Topography and soil properties contribute to regional outbreak risk variability of common voles (Microtus arvalis)

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin F. Blank ◽  
Jens Jacob ◽  
Anja Petri ◽  
Alexandra Esther
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Soil Air ◽  
Eastern Germany ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Chernozem Soils ◽  
Classification And Regression ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Air Capacity

Context Common voles (Microtus arvalis) are the most common vertebrate pests in central European agriculture. During outbreaks common vole populations can increase to an enormous number of individuals; however, this outbreak risk varies regionally. Aims In this study we tested whether topography and soil properties are suited to explain the regional variability in the outbreak risk of the common vole in Eastern Germany. This study provides the first detailed large-scale study of the association of site characteristics and small mammal outbreak risk at a regional scale. Methods Data on common vole outbreaks were recorded by active burrow counts at 82 sampling sites in Eastern Germany from almost four decades. Data on topography and soil properties – i.e. groundwater fluctuation index, soil air capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil class and elevation – were obtained from soil maps and a digital elevation model in a geographic information system and were related to outbreak risk classes, applying classification and regression trees (CART). Based on these results a map of the outbreak risk was developed for the area. Key results Classification and regression tree analyses revealed that the mean elevation, area-related percentage of Chernozem soils and soil air capacity were the site characteristics best suited to explain local variability in outbreak risk. In the northern German lowland, below an elevation of ~83 m above sea level, the outbreak risk is generally very low. The region of the central upland has an increased risk for outbreaks of common voles. Within the region of the central uplands the risk was again elevated if the area covered by Chernozem soils was higher than 36%, and increased further if the area covered by soils with a moderate soil air capacity was higher than 90%. Conclusions Topography and soil properties, and accordingly the character of a landscape, are static parameters that affect the local risk of common vole outbreak. Further detailed field investigations of soil properties are required to link the variation in regional outbreak risk to site characteristics with relevance to common vole ecology. Implications Areas of varying regional outbreak risk of common voles can be defined according to static site characteristics identified in this study. They can provide a spatial framework to relate dynamic parameters, such as meteorological parameters, as well as biological parameters, such as food availability, to common vole outbreaks. This could be used in the future to develop improved predictive models to forecast common vole outbreaks.

Identification of weather parameters related to regional population outbreak risk of common voles (Microtus arvalis) in Eastern Germany

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Imholt ◽  
A. Esther ◽  
J. Perner ◽  
J. Jacob
Keyword(s):  
Common Vole ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Regional Variability ◽  
Eastern Germany ◽  
Weather Parameters ◽  
Common Voles

Context Common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations can increase to several thousand individuals per hectare during outbreaks. In central Europe such outbreaks usually extend across large areas but there can be significant regional differences in outbreak intensity, general outbreak risk and associated crop damage. Aims We tested whether weather parameters can be used to explain the regional variability in outbreak risk of common voles in an area of Eastern Germany where common vole outbreaks are common. Method Suitable weather parameters were identified by principal component analysis (PCA). Time series of common vole abundance from 50 locations across 36 500 km2 sampled in 1973–97 were related to weather parameters selected by PCA and multiple linear regression. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used on relevant weather parameters to display the temporal and spatial variability in vole abundance. An overlay of risk class transformed abundances allowed for the identification of appropriate threshold values to define vole outbreaks. Key results Weather parameters were closely related to the variation in regional outbreak risk of common voles. Mostly weather parameters in winter and early spring were identified to be highly important. All risk thresholds tested revealed similar patterns for the distribution of risk classes across locations and years. While most years of very low or very high outbreak risk clustered well according to weather parameters, some cases of medium risk classes did not cluster well. Conclusions Weather parameters especially in winter and early spring are related to common vole outbreak risk in the following autumn. This is the case for extremely high and low outbreak risks and is largely independent of the choice of particular threshold values for outbreak risk. Implications Weather parameters could be used to develop automated forecast systems at the spatial resolution of single weather stations. Combined with other parameters that are easily available, such as information on soil characteristics, such forecasts might be as reliable as more complex biological models developed in the past.

