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Neby M, Ims RA, Kamenova S, Devineau O, Soininen EM. Is the diet cyclic phase-dependent in boreal vole populations? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11227. [PMID: 38638368 PMCID: PMC11024456 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Herbivorous rodents in boreal, alpine and arctic ecosystems are renowned for their multi-annual population cycles. Researchers have hypothesised that these cycles may result from herbivore-plant interactions in various ways. For instance, if the biomass of preferred food plants is reduced after a peak phase of a cycle, rodent diets can be expected to become dominated by less preferred food plants, leading the population to a crash. It could also be expected that the taxonomic diversity of rodent diets increases from the peak to the crash phase of a cycle. The present study is the first to use DNA metabarcoding to quantify the diets of two functionally important boreal rodent species (bank vole and tundra vole) to assess whether their diet changed systematically in the expected cyclic phase-dependent manner. We found the taxonomic diet spectrum broad in both vole species but with little interspecific overlap. There was no evidence of systematic shifts in diet diversity metrics between the phases of the population cycle in either species. While both species' diet composition changed moderately between cycle phases and seasons, these changes were small compared to other sources of diet variation-especially differences between individuals. Thus, the variation in diet that could be attributed to cyclic phases is marginal relative to the overall diet flexibility. Based on general consumer-resource theory, we suggest that the broad diets with little interspecific overlap render it unlikely that herbivore-plant interactions generate their synchronous population cycles. We propose that determining dietary niche width should be the first step in scientific inquiries about the role of herbivore-plant interactions in cyclic vole populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magne Neby
- Department of Applied EcologyInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
- Department of Agricultural SciencesInland Norway University of Applied SciencesHamarNorway
| | - Rolf A. Ims
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT – The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Stefaniya Kamenova
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary SynthesisUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
- National Museum of Natural HistoryBulgarian Academy of SciencesSofiaBulgaria
| | - Olivier Devineau
- Department of Applied EcologyInland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Eeva M. Soininen
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT – The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
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Neby M, Andreassen H, Milleret CP, Pedersen S, Peris Tamayo AM, Carriondo Sánchez D, Versluijs E, Zimmermann B. Small rodent monitoring at Birkebeiner Road, Norway. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e105914. [PMID: 38327373 PMCID: PMC10848699 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e105914] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Northern small mammal populations are renowned for their multi-annual population cycles. Population cycles are multi-faceted and have extensive impacts on the rest of the ecosystem. In 2011, we started a student-based research activity to monitor the variation of small rodent density along an elevation gradient following the Birkebeiner Road, in southeast Norway. Fieldwork was conducted by staff and students at the University campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, which has a long history of researching cyclic population dynamics. The faculty has a strong focus on engaging students in all parts of the research activities, including data collection. Small rodents were monitored using a set of snap trap stations. Trapped animals were measured (e.g. body mass, body length, sex) and dissected to assess their reproductive status. We also characterised the vegetation at trapping sites. New information We provide a dataset of small rodent observations that show fluctuating population dynamics across an elevation gradient (300 m to 1,100 m a.s.l) and in contrasting habitats. This dataset encompasses three peaks of the typical 3-4-year vole population cycles; the number of small rodents and shrews captured show synchrony and peaked in years 2014, 2017 and 2021. The bank vole Myodesglareolus was by far (87%) the most common species trapped, but also other species were observed (including shrews). We provide digital data collection forms and highlight the importance of long-term data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magne Neby
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Harry Andreassen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Cyril Pierre Milleret
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, NorwayFaculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Simen Pedersen
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Ana-Maria Peris Tamayo
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, N-8049 Bodø, NorwayFaculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord UniversityN-8049 BodøNorway
| | - David Carriondo Sánchez
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Erik Versluijs
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
| | - Barbara Zimmermann
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, NorwayFaculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Campus Evenstad, Inland Norway University of Applied SciencesKoppangNorway
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Emery SE, Klapwijk M, Sigvald R, Bommarco R, Lundin O. Cold winters drive consistent and spatially synchronous 8-year population cycles of cabbage stem flea beetle. