Role of female behavior in controlling population growth in mice

Abstract

Sex ratio does not appear to be a factor in generating the characteristic population growth curve. Freely growing populations of house mice, consisting of all females and one male, stopped their growth at approximately the same densities as normal sexratio populations used as references. The mechanism(s) of female control of population dynamics may be related to female aggressive behavior. As the all‐female/one‐male populations approached their maximum size, the females began to show wounding patterns and social hierarchies in much the same manner as males in populations with normal sex ratios. The male in each of the populations was severely wounded in the posterior region, and each lost its tail as a result of injuries which could have been inflicted only by the females. The female social hierarchy can be seen only when there has been reproduction and population growth. Assembled populations of all females rarely exhibit aggressive behavior. Female aggression becomes apparent only when the population approaches its maximum size and thereafter. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that males are competitive among themselves for territory and social rank, and ultimately to mate with the females. Other investigators have indicated that females respond to population size, which may reflect increased competition between the females with the establishment of territories. Thus female agression may control population growth, a role previously ascribed to male aggression.

Kin-preferential cooperation, dominance-dependent reproductive skew, and competition for mates in communally nesting female house mice

“…Dominance among females as a measure of securing reproductive success has rarely been analysed in rodents, although it is well known that female aggression strongly limits productivity under over-crowded conditions in laboratory mouse groups (Lloyd 1975;Yasukawa et al 1985;Chovnick et al 1987;Parmigiani et al 1989;Palanza et al 1996;Chapman et al 1998). Here, we present the first empirical evidence that body weight might determine agonistic dominance in unrelated wild house mouse females, a fact long established in males ( van Zegeren 1980).…”

Social relationships and social structure of the mound-building mouse ( Mus spicilegus ) in intraspecific cage groups

“…Many studies have confirmed the participation of breeding females, demonstrating a high level of aggressiveness, in the defence of the male territory, as well as the role of interfemale aggression and dominance in restricting the reproductive potential of adult conspecifics (Evans and Brain 1978;Yasukawa et al 1984;Brain 1987;Chovnick et al 1987;Svare 1987;Parmigiani et al 1989;Marchlewska-Koj et al 1994;Palanza et al 1996Palanza et al , 2001Marchlewska-Koj 1997). The data from the present research support the aforementioned observations.…”

Egg yolk androgen levels increase with breeding density in the European Starling,Sturnus vulgaris

“…These effects are readily observable during the breeding season in species that attempt to maintain discrete breeding territories. For example, lizards, mammals and birds living under high density or who receive repeated territorial intrusions show more intense territorial behaviour and increased likelihood of attacking intruders (Yasukawa et al . 1985; Wingfield & Lewis 1993; Klukowski & Nelson 1998).…”