Space use, habitat selection and daily activity of water voles Arvicola amphibius co-occurring with the invasive American mink Neovison vison

Brzeziński, Marcin; Jedlikowski, Jan; Komar, Ewa

doi:10.25225/fozo.040.2019

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The obtained results suggest that, in the study area, mink odour was recognized by water voles as a threat and that, three decades after the establishment of the mink population, voles did not display prey naivety towards the non-native predator. A study of water vole activity conducted previously at the midfield ponds near Lake Łuknajno revealed that water voles avoided terrestrial habitats and preferred to inhabit pond littoral zones (Brzeziński, Jedlikowski, & Komar, 2019). In our experiment, these habitat preferences of water voles were further confirmed by the significantly higher trappability in traps placed on the rafts located in deeper water and more distant to the pond shoreline.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…Similarly, we did not record any changes in the pattern of vole circadian activity. In the study area, water voles display nocturnal activity (Brzeziński et al, ), and during the experiment, they were still mostly nocturnal, both in the areas with and without deployed mink faeces.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…A study of water vole activity conducted previously at the midfield ponds near Lake Łuknajno revealed that water voles avoided terrestrial habitats and preferred to inhabit pond littoral zones (Brzeziński, Jedlikowski, & Komar, ). In our experiment, these habitat preferences of water voles were further confirmed by the significantly higher trappability in traps placed on the rafts located in deeper water and more distant to the pond shoreline.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

et al. 2019

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The perception and assessment of predation risk often cause changes in the activities of animals and induce behavioural responses that may in turn affect their movements and distribution. To simulate high predation risk in a midfield pond riparian habitat, we used fresh faeces from ranch American mink Neovison vison and recorded behavioural responses of water voles Arvicola amphibius. In areas where mink odour was deployed, the numbers of captured vole individuals and their trappability were significantly lower than in control areas. Several voles migrated from the zones with deployed mink faeces to the areas without faeces, thus proving that increased predation risk affects the distribution of individuals in a population. The response to mink odour was much more pronounced in females than in males; in areas with deployed mink faeces, not a single female was trapped. We conclude that although American mink is a non‐native, invasive predator, water voles respond to mink odour by reducing their activity and/or by avoiding places with higher predation risk.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

et al. 2019

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“…The high frequency of remains of two vole species and moles in pellets suggests that these species are preyed upon in large numbers by herons feeding along shorelines or even on land, and that voles could be important primary vectors for plant seeds. Both vole species are herbivores that feed on plant material and seeds (Brzezinski et al., 2019; Lee & Houston, 1993). Even if seeds ingested by voles do not normally survive passage through the entire mammalian gut, they could still be in the mammalian foregut at the time of predation, or be carried in their fur (Cook, 1990).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A predatory waterbird as a vector of plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates

et al. 2021

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Omnivorous waterbirds play an important role in aquatic ecosystems as dispersal vectors via direct ingestion, transportation, and egestion of plant and invertebrate propagules (i.e. endozoochory). Predatory birds also have the potential to disperse plants and invertebrates that were first carried internally or externally by their prey animals. However, the potential contribution of predatory waterbird species to propagule dispersal in aquatic ecosystems remains understudied. We chose the grey heron Ardea cinerea (Ardeidae) to study the potential of predatory waterbirds to disperse propagules within and among aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesised that: (1) herons disperse a wide variety of plant and invertebrate propagules, from different habitats, with different morphologies (i.e. dispersal syndromes), and including both native and alien species; (2) propagules are ingested with prey species that are primary dispersal vectors (i.e., herons are secondary dispersers); (3) heron pellets show a similar abundance and richness of propagules across their widespread range. We collected 73 regurgitated heron pellets containing undigestible remains from 12 locations across the U.K. and The Netherlands, and examined the taxonomic diversity of plant seeds, invertebrates and prey remains. Pellets were dominated by mammal hairs (99% by volume), and bones confirmed the ingestion of small mammals (prevalence of 38%, e.g. water voles Arvicola amphibius), fish (14%), and birds or amphibians (6%). A total of 266 intact plant seeds were recovered from 71% of the pellets, representing 50 taxa from 17 plant families, including the alien Cotula coronopifolia. The cumulative number of plant species dispersed was lower at higher latitudes. Eight plant species recorded had not previously been recorded as dispersed via waterbirds, and only three species have an endozoochorous dispersal syndrome. Plant taxa were dominated by Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae, with 24 species from the littoral zone (Ellenberg moisture values of 7–12) and 21 terrestrial species (Ellenberg moisture values of 4–6). Intact invertebrate propagules were found in 30% of the pellets, dominated by Cladocera (Daphniidae) and Bryozoa (including the alien Plumatella casmiana). Our results demonstrate that grey herons disperse plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates widely in north‐western Europe. Herons regurgitate pellets that contain plant and invertebrate propagules from both aquatic or terrestrial habitats, for which secondary dispersal via ingestion along with prey is the likely underlying mechanism (i.e. propagules either attached to or in the digestive systems of the various prey). Our findings showcase the potential of predatory waterbirds as vectors of plants and invertebrates, and how they may facilitate connectivity between freshwater and terrestrial habitats.

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“…At times when an observer saw a chipmunk without disturbing it, the observer recorded the exact location of that chipmunk with a GPS unit after the chipmunk had left the vicinity. To maintain temporal independence for each chipmunk, we waited ≥ 1 h before obtaining a subsequent location ( Brzeziński et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A case for multiscale habitat selection studies of small mammals

Schweiger

Frey

Cain

2021

Journal of Mammalogy

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Habitat information for small mammals typically consists of anecdotal descriptions or infrequent analyses of habitat use, which often are reported erroneously as signifying habitat preference, requirements, or quality. Habitat preferences can be determined only by analysis of habitat selection, a behavioral process that results in the disproportionate use of one resource over other available resources and occurs in a hierarchical manner across different environmental scales. North American chipmunks (Neotamias and Tamias) are a prime example of the lack of studies on habitat selection for small mammal species. We used the Organ Mountains Colorado chipmunk (N. quadrivittatus australis) as a case study to determine whether previous descriptions of habitat in the literature were upheld in a multiscale habitat selection context. We tracked VHF radiocollared chipmunks and collected habitat information at used and available locations to analyze habitat selection at three scales: second order (i.e., home range), third order (i.e., within home range), and microhabitat scales. Mean home range was 2.55 ha ± 1.55 SD and did not differ between sexes. At the second and third order, N. q. australis avoided a coniferous forest land cover type and favored particular areas of arroyos (gullies) that were relatively steep-sided and greener and contained montane scrub land cover type. At the microhabitat scale, chipmunks selected areas that had greater woody plant diversity, rock ground cover, and ground cover of coarse woody debris. We concluded that habitat selection by N. q. australis fundamentally was different from descriptions of habitat in the literature that described N. quadrivittatus as primarily associated with coniferous forests. We suggest that arroyos, which are unique and rare on the landscape, function as climate refugia for these chipmunks because they create a cool, wet microclimate. Our findings demonstrate the importance of conducting multiscale habitat selection studies for small mammals to ensure that defensible and enduring habitat information is available to support appropriate conservation and management actions.

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Space use, habitat selection and daily activity of water voles Arvicola amphibius co-occurring with the invasive American mink Neovison vison

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 9 publications

References 30 publications

The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

The influence of American mink odour on the spatial distribution and behaviour of water voles

A predatory waterbird as a vector of plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates

A case for multiscale habitat selection studies of small mammals

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