scholarly journals Impact of Microtus arvalis and Lepus europaeus on apple trees by trunk bark gnawing

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 142-147
Author(s):  
Josef Suchomel ◽  
Jan Šipoš ◽  
Ladislav Čepelka ◽  
Marta Heroldová
Keyword(s):  
Apple Tree ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Apple Orchard ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
European Hare ◽  
Bark Damage ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Apple Cultivars ◽  
Common Voles

A unique evaluation of the apple tree trunk bark damage caused by common vole and European hare was presented. Damage was found in an apple orchard under organic farming, in Central Moravia (Czech Republic), at 700 m a.s.l. There were two cultivated apple cultivars Red Spring and Melodie/Angold. Damage occurred in winter with the snow cover lasting from December to February. In total 1 012 trees and 95.7% of trees were damaged. The cv. Red Spring was damaged more than cv. Melodie/Angold. Almost 90% of the dead trees were killed by common voles. While hares damaged both cultivars equally, voles damaged the cv. Red Spring to a significantly greater extent (P = 0.04). The study confirms the need of further research on the development of methodologies for orchard protection from damage caused by small mammals.

scholarly journals Eight Whole-Genome Assemblies of Yersinia pestis subsp. microtus bv. caucasica Isolated from the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) Plague Focus in Dagestan, Russia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (34) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelina A. Kislichkina ◽  
Aleksandr G. Bogun ◽  
Lidiya A. Kadnikova ◽  
Nadezhda V. Maiskaya ◽  
Viktor I. Solomentsev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Yersinia Pestis ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Genome Sequences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Genome Assemblies

ABSTRACT We here report the draft genome sequences of 8 Yersinia pestis subsp. microtus bv. caucasica strains isolated from the East Caucasian (previous name, Dagestan) mountain focus (no. 39), representing the most ancient branch of the 0.PE2 phylogroup circulating in populations of common voles (Microtus arvalis).

scholarly journals Staphylococcus microti sp. nov., isolated from the common vole (Microtus arvalis)

2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 566-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Nováková ◽  
Roman Pantůček ◽  
Zdeněk Hubálek ◽  
Enevold Falsen ◽  
Hans-Jürgen Busse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Cell Protein ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Polar Lipid Profile ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Gram Positive Cocci

Two strains of Gram-positive cocci were isolated from viscera of common voles (Microtus arvalis Pallas) with generalized Brucella microti infection in the Czech Republic. Biochemical features and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strains are representatives of the genus Staphylococcus and assigned Staphylococcus muscae as the nearest relative. A detailed characterization done by ribotyping, rpoB and hsp60 gene sequencing, whole-cell protein analysis and rep-PCR using the (GTG)5 primer differentiated the two strains from all described staphylococci. DNA–DNA hybridization with the type strain of S. muscae demonstrated that the two strains should be considered as members of a novel species (26.8 % reassociation). The two analysed strains were found to be coagulase-negative, novobiocin-susceptible, oxidase-negative cultures, phenotypically close to one another, but showing differences in ribotype profiles. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C18 : 2 ω6,9c/anteiso-C18 : 0, C18 : 0 and C18 : 1 ω9c. MK-7 was the predominant isoprenoid quinone, with minor amounts of MK-6 and MK-8. The polar lipid profile was composed of the major lipids diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and several unknown lipids. These results proved that the two isolates represent a novel staphylococcal species. The name proposed for this novel taxon is Staphylococcus microti sp. nov.; the type strain is 4005-LJ(m)T (=CCM 4903T =CCUG 55861T =DSM 22147T).

scholarly journals Control of Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) in Alfalfa Crops Using Reduced Content of Anticoagulants

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Goran Jokić ◽  
Tanja Blažić
Keyword(s):  
Standard Method ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Zinc Phosphide ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Rodent Control ◽  
Active Ingredients ◽  
Remote Sites ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles

