caused significant crop damage in the agricultural areas of the west-central part of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) during the last few decades. Thus, monitoring is imperative to gain a comprehensive insight on its spatiotemporal habitat colonization dynamics. This work was performed on a long-term database with the primary objective of establishing an operational framework for understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of the common vole, all of it based on the Getis-Ord statistics. RESULTS The temporal evolution of the vole abundance index (VAI) was consistent for the three studied habitats, that is, crops, reservoirs and paths. Furthermore, the majority of common vole abundance peaks coincide with summer periods, especially in annual herbaceous crops. The spatial distribution of vole abundance exhibited a non-random pattern, characterized by spatial clustering. Particularly, the areas with higher significance of this clustering were located at the so-called 'Tierra de Campos' county, covering northern Valladolid, southern Palencia and north-eastern Zamora provinces. Periods of major incidence and concentration were 2013-2014, 2016-2017 and 2019. Common vole temporal occupancy patterns demonstrate that colonization occurred simultaneously in alfalfa reservoirs and dispersion paths, both preceding settlement in annual herbaceous crop plots. CONCLUSION The geographic information system (GIS)-hotspots-based methodology proposed here can be valuable for stakeholders involved in integrated management of the common vole, serving as a detector of pest-prone areas in both space and time. These hotspots are useful for predicting future surveillance areas that accurately reflect pest colonization patterns. It was found that common vole abundance along dispersal paths acts as a source of dissemination, preceding the risk of colonization in annual herbaceous crop plots. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilda Sánchez
- Faculty of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Cartographic and Land Engineering, University of Salamanca, Ávila, Spain
| | - Javier Plaza
- Faculty of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Carmen García-Ariza
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Pérez-Sánchez
- Faculty of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ana Baños-Herrero
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Yesica Pallavicini
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Constantino Caminero-Saldaña
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
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Olea PP, de Diego N, García JT, Viñuela J. Habitat type modulates sharp body mass oscillations in cyclic common vole populations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12013. [PMID: 38797736 PMCID: PMC11128438 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62687-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyclic rodent populations exhibit pronounced changes in body mass associated with the population cycle phase, long-known as Chitty effect. Although Chitty effect is a common epiphenomenon in both America and Europe, there is still incomplete evidence about the generality of these patterns across the entire range of most species. Moreover, despite decades of research, the underlying factors driving Chitty effect remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that may underlie observed patterns in vole size variation in the Iberian common vole Microtus arvalis asturianus. We weighed and measured 2816 adult voles that were captured during 6 trapping periods. Vole numbers and body mass showed strong period- and phase-related variation both in females and males, demonstrating marked Chitty effect in the studied population. Body mass of adult males correlated with body length, evidencing that heavier males are also structurally larger. Statistical models showed that probability of occurrence of large-sized vole (> 37 g) was significantly more likely in reproductive males, during increase and peak phases, and it was modulated by habitat, with crop fields and field margins between crops showing an increased likelihood. We suggest an effect of the habitat on vole body mass mediated by predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro P Olea
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG), Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28049, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Noelia de Diego
- Game and Wildlife Management Group, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC, UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Jesús T García
- Game and Wildlife Management Group, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC, UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Javier Viñuela
- Game and Wildlife Management Group, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC, UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
