Abstract
We examined the feeding strategy of two dominant rodents, the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the pygmy field mouse (Apodemus uralensis), in set-aside fields over a period of 1 year. Diet analysis revealed dominance of green plant shoots in common vole’s diet and seeds in the diet of the pygmy field mouse. Food availability in the set-aside fields was strongly correlated with the diet of the herbivorous common vole, but not with that of the granivorous pygmy-field mouse. Both feeding strategies reflect specific morphological adaptations of the digestive tract of both species. A comparison of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT; length and mass without oesophagus; including contents) of the common vole and pygmy field mouse revealed a correlation between body size and length and the GIT weight in both species. The common vole had a proportionally heavier GIT with a larger of the common vole and pygmy field mouse relative proportion of caecum. The GIT length was proportionally greater in juvenile females, while the GIT weight was greater in adult females of both species. The GIT morphometry of both species varied with season and reproductive status, presumably as food consumed altered in line with vegetation phenology and the rodent’s energy requirements.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under project no. CEITEC 2020 (LQ1601). We would like to thank Kevin Roche for his help with English-language correction of the manuscript.
References
Amasaki, H., M. Daigo and N. Meguro. 1988. Morphological observations of the large intestine in the common vole, Microtus arvalis Pallas. Zool. Sci. 5: 205–208.Search in Google Scholar
Balmelli, L., W. Nentwig and J.P. Airoldi. 1999. Food preferences of the common vole Microtus arvalis in the agricultural landscape with regard to nutritional components of plants. Z. Saugetierkd. 64: 154–168.Search in Google Scholar
Behmann, H. 1973. Vergleichend- und funktionell-anatomische Untersuchungen am Caecum und Colon myomorpher Nagetiere. Z. wiss. Zool. 186: 173–294 (in German).Search in Google Scholar
Borkowska, A. 1995. Seasonal changes in gut morphology of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Can. J. Zool. 73: 1095–1099.10.1139/z95-130Search in Google Scholar
Briner, T., W. Nentwig and J.P. Airoldi. 2005. Habitat quality of wildflower strips for common voles (Microtus arvalis) and its relevance for agriculture. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 105: 173–179.10.1016/j.agee.2004.04.007Search in Google Scholar
Broughton, R.K., R.F. Shore, M.S. Heard, S.R. Amy, W.R. Meek, J.W. Redhead, A. Turk and R.F. Pywell. 2014. Agri-environment scheme enhances small mammal diversity and abundance at the farm-scale. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 192: 122–129.10.1016/j.agee.2014.04.009Search in Google Scholar
Butet, A. and Y.R. Delettre. 2011. Diet differentiation between European Arvicolinae and Murinae rodents. Acta Theriol. 56: 297–304.10.1007/s13364-011-0049-6Search in Google Scholar
Carleton, M.D. 1981. A survey of gross stomach morphology in Microtinae (Rodentia: Muriodea). Z. Saugetierkd. 46: 93–108.Search in Google Scholar
Chivers, D.J. and P. Langer (eds.). 2005. The digestive system in mammals. Food, form and function. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA. pp. 464.Search in Google Scholar
Corp, N., M.L. Gorman and J.R. Speakman. 1997. Apparent absorption efficiency and gut morphometry of wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, from two distinct populations with different diets. Physiol. Zool. 70: 610–614.10.1086/515876Search in Google Scholar PubMed
De la Pena, M.N., Y. Delletre, G. Paillat, P. Morant, L. Le Du and F. Burel. 2003. Response of small mammal community to changes in western French agricultural landscape. Landsc. Ecol. 18: 265–278.10.1023/A:1024452930326Search in Google Scholar