The common vole, Microtus arvalis, which is prone to cyclic overpopulation, poses a significant threat to sustainable alfalfa production by either chewing shoots periodically or gnawing and damaging roots permanently. In areas with established vole colonies, the density of alfalfa plants was shown to decrease 55.3–63.4%. Simultaneously, the number of alfalfa shoots decreased by 60.9–71.7%. These experiments were conducted in compliance with an EPPO standard method in alfalfa fields at three geographically remote sites. The experiment tested the efficacy of the most widely used acute rodenticide zinc phosphide (2%), and anticoagulants applied at significantly reduced doses of active ingredients, i.e., bromadiolone (25 ppm) and brodifacoum (25 ppm), as well as a combination of these active ingredients at a low concentration (10 + 10 ppm). Three weeks after treatment, zinc phosphide and brodifacoum achieved the highest average efficacy, at 98.5% and 92.05%, respectively, while the average efficacy of the anticoagulant combination and bromadiolone was 87.2% and 75.5%, respectively. The achieved efficacy of baits based on brodifacoum and the combination of brodifacoum and bromadiolone in controlling common voles indicates their possible utilization in the field. Baits with 25 ppm of brodifacoum and the combination of bromadiolone and brodifacoum (10 + 10 ppm) showed satisfactory results and their introduction could significantly improve pest management programs for rodent control. At the same time, the use of anticoagulant rodenticides with reduced contents of active ingredients would significantly reduce their exposure to non-target animals, especially predators and vultures. By further improving the palatability of tested baits for target rodent species, their efficacy and safety of application would be significantly improved.

scholarly journals Morphometrical analysis of Taenia taeniaeformis and Taenia crassiceps in the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) in Vorarlberg, Austria

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Fuehrer ◽  
C. Siehs ◽  
R. Schneider ◽  
H. Auer
Keyword(s):  
Common Vole ◽  
Water Vole ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Taenia Crassiceps ◽  
Arvicola Terrestris ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Water Vole Arvicola Terrestris ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Taenia Taeniaeformis

AbstractTaenia taeniaeformis and Taenia crassiceps are cestodes with voles as intermediate hosts and Felidae, Canidae and Mustelidae as definitive hosts. To evaluate the influence of T. taeniaeformis metacestodes on voles in Vorarlberg (Western Austria), a helminthological survey was performed on 318 common voles (Microtus arvalis) and 93 water voles (Arvicola terrestris). Furthermore the metacestodes themselves were analysed by morphometric methods. Our results demonstrate that both T. taeniaeformis and T. crassiceps are endemic in Vorarlberg, and that there is a significant difference between those infected with larvae of T. taeniaeformis and uninfected voles regarding body weight, but not sex or body length.

scholarly journals Susceptibility of selected murine and microtine species to infection by a wild strain of Francisella tularensis subsp. holoarctica

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 64-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Bandouchova ◽  
J. Sedlackova ◽  
M. Hubalek ◽  
M. Pohanka ◽  
L. Peckova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Wild Strain ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Mammalian Host ◽  
Bacterial Burden ◽  
Apodemus Flavicollis ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Colony Forming Units ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles

The purpose of this study was to compare susceptibility of BALB/c mice, common voles (<i>Microtus arvalis</i>) and yellow-necked mice (<i>Apodemus flavicollis</i>) to infection by a virulent <i>Francisella tularensis</i> subsp. <i>holarctica</i> strain. Median survival in these three species following experimental infection with 320 colony forming units of <i>F. tularensis</i> (both intraperitoneally and subcutaneously) amounted to 4.5, 7 and 4 days, respectively. Survival curves of BALB/c and yellow-necked mice were very similar and were significantly different from that of common voles. LD50 was 0.5 and 37.9 colony forming units in BALB/c mice and common voles, respectively. The bacterial burden in the spleen, liver, lung, kidney and blood of common voles started to develop later post exposure and amounted to lower levels (except in kidneys) than in BALB/c mice. The results demonstrate that yellow-necked mice are even more susceptible to infection by <i>F. tularensis</i> than BALB/c mice and that the common vole is a small mammalian host with a susceptibility which is two-orders-of-magnitude lower.