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Burak K, Yanardağ İH, Gómez-López MD, Faz Á, Yalçin H, Sakin E, Ramazanoğlu E, Orak AB, Yanardağ A. The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on biological activity and biochemical properties of soil under vetch growing conditions in calcareous soils. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24820. [PMID: 38352785 PMCID: PMC10861976 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to soils from arid regions with high lime and low organic matter content, farmers receive low yields along with high costs of agricultural inputs, which causes them to look for a solution. In this context, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have great potential to reduce fertilizer use by mediating soil nutrient cycles. However, little is known about studies of AMF inoculum on microbial biomass carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling during vetch plant vegetation in calcareous areas. In this study, changes in soil biogeochemical properties related to soil C, N, and P cycling were investigated with five different AMF inoculations under vetch (common Vetch (CV; Vicia sativa L.) and Narbonne Vetch (NV; Vicia narbonensis L.) growing conditions. For the field study, a total of five different mycorrhizae were used in the experiment with the random plots design. AMF inoculation decreased the lime content of the soil, and the highest decrease was observed in NV with Glomus (G.) intraradices + G. constrictum + G. microcarpum inoculation (24.41 %). The highest MBC content was recorded in CV vetch G. intraradices (1176.3 mg C kg-1) and the highest MBN content in NV vetch G. intraradices + G. constrictum + G. microcarpum (1356.9 mg C kg-1). CAT activity of soils was highest in CV vetch G. intraradices (31.43 %) and lowest in NV vetch G. intraradices + G. constrictum + G. microcarpum (72.88 %), urease enzyme activity decreased in all treatments except G. constrictum + Gigaspora sp. and G. mosseae inoculations in CV. The highest DHG activity was detected in GF (15.72 %) AMFs in CV and GI (21.99 %) in NV. APA activity was highest in Glomus constrictum + Gigaspora sp. (23.33 %) in CV and Glomus fasciculatum (10.08 %) in NV. In CV plots, G. intraradices + G. constrictum + G. microcarpum (91.67 %) isolates had the highest and G. intraradices community had the lowest RC% (97.33 %) in mixed mycorrhiza species, while in NV plots G. fasciculatum inoculum had the highest and G. intraradices community had the lowest RC%. This study has important implications for the application of AMF for sustainable agriculture. When the results of the study were evaluated, the most effective AMF isolates in terms of C, N, and P cycles were G. constrictum + G. fasciculatum + Gigaspora sp. in Common vetch variety, and G. intraradices in Narbonne vetch variety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kader Burak
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Agriculture Faculty, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
| | - İbrahim Halil Yanardağ
- Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Battalgazi, Malatya, Turkey
| | - María Dolores Gómez-López
- Sustainable Use, Management and Reclamation of Soil and Water Research Group, ETSIA, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
| | - Ángel Faz
- Sustainable Use, Management and Reclamation of Soil and Water Research Group, ETSIA, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
| | - Hamza Yalçin
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Agriculture Faculty, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
| | - Erdal Sakin
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Agriculture Faculty, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
| | - Emrah Ramazanoğlu
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Agriculture Faculty, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey
| | - Aysel Bars Orak
- Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Directorate of Plant Protection Central Research Institute, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| | - Asuman Yanardağ
- Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Battalgazi, Malatya, Turkey
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Caminero-Saldaña C, Correa-Cuadros JP, Baños-Herrero A, Riquelme C, Pallavicini Y, Fernández-Villán M, Plaza J, Pérez-Sánchez R, Sánchez N, Mougeot F, Luque-Larena JJ, Jaksic FM, García-Ariza MC. Exploring the influence of density-dependence and weather on the spatial and temporal variation in common vole (Microtus arvalis) abundance in Castilla y León, NW Spain. