One hundred years of eruptions of house mice in Australia - a natural biological curio

Abstract

The house mouse has adapted well to the cereal crops of south-eastern Australia where populations show aperiodic outbreaks over large areas. A 20-year population study has provided a wealth of information on breeding ecology, demographic changes, spatial behaviour and epidemiology. The breeding season can be as short as 4.5 months and as long as 10 months with litter size changing seasonally from high values in spring to low values in autumn. There are marked changes in litter size between years. Rates of increase of populations also vary between years. The rate of change of populations during the breeding season is independent of density effects, but if the population density is high at the commencement of breeding then the litter size is depressed throughout that breeding season. There are density-dependent effects on survival during the non-breeding season. Rates of increase of populations over spring and summer are highly correlated with accumulated rainfall from the previous winter-spring (

Does high growth rate of juvenile house mice with prolonged access to ripening grain and free water drive population outbreaks?

“…For much of the breeding season, dry grain and grass seed can constitute 95-99% of stomach volume of mice living in some grain crops (Bomford 1987a). Furthermore, removal of weeds and insect pests in grain crops is becoming increasingly effective due to highly specific chemicals and application techniques, so the variety of food sources in cereal crops is diminishing compared with those that were available during some earlier dietary studies (Tann et al 1991), even though mouse infestations are becoming increasingly common (Singleton et al 2005).…”

“…The highest of the 11 reliable estimates for summer was recorded in 1992-93, when exceptionally heavy rainfall during late spring caused mature crops to set fresh seed, accompanied by a prolonged flush of summer weeds and pasture (Mutze 1998;Pech et al 1999). The result was the most severe and widespread outbreak of house mice in the past 20 years (Mutze 1998;Singleton et al 2005). White (1993White ( , 2002 sets out a convincing argument that, for house mice and many other granivorous taxa, the critical nutrients for breeding and rapid population growth are not protein per se but soluble amino acids and moisture in ripening grain.…”

“…Variation in rainfall and food supply appear to be major factors driving the development of irregular outbreaks of house mice (Mus domesticus) in the cereal-growing districts of southeastern Australia (Mutze et al 1990; Krebs et al 2004;Singleton et al 2005). The Mediterranean-type climate of southeastern Australia generally restricts annual plant growth to late autumn, winter and spring, causing major seasonal changes in quantity and quality of food available to mice.…”

“…Dramatic increases in mouse populations frequently follow periods of above average rainfall and plant productivity, or when unseasonable rainfall events produce flushes of high quality food outside of the normal period of availability (Singleton 1989;Mutze et al 1990;Pech et al 1999;Singleton et al 2005). Nevertheless, current knowledge of the critical nutritional factors that promote rapid increase in mouse populations is limited.…”

Introduction - virally vectored immunocontraception in Australia

“…Wild house mouse (Mus domesticus) plagues periodically cause major economic loss and social distress (Caughley et al 1994;Singleton et al 2005), while European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), introduced in the late 1850s and 1860s, continue to directly affect both agricultural and pastoral productivity as well as the survival of our unique flora and fauna (Saunders et al 1995;Williams et al 1995;McLeod 2004;Saunders and McLeod 2007). A cost-effective, humane solution to their broad-scale management is still required.…”