Ellis, B.A., J.N. Mills, E.J.T. Kennedy, J.I. Maiztegui and E. Child. 1994. The relationship among diet, alimentary tract morphology, and life history for five species of rodents from the central Argentine pamps. Acta Theriol. 39: 345–355.10.4098/AT.arch.94-40Search in Google Scholar
Eto, T., R. Ozaki, G.A. Kato, S.H. Sakamoto, C. Koshimoto and T. Morita. 2016. Flexibility of digestive tract morphology in response to environmental conditions in the large Japanese field mouse Apodemus speciosus. Mammal Study 41: 71–76.10.3106/041.041.0204Search in Google Scholar
Firbank, L.G., H.R. Arnald, B.C. Eversham, J.O. Mountford, G.L. Radford, M.G. Telfer, J.R. Treweek, N.R.C. Webb and T.C.E. Wells. 1993. Managing set-aside land for wildlife. ITE Research Publication No. 7. Natural Environmental Research Council, London, p. 1993.Search in Google Scholar
Gebczynska, Z. and M. Gebczynski. 1971. Length and weight of the alimentary tract of the root vole. Acta Theriol. 16: 359–369.10.4098/AT.arch.71-26Search in Google Scholar
Giraudoux, P., P. Delattre, J.P. Quere and J.P. Damange. 1994. Structure and kinetics of rodent populations, in a region under agricultural land abandonment. Acta Oecol. 15: 385–400.Search in Google Scholar
Golley, F.B. 1960. Anatomy of the digestive tract of Microtus. J. Mammal. 41: 89–99.10.2307/1376520Search in Google Scholar
Gorman, M.L. 1995. The population dynamics of small mammals living in set-aside and surrounding semi-natural and crop land. J. Zool. 236: 451–464.10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb02724.xSearch in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M. 1994. Diet of four rodent species from Robinia-pseudoacacia stands in South Moravia. Acta Theriol. 39, 333–337.10.4098/AT.arch.94-38Search in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M. and J. Suchomel. 2016. Small mammals in sugar beet stands and their significance in terms of damage to sugar beet production. Listy cukrov. řepař. 132: 96–99 (in Czech with English Summary).Search in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M., J. Zejda, M. Zapletal, D. Obdrzalkova, E. Janova, J. Bryja and E. Tkadlec. 2004. Importance of winter rape for small rodents. Plant Soil Environ. 50: 175–181.10.17221/4079-PSESearch in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M., E. Janova, J. Bryja and E. Tkadlec. 2005. Set-aside plots – source of small mammal pests? Folia Zool. 54: 337–350.Search in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M., J. Bryja, J. Zejda and E. Tkadlec. 2007. Structure and diversity of small mammal communities in agriculture landscape. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 120: 206–210.10.1016/j.agee.2006.09.007Search in Google Scholar
Heroldova, M., M. Pejcoch, J. Bryja, E. Janova, J. Suchomel and E. Tkadlec. 2010. Tula virus in populations of small terrestrial mammals in a rural landscape. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 10: 599–603.10.1089/vbz.2009.0211Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Holisova, V. 1959. Potrava hraboše polního (The diet of common vole), In: (J. Kratochvil, ed.) Hraboš polní (Microtus arvalis) (Common vole (Microtus arvalis)): 54–89. NČSAV, Praha. (In Czech with German abstract).Search in Google Scholar
Holisova, V. 1973. Variation in weight of gastro-intestinal tract with content in Clethrionomys glareolus captured in snap-traps. Zool. Listy, 22: 297–309.Search in Google Scholar
Holisova, V. and R. Obrtel. 1984. Variation in the trophic niche of Apodemus microps in two different habitats. Folia Zool. 33: 49–55.Search in Google Scholar
Holisova, V., J. Pelikan and J. Zejda. 1962. Ecology and population dynamics in Apodemus microps Krat. and Ros. (Mamm.: Muridae). Práce Brněnské základny Čs. Akad. Věd 34: 493–540.Search in Google Scholar
