WONG, K. L., and BONDRUP-NIELSEN, S. 1992. Long-term effects of infant malnutrition on the behaviour of adult meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Can. J . Zool. 70: 1304 -1308. Several studies on laboratory mice and rats have shown that malnutrition during infancy has a variety of long-term effects extending into adulthood. These effects are manifested in reproduction, including reduced litter sizes, reduced growth rates of the young, and skewed sex ratios, and in behaviour, including increased nervousness, decreased problem-solving ability, and reduced pup retrieval to the nest by the mother. This study investigated the effects of early malnutrition on behaviour in adult meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Experimental animals received a standard diet diluted with pure cornstarch (1 part standard diet to 2 parts pure cornstarch) through their mothers during lactation and directly for 3 weeks postweaning. Control individuals always received the standard diet ad libitum. The cumulative duration of 13 behaviours was measured in 10-min trial periods and compared between experimental and control animals. Experimental females differed from control females in a number'of behaviours, especially those involving high activity levels, whereas experimental and control males showed little difference in the behaviours performed. The behaviour profile of previously malnourished females was similar to those of both control and experimental males. Increased activity, resulting from poor nutrition, may have consequences for dispersal and spacing behaviour . WONG, K. L., et BONDRUP-NIELSEN, S. 1992. Long-term effects of infant malnutrition on the behaviour of adult meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Can. J . Zool. 70: 1304 -1308. Plusieurs Ctudes sur les souris et les rats de laboratoire ont dCmontrC que la malnutrition au cours du jeune Age entraine une kyrielle d'effets a long terme a l'ige adulte, notamment sur la reproduction, portCes plus petites, croissance ralentie des petits, rapports miles : femelles dCsCquilibrCs, et sur le comportement, nervositC accrue, capaciti moins grande de faire face a des problkmes, rCduction de la rCcupCration des petits dans le nid. Nous avons CtudiC les effets d'une malnutrition au cours du jeune i g e sur le comportement d'adultes du Campagnol des champs, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Les animaux expkrimentaux ont Ct C soumis a un rCgime standard diluC avec de la fCcule de mays pure (1 partie de regime et 2 parties de fkcule), par le lait de leur mkre au cours de l'allaitement, puis directement durant 3 semaines aprks le sevrage. Les individus tCmoins ont toujours r e p le rCgime standard ad libitum. La durCe cumulative de 13 comportements a CtC mesurCe au cours de pCriodes de 10 minutes et comparke chez les animaux expkrimentaux et les animaux tCmoins. Les femelles experimentales diffkrent des femelles tCmoins dans plusieurs de leurs comportements, particulikrement ceux qui requikrent une grande activitC, alors que les miles des deux groupes ont des comportements semblables. Le comporte...