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023. [PMID: 38153883 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The common vole has invaded the agroecosystems of northwestern Spain, where outbreaks cause important crop damage and management costs. Little is yet known about the factors causing or modulating vole fluctuations. Here, we used 11 years of vole abundance monitoring data in 40 sites to study density-dependence and weather influence on vole dynamics. Our objective was to identify the population dynamics structure and determine whether there is direct or delayed density-dependence. An evaluation of climatic variables followed, to determine whether they influenced vole population peaks. RESULTS First- and second-order outbreak dynamics were detected at 7 and 33 study sites, respectively, together with second-order variability in periodicity (2-3 to 4-5-year cycles). Vole population growth was explained by previous year abundance (mainly numbers in summer and spring) at 21 of the sites (52.5%), by weather variables at 11 sites (27.5%; precipitation or temperature in six and five sites, respectively), and by a combination of previous abundance and weather variables in eight sites (20%). CONCLUSIONS We detected variability in vole spatiotemporal abundance dynamics, which differs in cyclicity and period. We also found regional variation in the relative importance of previous abundances and weather as factors modulating vole fluctuations. Most vole populations were cyclical, with variable periodicity across the region. Our study is a first step towards the development of predictive modeling, by disclosing relevant factors that might trigger vole outbreaks. It improves decision-making processes within integrated management dealing with mitigation of the agricultural impacts caused by voles. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantino Caminero-Saldaña
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jennifer Paola Correa-Cuadros
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana Baños-Herrero
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Carlos Riquelme
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
| | - Yesica Pallavicini
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Fernández-Villán
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Javier Plaza
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Ambientales, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Pérez-Sánchez
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Ambientales, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Nilda Sánchez
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Ambientales, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - François Mougeot
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Juan José Luque-Larena
- Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales (Zoología), ETSIIAA, Universidad de Valladolid, Palencia, Spain
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Palencia, Spain
| | - Fabián M Jaksic
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
| | - María Carmen García-Ariza
- Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACyL), Observatorio de Plagas y Enfermedades Agrícolas, Valladolid, Spain
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Ruscoe WA, Brown PR, Henry S, van de Weyer N, Robinson F, Hinds LA, Duncan RP. Effects of harvesting and stubble management on abundance of pest rodents (Mus musculus) in a conservation agriculture system. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4757-4764. [PMID: 37454375 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The shift to more environmentally sensitive agricultural practices over the last several decades has changed farmland landscapes worldwide. Changes including no-till and retaining high biomass mulch has been coincident with an increase in rodent pests in South Africa, India, South America and Europe, indicating a possible conflict between conservation agriculture (CA) and rodent pest management. Research on effects of various crop management practices associated with CA on pest rodent population dynamics is needed to anticipate and develop CA-relevant management strategies. RESULTS During the Australian 2020-2021 mouse plague, farmers used postharvest stubble management practices, including flattening and/or cutting, to reduce stubble cover in paddocks to lessen habitat suitability for pest house mice. We used this opportunity to assess the effects of both harvest and stubble management on the movement and abundance of mice in paddocks using mouse trapping and radio tracking. We found that most tracked mice remained resident in paddocks throughout harvest, and that mouse population abundance was generally unaffected by stubble management. CONCLUSION Recent conversions to CA practices have changed how pest house mice use cropped land. Management practices that reduce postharvest habitat complexity do not appear to reduce the attractiveness of paddocks to mice, and further research into new management strategies in addition to toxic bait use is required as part of an integrated pest management approach. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Ruscoe
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Peter R Brown
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Steve Henry
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nikki van de Weyer
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Freya Robinson
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Lyn A Hinds
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, Australia
| | - Richard P Duncan
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