scholarly journals Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus microti DSM 22147, Isolated from the Common Vole

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
XinJun Hu ◽  
Yibing Shang ◽  
Jing Guo ◽  
Huping Zhang ◽  
Yalin Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Draft Genome ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Gc Content ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
A Genome ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus microti DSM 22147 was isolated from viscera of common voles (Microtus arvalis Pallas) with generalized Brucella microti infection in the Czech Republic. To the best of our knowledge, the genome sequence of the species S. microti has not been previously studied. The complete genome sequence of strain DSM 22147 includes a genome of 2,381,859 bp (38.0% GC content) without any plasmids.

Life cycle and pathogenicity of Eimeria strakonicensis n.sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in experimentally infected common voles (Microtus arvalis)

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Koudela ◽  
J. Vítovec
Keyword(s):  
Villous Atrophy ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Endogenous Development ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Oocyst Wall ◽  
Inflammatory Infiltration ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Crypt Hyperplasia ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Voles

The oocysts of Eimeria strakonicensis n.sp. are described from the feces of the common vole, Microtus arvalis. Sporulated oocysts were broadly ellipsoidal and measured 28.3 × 25.2 μm. The oocyst wall was composed of a yellowish rough outer layer and colourless smooth inner layer. The sporulated oocysts contained a compact blackberry-like residuum. The sporocysts, with a small Stieda body, measured 11.5 × 9.5 μm. Sporulation was completed within 7 days at 20–23 °C. Endogenous development of E. strakonicensis was found to take place in the middle and posterior jejunum. Asexual development comprised two generations of meronts, which were seen at 3 and 4 days postinfection. The first fully developed macrogametes, microgametes, and oocysts were seen at 5 days postinfection. The prepatent period was 5 days and the patent period was 3–4 days. The pathological changes caused by E. strakonicensis consisted of villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, and inflammatory infiltration of the lamina propria of the middle and posterior jejunum. During the acute phase, the villous tips were eroded and numerous trophozoites of Spironucleus sp. and Giardia sp. and necrotic debris filled the cryptal and intestinal lumina.

scholarly journals Zoonotic pathogens in fluctuating common vole (Microtus arvalis) populations: occurrence and dynamics

Parasitology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Rodríguez-Pastor ◽  
Raquel Escudero ◽  
Xavier Lambin ◽  
Mª Dolors Vidal ◽  
Horacio Gil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Density Dependence ◽  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Common Vole ◽  
Host Density ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Time Lagged ◽  
Additional Influence ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Pathogen Vector

AbstractDiseases and host dynamics are linked, but their associations may vary in strength, be time-lagged, and depend on environmental influences. Where a vector is involved in disease transmission, its dynamics are an additional influence, and we often lack a general understanding on how diseases, hosts and vectors interact. We report on the occurrence of six zoonotic arthropod-borne pathogens (Anaplasma, Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Francisella and Rickettsia) in common voles (Microtus arvalis) throughout a population fluctuation and how their prevalence varies according to host density, seasonality and vector prevalence. We detected Francisella tularensis and four species of Bartonella, but not Anaplasma, Borrelia, Coxiella or Rickettsia. Bartonella taylorii and B. grahamii prevalence increased and decreased with current host (vole and mice) density, respectively, and increased with flea prevalence. Bartonella doshiae prevalence decreased with mice density. These three Bartonella species were also more prevalent during winter. Bartonella rochalimae prevalence varied with current and previous vole density (delayed-density dependence), but not with season. Coinfection with F. tularensis and Bartonella occurred as expected from the respective prevalence of each disease in voles. Our results highlight that simultaneously considering pathogen, vector and host dynamics provide a better understanding of the epidemiological dynamics of zoonoses in farmland rodents.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document