Incipient road to extinction of a keystone herbivore in south-eastern Europe: Harting’s vole (Microtus hartingi) under climate change

Kryštufek, Boris; Zorenko, Tanya; Bontzorlos, Vasileios; Mahmoudi, Ahmad; Atanasov, Nasko; Ivajnšič, Danijel

doi:10.1007/s10584-018-2259-2

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…It has been argued that southwestern Asia is their cradle (Kryštufek et al 2009). The western range in south-eastern Europe was likely only recently formed (Kryštufek et al 2018) and no social vole fossils have ever been reported west of Greece (Kowalski 2001). The only exception is the recently described M. (Sumeriomys) bifrons which was based on 11-20 ky old remnants in France (Jeannet & Fontana 2015).…”

Section: Microtus Agrestis (Linnaeus 1761) -mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Voles and Lemmings (Arvicolinae) of the Palaearctic Region

Kryštufek

Shenbrot

2022

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As the most species-rich group of Palaearctic rodents, voles and lemmings are frequently used in various research endeavours of fundamental and applied significance. The present work integrates achievements of the genomic era with the traditional taxonomy and provides an authoritative and up-to-date taxonomic guide to the animal group which is of great interest to experts engaged in medical zoology, epidemiology, biostratigraphy, zooarchaeology, evolutionary research, population ecology, animal systematics, biodiversity conservation, museum collection management and many more biological subdisciplines. The text is supplemented by 331 illustrations and over one thousand references. Depicted are morphological details of skull and dentition of each of the 128 species and their distributions are mapped in detail. The book will allow the user to interpret intelligently and cautiously the interrelationships among species of voles and lemmings and to follow the anticipated taxonomic change with a critical eye.

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Section: Microtus Agrestis (Linnaeus 1761) -mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Burgas) in Bulgaria. Results of habitat modelling for Harting's social vole suggest a collapse of its European range in a matter of decades (Kryštufek et al 2018). Present on 2 islands: St. Thome (Black Sea offshore Bulgaria) and Lesbos (Aegean archipelagos, ~5.5km off the Anatolia coast).…”

Section: Microtus Agrestis (Linnaeus 1761) -mentioning

confidence: 99%

Voles and Lemmings (Arvicolinae) of the Palaearctic Region

Kryštufek

Shenbrot

2022

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“…Due to the isolation of the vole population in the Rhodopes, the well-pronounced fragmentation of biotopes [35,36], and the lack of vacant territories for dispersal, these rodents encountered extreme conditions that enhanced the impact of stress on voles. The habitat conditions also contributed to inbreeding, which evidently has a fairly long history.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the “Bottleneck” Effect in an Isolated Population of Microtus hartingi (Rodentia, Arvicolinae) from the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria) by Methods of Integrative Analysis

et al. 2022

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An integrative analysis of an isolated population of Harting’s vole (Microtus hartingi) from the Eastern Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria) was carried out by morphological and morphometric methods, computed tomography, Cytb variation data, and experimental hybridization. Substantial changes in the development of the skull and teeth were found. Nevertheless, those voles can live to the senex stage. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on Cytb sequences showed that M. hartingi from the Eastern Rhodopes forms a separate clade, which is a sister clade to the voles from Northeastern Greece (also from the foothills of the Rhodopes). M. hartingi from the Rhodopes is mostly isolated reproductively from M. h. ankaraensis from Anatolia (Turkey), as evidenced by a decrease in the proportion of pairs that started breeding, relatively high mortality of pups, and increased sterility of hybrid males. Possible time of isolation of the Rhodopean population and consequences of the “bottleneck” effect on its current state are discussed. At the same time, we believe that, at present, it is impossible to determine its taxonomic status. It is necessary to recognize M. hartingi from the Bulgarian Rhodopes as an endangered population and to include it in regional Red Lists of Bulgaria.

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“…In this region of the country, S. citellus shares the grassland habitats with one of the largest vole species that occurs in Europe - the Harting's vole ( Microtus hartingi ). It is the only social vole and it lives in colonies that are often comprised of over a few dozen individuals and can cover several square metres with densely located burrows ( Tabur et al 2015 , Kryštufek et al 2018 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rise and fall: Results of a multidisciplinary study and 5-year long monitoring of conservation translocation of the European ground squirrel

Kachamakova¹,

Koshev²,

Rammou³

et al. 2022

BDJ

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The current publication gives a detailed assessment of the results from a population reinforcement of a European ground squirrel's (Spermophilus citellus) colony in south-eastern Bulgaria. The reinforcement was planned and implemented along with multidisciplinary research of the adaptation process (including radiotelemetry, parasitological study and assessment of the stress in the animals) and regular monitoring (yearly burrow counting). Although the donor and recipient populations were genetically similar, morphometrical data indicated variations in the body size probably due to the difference in population densities in the two sites. The monitoring revealed that the burrows were aggregated and there was a positive correlation in the spatial distribution of the ground squirrels’ burrow holes and the colonies of Harting's vole (Microtus hartingi) - another social ground-digging rodent that co-inhabits the study area. The first results showed successful reinforcement according to the three classical evaluation criteria: the individuals survived the translocation process, they successfully reproduced and an initial population growth was observed, based on the burrow entrances’ count - from 36 in 2017 to 280 in 2020. In 2021, however, a considerable decline in the abundance of the population was recorded - 58.5% decline in the burrow number and 36% decline in the colony area. A decrease was also observed in the abundance of the Harting's voles' colonies. A review of all the collected information suggests it is unlikely that the decrease is due to helminth parasites, translocation stress or other behaviour issues. The most probable explanation is the bad weather conditions - unusually high rainfalls combined with relatively high temperatures in January 2021. In conclusion, we strongly emphasise the need for detailed and long-term monitoring after conservation translocation and careful evaluation of all the influencing factors before, during and after such actions.

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Incipient road to extinction of a keystone herbivore in south-eastern Europe: Harting’s vole (Microtus hartingi) under climate change

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Voles and Lemmings (Arvicolinae) of the Palaearctic Region

Voles and Lemmings (Arvicolinae) of the Palaearctic Region

Evaluation of the “Bottleneck” Effect in an Isolated Population of Microtus hartingi (Rodentia, Arvicolinae) from the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria) by Methods of Integrative Analysis

Rise and fall: Results of a multidisciplinary study and 5-year long monitoring of conservation translocation of the European ground squirrel

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