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Roos D, Caminero-Saldaña C, Elston D, Mougeot F, García-Ariza MC, Arroyo B, Luque-Larena JJ, Revilla FJR, Lambin X. From pattern to process? Dual travelling waves, with contrasting propagation speeds, best describe a self-organised spatio-temporal pattern in population growth of a cyclic rodent. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1986-1998. [PMID: 35908289 PMCID: PMC9543711 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of cyclic populations distributed in space result from the relative strength of synchronising influences and the limited dispersal of destabilising factors (activators and inhibitors), known to cause multi‐annual population cycles. However, while each of these have been well studied in isolation, there is limited empirical evidence of how the processes of synchronisation and activation–inhibition act together, largely owing to the scarcity of datasets with sufficient spatial and temporal scale and resolution. We assessed a variety of models that could be underlying the spatio‐temporal pattern, designed to capture both theoretical and empirical understandings of travelling waves using large‐scale (>35,000 km2), multi‐year (2011–2017) field monitoring data on abundances of common vole (Microtus arvalis), a cyclic agricultural rodent pest. We found most support for a pattern formed from the summation of two radial travelling waves with contrasting speeds that together describe population growth rates across the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deon Roos
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Área de Plagas, Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla-y-León (ITACyL), Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - David Elston
- Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland, Aberdeen, UK
| | - François Mougeot
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | - Beatriz Arroyo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Juan José Luque-Larena
- Dpto. Ciencias Agroforestales, ETSIIAA, Universidad de Valladolid, Palencia, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible, Palencia, Spain
| | | | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Mazza V, Czyperreck I, Eccard JA, Dammhahn M. Cross-Context Responses to Novelty in Rural and Urban Small Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.661971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Anthropocene is the era of urbanization. The accelerating expansion of cities occurs at the expense of natural reservoirs of biodiversity and presents animals with challenges for which their evolutionary past might not have prepared them. Cognitive and behavioral adjustments to novelty could promote animals’ persistence under these altered conditions. We investigated the structure of, and covariance between, different aspects of responses to novelty in rural and urban small mammals of two non-commensal rodent species. We ran replicated experiments testing responses to three novelty types (object, food, or space) of 47 individual common voles (Microtus arvalis) and 41 individual striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius). We found partial support for the hypothesis that responses to novelty are structured, clustering (i) speed of responses, (ii) intensity of responses, and (iii) responses to food into separate dimensions. Rural and urban small mammals did not differ in most responses to novelty, suggesting that urban habitats do not reduce neophobia in these species. Further studies investigating whether comparable response patters are found throughout different stages of colonization, and along synurbanization processes of different duration, will help illuminate the dynamics of animals’ cognitive adjustments to urban life.
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Common Vole as a Focal Small Mammal Species in Orchards of the Northern Zone. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13030134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In 2018–2020, we performed a country-wide study of small mammals in commercial orchards and berry plantations with the aim of determining whether the common vole (Microtus arvalis) is a more suitable focal species than the field vole (M. agrestis) in the risk assessment of plant protection products in Lithuania (country of the Northern Zone). Common vole was present in 75% of orchards and in 80% of control habitats, accounting for 30% of all trapped individuals. The proportion of this species was stable between years and seasons. The pattern was in agreement with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, i.e., highest in medium-aged crops, while lowest in habitats with high intensities of agricultural practices. The average relative abundance of common vole in autumn, 2.65 ± 0.52 individuals per 100 trap days, was three times higher than that in summer, with no differences recorded between crops and control habitats. Field vole was present in 30% of locations, only accounting for 2.1% of all trapped individuals. In central and eastern European countries, common vole is more widespread and abundant than field vole. In Lithuania, common vole dominates in orchards and natural habitats and is, therefore, the most relevant small mammal species for higher tier risk assessment.
