Sterile matings initiate the breeding season in the bank vole, <i>Clethrionomys glareolus</i>. A field and laboratory study

Westlin, Lilian M.; Nyholm, Erik

doi:10.1139/z82-052

Cited by 14 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…Although the present data appear to be the first to indicate that unpaired C. gapperi sometimes ovulate, the occurrence of ovulation in unpaired, unmated female C. glareolus has been reported by both Andersson and Gustafsson (1982) and Clarke and Clulow (1973), although not by Jemiolo, Marchlewska-Koj, and Buchalczyk (1980) or Westlin and Nyholm (1982). Although the available data are incomplete, they suggest a difference between the genera, with Microtus not ovulating unless placed in relatively close contact with stimuli from males and Clethrionomys ovulating more readily in response to more remote stimuli under at least some conditions.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 45%

Stimulus control of ovulation in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Ferguson

Webster

Dewsbury

1984

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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Reproductive function is under the control of stimuli mediated by the central nervous system in many species . In species classified as "induced ovulators," ovulation is generally contingent on external stimuli, particularly the vaginal stimulation derived from males during copulation. However, although they are classified as induced ovulators, 7 of 17 female redbacked voles tClethrionomys gappen; ovulated when housed either across a mesh barrier from a male or in isolated cages in a room containing males. There was no appreciable difference as a function of housing condition. Thus, red-backed voles ovulate in response to a variety of stimuli and do not require copulatory stimulation. Unmated Clethrionomys appear to ovulate more readily than do Microtus. The categoryof "induced ovulation" requiresrefinement.365

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 45%

Stimulus control of ovulation in red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Ferguson

Webster

Dewsbury

1984

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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“…Sterile estrus, not resulting in pregnancy, has already been observed in populations of Clethrionomys spp. in spring, and is thought to prime successful breeding (Westlin and Nyholm 1981) or to be an effect of interspecific competition with other Clethrionomys species (Ims 1985) or a sign of pregnancy failure (Clarke et al 1970). In our study, earlier maturation without breeding might have been related to the observed differences in body mass, with the females fed sunflower seeds gaining more mass than the females fed barley.…”

Section: The Influence Of Density On the Initiation Of Breedingmentioning

confidence: 49%

“…Breeding of bank voles in northern Europe extends from May to September (Kaikusalo 1972;Nyholm and Meurling 1979). The majority of animals overwinter as subadults and mature in spring (Westlin and Nyholm 1981;Tkadlec and Zejda 1998). Bank voles overwinter socially in small aggregations (Ylönen and Viitala 1985), probably to prevent heat loss in the nest during foraging bouts (Vickery and Millar 1984;Wolff 1984).…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For females we used a closed vagina or perforated vagina, indicating estrus (Bujalska 1983;Kawata 1985), visible pregnancy, and lactation. We analysed the first record of a female in estrus as well as first parturition, because a period of sterile ovulations and pregnancy failure often precede successful reproduction in bank voles (Westlin and Nyholm 1981;Ims 1985). Females in their last week of pregnancy were removed from the field to a laboratory at Konnevesi Research Station.…”

Section: Breeding and Body Conditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Initiation of breeding after winter in bank voles: effects of food and population density

Eccard¹,

Ylönen²

2001

Can. J. Zool.

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We studied factors causing variation in the initiation of reproduction after winter in the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), an iteroparous seasonal breeder, by offering different winter food supplements and monitoring local density variation. We used either sunflower seeds or barley to supplement the diet of populations of bank voles in grassland enclosures. In a parallel experiment we used spruce seeds, a natural winter food, to supplement the diet of bank vole populations in unfenced spruce forest. Survival, maturation, and breeding were monitored by livetrapping. Population density decreased during winter in grassland enclosures and remained constant in the forest, with no difference between food treatments. Breeding was initiated earlier in the grassland enclosures than in the forest, probably because of the supplemental food supply in both seed treatments and social and environmental stability in enclosures. Within both experiments, we found no differences in timing of parturition between food treatments. Interactions of food treatment with density of females influenced the time of initiation of breeding in both experiments. At low densities, breeding started up to 1 month earlier than the population average. At high densities, a proportion of females did not breed during spring. Massive food supplements advanced the initiation of breeding, but among animals with similar food supplies, local population density seemed to have stronger regulatory effects. Local density variations may therefore create asynchronous breeding patterns within populations under similar wintering conditions. Résumé : Nous avons étudié les facteurs responsables de la variation dans le déclenchement de la reproduction après l'hiver chez le Campagnol roussâtre (Clethrionomys glareolus), un reproducteur saisonnier itéropare, par l'addition de différents suppléments alimentaires en hiver et par l'étude de la variation locale de la densité. Nous avons donné comme suppléments alimentaires des graines de tournesol ou de l'orge à des populations gardées en enceinte dans des zones herbeuses. Dans une expérience parallèle, nous avons fourni des graines d'épinettes, aliment utilisé en nature en hiver, à des populations de campagnols libres dans des forêts d'épinettes. La survie, la maturation et la reproduction ont été suivies par piégeage de campagnols vivants. La densité des populations a diminué en hiver dans les enceintes, mais elle n'a pas changé en forêt et il n'y avait pas de différence selon les traitements alimentaires. La reproduction était plus hâtive dans les enceintes en milieux herbeux qu'en forêt, probablement à cause des suppléments alimentaires des deux types de graines et à cause de la stabilité sociale et environnementale prévalant dans les enceintes. Nous n'avons pas constaté de différences dans le moment de la parturition selon le traitement alimentaire. Les interactions entre les traitements alimentaires et la densité des femelles influençaient le déclenchement de la reproduction. À densité faible, la reproduction pouva...

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“…Female bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, which are induced ovulators (Clarke, Clulow & Greig, 1970;Westlin & Nyholm, 1982), have several matings at the start of the breeding season that do not result in pregnancy (Westlin & Nyholm, 1982). The corpora lutea (CL) of these sterile matings differ from CL of pregnancy in that they are smaller, less luteinized (as judged from their smaller cell size) and have a short life span (Westlin & Nyholm, 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%