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:594-605. [PMID: 36484622 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Population cycles have been observed in mammals as well as insects, but consistent population cycling has rarely been documented in agroecosystems and never for a beetle. We analysed the long-term population patterns of the cabbage stem flea beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala in winter oilseed rape over 50 years. Psylliodes chrysocephala larval density from 3045 winter oilseed rape fields in southern Sweden showed strong 8-year population cycles in regional mean density. Fluctuations in larval density were synchronous over time across five subregional populations. Subregional mean environmental variables explained 90.6% of the synchrony in P. chrysocephala populations at the 7-11 year time-scale. The number of days below -10°C showed strong anti-phase coherence with larval densities in the 7-11 year time-scale, such that more cold days resulted in low larval densities. High levels of the North Atlantic Oscillation weather system are coherent and anti-phase with cold weather in Scania, Sweden. At the field-scale, later crop planting date and more cold winter days were associated with decreased overwintering larval density. Warmer autumn temperatures, resulting in greater larval accumulated degree days early in the season, increased overwintering larval density. Despite variation in environmental conditions and crop management, 8-year cycles persisted for cabbage stem flea beetle throughout the 50 years of data collection. Moran effects, influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation weather patterns, are the primary drivers of this cycle and synchronicity. Insect pest data collected in commercial agriculture fields is an abundant source of long-term data. We show that an agricultural pest can have the same periodic population cycles observed in perennial and unmanaged ecosystems. This unexpected finding has implications for sustainable pest management in agriculture and shows the value of long-term pest monitoring projects as an additional source of time-series data to untangle the drivers of population cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Emery
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Wildlife Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Maartje Klapwijk
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Roland Sigvald
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Riccardo Bommarco
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ola Lundin
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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Sørensen OJ, Moa PF, Hagen BR, Selås V. Possible impact of winter conditions and summer temperature on bank vole ( Myodes glareolus) population fluctuations in Central Norway. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2120084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ole J. Sørensen
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Steinkjer, Norway
| | - Pål F. Moa
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Steinkjer, Norway
| | - Bjørn-Roar Hagen
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Steinkjer, Norway
| | - Vidar Selås
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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De Pelsmaeker N, Korslund L, Steifetten Ø. Host in reserve: The role of common shrews (
Sorex araneus
) as a supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communities influenced by rodent population cycles. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8776. [PMID: 35432925 PMCID: PMC9001028 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents often act as important hosts for ticks and as pathogen reservoirs. At northern latitudes, rodents often undergo multi‐annual population cycles, and the periodic absence of certain hosts may inhibit the survival and recruitment of ticks. We investigated the potential role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) to serve as a supplementary host source to immature life stages (larvae and nymphs) of a generalist tick Ixodes ricinus and a small mammal specialist tick I. trianguliceps, during decreasing abundances of bank voles (Myodes glareolus). We used generalized mixed models to test whether ticks would have a propensity to parasitize a certain host species dependent on host population size and host population composition across two high‐latitude gradients in southern Norway, by comparing tick burdens on trapped animals. Host population size was defined as the total number of captured animals and host population composition as the proportion of voles to shrews. We found that a larger proportion of voles in the host population favored the parasitism of voles by I. ricinus larvae (estimate = −1.923, p = .039) but not by nymphs (estimate = −0.307, p = .772). I. trianguliceps larvae did not show a lower propensity to parasitize voles, regardless of host population composition (estimate = 0.875, p = .180), while nymphs parasitized shrews significantly more as vole abundance increased (estimate = 2.106, p = .002). These results indicate that common shrews may have the potential to act as a replacement host during periods of low rodent availability, but long‐term observations encompassing complete rodent cycles may determine whether shrews are able to maintain tick range expansion despite low rodent availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas De Pelsmaeker
- Department of Nature, Health and Environment University of Southeastern Norway Bø Norway
| | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences University of Agder Kristiansand Norway
| | - Øyvind Steifetten
- Department of Nature, Health and Environment University of Southeastern Norway Bø Norway
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Small rodent cycles influence interactions among predators in a boreal forest ecosystem. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00590-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCyclic fluctuations of prey have profound effects on the functioning of ecosystems, for example, by changing the dynamics, behavior, and intraguild interactions of predators. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rodent cyclic fluctuations in the interspecific interactions of a guild of small- and medium-sized predators: red fox (Vulpes vulpes), pine marten (Martes martes), and weasels (Mustela erminea and Mustela nivalis) in the boreal ecosystem. We analyzed eight years (2007–2014) of snow tracking data from southeastern Norway using structural equation models to assess hypothesized networks of causal relationships. Our results show that fluctuations in rodent abundance alter the strength of predator’s interactions, as well as the effect of determinant environmental variables. Pine marten and weasel abundances were positively associated with rodent population growth rate, but not red fox abundance. All predators were positively associated with each other; however, the association between red fox and the other predators weakened when rodents increased. Rodent fluctuations had variable effects on the habitat use of the predators. The presence of agricultural land was important for all predators, but this importance weakened for the mustelids as rodent abundance increased. We discuss the shifting role of interference and exploitative competition as possible mechanisms behind these patterns. Overall, we highlight the importance of accounting for the dynamics of prey resources when studying interspecific interactions among predators. Additionally, we demonstrate the importance of monitoring the predator populations in order to anticipate undesirable outcomes such as increased generalist predator abundances to the detriment of specialists.
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Gomo G, Mattisson J, Rød-Eriksen L, Eide NE, Odden M. Spatiotemporal patterns of red fox scavenging in forest and tundra: the influence of prey fluctuations and winter conditions. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00566-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractConcern has been raised regarding red fox (Vulpes Vulpes) population increase and range expansion into alpine tundra, directly and indirectly enhanced by human activities, including carrion supply, and its negative impact on native fauna. In this study, we used cameras on bait stations and hunting remains to investigate how spatiotemporal patterns of red fox scavenging were influenced by abundance and accessibility of live prey, i.e., small rodent population cycles, snow depth, and primary productivity. We found contrasting patterns of scavenging between habitats during winter. In alpine areas, use of baits was highest post rodent peaks and when snow depth was low. This probably reflected relatively higher red fox abundance due to increased reproduction or migration of individuals from neighboring areas, possibly also enhanced by a diet shift. Contrastingly, red fox use of baits in the forest was highest during rodent low phase, and when snow was deep, indicating a higher dependency of carrion under these conditions. Scavenging patterns by red fox on the pulsed but predictable food resource from hunting remains in the autumn revealed no patterns throughout the rodent cycle. In this study, we showed that small rodent dynamics influenced red fox scavenging, at least in winter, but with contrasting patterns depending on environmental conditions. In marginal alpine areas, a numerical response to higher availability of rodents possible lead to the increase in bait visitation the proceeding winter, while in more productive forest areas, low availability of rodents induced a functional diet shift towards scavenging.
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Selås V, Framstad E, Rolstad J, Sonerud GA, Spidsø TK, Wegge P. Bilberry seed production explains spatiotemporal synchronicity in bank vole population fluctuations in Norway. Ecol Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vidar Selås
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
| | - Erik Framstad
- The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Oslo Norway
| | - Jørund Rolstad
- Department of Forest Genetics and Biodiversity Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research Ås Norway
| | - Geir A. Sonerud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
| | | | - Per Wegge
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
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Abstract
AbstractUnderstanding biotic interactions and abiotic forces that govern population regulation is crucial for predicting stability from both theoretical and applied perspectives. In recent years, social information has been proposed to profoundly affect the dynamics of populations and facilitate the coexistence of interacting species. However, we have limited knowledge about how social information use influences cyclic and non-cyclic fluctuations of populations and if any population-level effects can be expected in species where individuals do not form social groups. In this study, I built individual-based models in a factorial design to investigate how predator avoidance behaviour and associated inadvertent social information (ISI) use alters the predictions of classical predator–prey population models in non-grouping (e.g., randomly moving) animals. Simulation results showed that ISI use in prey stabilized population dynamics by disrupting high-amplitude cyclic fluctuations in both predator and prey populations. Moreover, it also decreased the strength of the negative feedback of second-order dependence between predator and prey. I propose that if social cues are commonly used sources of information in animals regardless of the level of social organization, then similar social information-mediated effects on trophic interactions and population dynamics may be prevalent in natural communities.
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