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Mazza V, Dammhahn M, Lösche E, Eccard JA. Small mammals in the big city: Behavioural adjustments of non-commensal rodents to urban environments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6326-6337. [PMID: 32767603 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental focus of current ecological and evolutionary research is to illuminate the drivers of animals' success in coping with human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC). Behavioural adaptations are likely to play a major role in coping with HIREC because behaviour largely determines how individuals interact with their surroundings. A substantial body of research reports behavioural modifications in urban dwellers compared to rural conspecifics. However, it is often unknown whether the observed phenotypic divergence is due to phenotypic plasticity or the product of genetic adaptations. Here, we aimed at investigating (a) whether behavioural differences arise also between rural and urban populations of non-commensal rodents; and (b) whether these differences result from behavioural flexibility or from intrinsic behavioural characteristics, such as genetic or maternal effects. We captured and kept under common environment conditions 42 rural and 52 urban adult common voles (Microtus arvalis) from seven subpopulations along a rural-urban gradient. We investigated individual variation in behavioural responses associated with risk-taking and exploration, in situ at the time of capture in the field and ex situ after 3 months in captivity. Urban dwellers were bolder and more explorative than rural conspecifics at the time of capture in their respective sites (in situ). However, when tested under common environmental conditions ex situ, rural individuals showed little change in their behavioural responses whereas urban individuals altered their behaviour considerably and were consistently shyer and less explorative than when tested in situ. The combination of elevated risk-taking and exploration with high behavioural flexibility might allow urban populations to successfully cope with the challenges of HIREC. Investigating whether the observed differences in behavioural flexibility are adaptive and how they are shaped by additive and interactive effects of genetic make-up and past environmental conditions will help illuminate eco-evolutionary dynamics under HIREC and predict persistence of populations under urban conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Mazza
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Elisa Lösche
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jana A Eccard
- Department of Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Scaccini D, Panini M, Chiesa O, Nicoli Aldini R, Tabaglio V, Mazzoni E. Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11060380. [PMID: 32570919 PMCID: PMC7349495 DOI: 10.3390/insects11060380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of slug and ground beetle monitoring strategies, this work compared their presence in conventional and conservation agricultural plots. The invasive Deroceras invadens was the dominant slug species to occur in all sampling periods. Among Carabidae, Poecilus cupreus and Pterostichus melas were the most abundant species, and Bembidion spp., Brachinus spp., and Harpalus spp. were also common. Beer-baited pitfall traps, whatever their alcoholic content, caught more slugs and ground beetles than wooden boards used as shelters. Slugs were more abundant in conventional plots than in conservation plots, possibly due to the lower presence of natural enemies such as ground beetles. Despite possible impacts on Carabidae, beer-baited pitfall traps should be considered a useful tool for slug monitoring and for the planning of molluscicide applications. Soil management such as minimum- or no-tillage and the presence of cover crops are important elements influencing both slug and ground beetle presence, possibly playing a key role in the maintenance of natural enemy populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Scaccini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (E.M.)
| | - Michela Panini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Olga Chiesa
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Vincenzo Tabaglio
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
| | - Emanuele Mazzoni
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, Italy; (M.P.); (O.C.); (R.N.A.); (V.T.)
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (E.M.)
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Lauret V, Delibes-Mateos M, Mougeot F, Arroyo-Lopez B. Understanding conservation conflicts associated with rodent outbreaks in farmland areas. AMBIO 2020; 49:1122-1133. [PMID: 31542887 PMCID: PMC7067974 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01256-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Rodent outbreaks affect many farmland areas worldwide and the negative environmental impacts of control campaigns cause intense social tensions. In such conservation conflicts, understanding stakeholders' viewpoints is critical to promote ecologically sustainable management. We used Q-methodology, a framework standing between qualitative and quantitative social research, to investigate human subjectivity and understand conflicts caused by rodent outbreaks in Spain. We interviewed farmers, conservationists, hunters, and governmental agencies, and identified five main discourses about the origins and consequences of the conflictive situation. Finding sustainable management is impaired by opposing views about causes and consequences of vole outbreaks and their management, which are at the root of the conflict. Social tensions will likely remain until the underlying conflicts between people holding different views are also managed. Decision-making should therefore focus on mitigating underlying conflicts. Using trained independent mediators would help the effective resolution of conservation conflicts caused by rodent outbreaks and their management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Lauret
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Département de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Miguel Delibes-Mateos
- Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados (IESA-CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - François Mougeot
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Beatriz Arroyo-Lopez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
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Petit S, Muneret L, Carbonne B, Hannachi M, Ricci B, Rusch A, Lavigne C. Landscape-scale expansion of agroecology to enhance natural pest control: A systematic review. ADV ECOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Body size and habitat use of the common weasel Mustela nivalis vulgaris in Mediterranean farmlands colonised by common voles Microtus arvalis. MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00465-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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14
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Santamaría AE, Olea PP, Viñuela J, García JT. Spatial and seasonal variation in occupation and abundance of common vole burrows in highly disturbed agricultural ecosystems. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1286-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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