Hume, I.D. 1994. Gut morphology, body size and digestive performance in rodents. In: (D.J. Chivers and P. Langer, eds). The digestive system in mammals: food, form and function. Cambridge University Press, New York. 315–323.10.1017/CBO9780511661716.020Search in Google Scholar
Jakrlova, J. 1987a. Destruktivní stanovení nadzemní biomasy [Destructive assessment of aboveground biomass]. In: (M. Rychnovska ed.) Metody studia travinných ekosystémů [Study methods of grass ecosystems]. Academia, Praha: 56–64 (in Czech).Search in Google Scholar
Jakrlova, J. 1987b. Stanovení produkce semen [Assessment of seed production]. In: (M. Rychnovska ed.) Metody studia travinných ekosystémů [Study methods of grass ecosystems]. Academia, Praha: 94–95 (in Czech).Search in Google Scholar
Janova, E. and M. Heroldova. 2016. Response of small mammals to variable agricultural landscape in Central Europe. Mamm. Biol. 81: 488–493.10.1016/j.mambio.2016.06.004Search in Google Scholar
Janova, E., J. Bryja, D. Cizmar, L. Cepelka and M. Heroldova. 2015. A new method for assessing food quality in common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations. Eur. J. Wildl. Res. 61: 57–62.10.1007/s10344-014-0873-5Search in Google Scholar
Janova, E., M. Heroldova and L. Cepelka. 2016. Rodent food quality and its relation to crops and other environmental and population parameters in and agricultural landscape. Sci. Total Environ. 562: 164–169.10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.165Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Karasov, W.H. and C. Martinez del Rio. 2007. Physiological ecology: how animals process energy, nutrients, and toxins. Princeton University Press, Princeton.10.1515/9780691213316Search in Google Scholar
Kostelecka-Myrcha, A. and A. Myrcha. 1964. The rate of passage of foodstuffs through the alimentary tracts of certain Microtidae under laboratory conditions. Acta Theriol. 9: 37–53.10.4098/AT.arch.64-20Search in Google Scholar
Lovegrove, B.G. 2010. The allometry of rodent intestines. J. Comp. Physiol. B. 180: 741–755.10.1007/s00360-009-0437-2Search in Google Scholar
Myrcha, A. 1965. Length and weight of the alimentary tract of Apodemus flavicolis. Acta Theriol. 10: 225–228.10.4098/AT.arch.65-16Search in Google Scholar
Rogers, L.M. and M.L. Gorman. 1995. The diet of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus on set-aside land. J. Zool. 235: 77–83, Part 1.10.1111/j.1469-7998.1995.tb05129.xSearch in Google Scholar
Sotherton, S.W. 1998. Land use changes and the decline of farmland wildlife: an appraisal of the set-aside approach. Biol. Conserv. 83: 123–128.10.1016/S0006-3207(97)00082-7Search in Google Scholar
StatSoft Inc, 2001. STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 6.Search in Google Scholar
Tattersall, F.H., B.J. Hart, W.J. Manley, D.W. Macdonald and R.E. Feber. 1999. Small mammals on set-aside blocks and margins. Field margins and buffer zones: ecology, management and policy. Appl. Biol. 54: 131–138.Search in Google Scholar
Treml, F., J. Nepereny, E. Janova, H. Band’ouchova and J. Pikula. 2012. Prevalence of antibodies against leptospires in small mammals in relation to age, sex and season. Acta Vet. Brno 81: 97–102.10.2754/avb201281020097Search in Google Scholar
Vorontsov, N.N. 1962. The ways of food specialization and evolution of the alimentary system in Muroidea. In: (J. Kratochvíl and J. Pelikán eds.) Symposium Theological Proceedings of the International Symposium on Methods of Mammalogical Investigation, Brno. Publ. House Academia Praha, pp. 360–377.Search in Google Scholar
Wilczynska, B. 1999. Histometry and surface area of the alimentary canal of Apodemus flavicollis. Acta Theriol. 44: 29–36.10.4098/AT.arch.99-3Search in Google Scholar
Zeman, L. 1995. Katalog krmiv (Index of fodders), VÚVZ Pohořelice, ISBN 80-901598-3-4 (in Czech).Search in Google Scholar
©2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston