Reproduction in a laboratory colony of bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1016-1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torgny Gustafsson ◽  
Bertil Andersson ◽  
Lilian Westlin
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
The Third ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Laboratory Colony ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Postpartum Estrus

Reproduction was studied in a laboratory colony of bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus. Litter size was mainly dependent on parity, the mean being 4.3 in primiparous and 5.3 in multiparous females. Mortality of young during the nursing period was also affected by the order of litter, with a minimum in the third litter (14%). Most of this mortality took place during the first 3 days after birth. Gestation was 18.3 days in primiparous females. Postpartum estrus and mating was usual and the length of the resulting pregnancy was prolonged by lactation (19.1 days for zero sucklings vs. 22 days for four or more sucklings).

scholarly journals Effects of litter size on pup defence and weaning success of neighbouring bank vole females

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernilla Jonsson ◽  
Jep Agrell ◽  
Esa Koskela ◽  
Tapio Mappes
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Dominance Rank ◽  
The Other ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Litter Size Manipulation

Reproductive success of territorial female mammals depends partly on their capability to defend their young from conspecific intruders. However, how this is related to the characteristics of females and their litter sizes is largely unknown. The defence activity of 25 female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in relation to the number of offspring was studied in a behavioural arena by manipulating litter sizes (–2 pups or +2 pups). Infanticidal male bank voles were used as intruders–predators. Moreover, the weaning success (weaned at least one offspring or none) of 15 pairs of neighbouring females was investigated in a large indoor runway system. In each pair of females, the litter size of one female was reduced (–2 pups) and the litter size of the other enlarged (+2 pups). Defence activity of females increased with the number of offspring and the mother's size. However, weaning success of neighbours was related only to their body mass, and litter-size manipulation did not affect weaning success. Present results indicate that, although bank vole females increase their defence intensity with an increase in the number of pups, the weaning success of neighbouring females may be primarily determined by their size and dominance rank.

Reproductive performance and growth in captive collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus)

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 777-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Hasler ◽  
E. M. Banks
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
The Third ◽  
Laboratory Colony ◽  
Dicrostonyx Groenlandicus ◽  
Lactating Females ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Postpartum Estrus ◽  
Long Photoperiod

Various aspects of reproduction and growth were studied in a laboratory colony of collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus). Males and females were maintained successfully as breeding pairs, and as many as 17 successive litters were produced by one pair. Litter size increased with parity through the third litter and decreased after the eighth. Gestation, which was 19.5 to 21.5 days in non-lactating females, was extended to a maximum of 23 days in lactating females. Postpartum estrus continued throughout the duration of lactation in some females. Males made up less than 38% of the total number of lemmings produced in the colony, regardless of litter size or age at sexing. There was a significant amount of heterogeneity in the sex ratios produced by different pairs of lemmings. Rabbit chow increased reproductive performance compared with a fresh produce diet. Reproductive performance was increased by long photoperiod compared with short photoperiod. Birth weight was independent of litter size but weaning weight was negatively correlated with size of the litter.

The effects of red clover (Trifolium pratense var. redhead), white clover (Trifolium repens var. S 100) or perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne var. S 23) on the reproductive performance of sheep

1973 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Newton ◽  
J. E. Betts
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Trifolium Pratense ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
The Third ◽  
S 100 ◽  
The Mean

SummaryDuring 3 years, three groups of 20 Scottish half-bred ewes were grazed on perennial ryegrass, white clover or red clover. During this period the two legumes were oestrogenic, in terms of teat-length extension of wethers, but the perennial ryegrass was not. The white clover was only markedly oestrogenic when there was a high proportion of diseased leaves. The mean litter size and lambing percentage of the ewes grazed on red clover was significantly reduced. White clover, although it was oestrogenic, had no effect on mean litter size or lambing percentage. The mean litter size of the ewes on the perennial ryegrass was 2·35, 2·30 and 2·24, on the white clover was 2·20, 2·33 and 2·23 and on the red clover was 1middot;60, 1·67 and 1·78 for the three lambings. Lambing percentage of the ewes on the perennial ryegrass was 175, 225 and 218, on the white clover was 210, 222 and 189, and on the red clover was 160, 128 and 118 for the three lambings. The lambing date of the ewes grazing on the red clover was significantly later at the third lambing.

Adrenal growth during pregnancy in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus: initiation by mating

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1458-1461
Author(s):  
Torgny O. Gustafsson ◽  
C. Bertil Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Ovarian Hormones ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Adrenal Weight ◽  
Induced Ovulation ◽  
Bank Voles

The relative roles of mating and the ovary in the initiating of adrenal growth in pregnant bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, were studied. In one experiment females were ovariectomized shortly after mating; 4 days later they had significantly heavier adrenals than unmated, ovariectomized controls. In another experiment females were ovariectomized and brought into oestrus by oestradiol- 17β injections. Half of the females were mated and after 4 days their adrenals were significantly larger than those of unmated controls. We conclude that the increase in adrenal weight during pregnancy in bank voles is triggered directly by mating, without involvement of ovarian hormones. The mechanism is suggested to be a neuroendocrine reflex, acting via the hypothalamus and the pituitary. The mechanism may be the same as that involved in the induced ovulation in this species.

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

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (10) ◽  
pp. 1743-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana A Eccard ◽  
Hannu Ylönen
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Local Density ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Food Supplements ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Environmental Stability ◽  
Food Treatment ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Winter Food

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. Inter actions 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.

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

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilian M. Westlin ◽  
Erik Nyholm
Keyword(s):  
Male Sterility ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Young Of The Year

The start of the breeding season of overwintered female bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, and also the start of breeding in young of the year, was characterized by a general occurrence of sterile ovulations. Similarly, in laboratory experiments, 23 out of 42 young virgin females failed to become pregnant after the first mating, and often mated several times before becoming pregnant. The experiments indicated that the sterile ovulations were attributed to temporary sterility of the females during maturation either at adolescence or at the beginning of the new breeding season, and not a result of (1) initial ovulations of the season being spontaneous, (2) male sterility, or (3) male-induced pregnancy blockage.

Eimeria-parasites are associated with a lowered mother's and offspring's body condition in island and mainland populations of the bank vole

Parasitology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. HAKKARAINEN ◽  
E. HUHTA ◽  
E. KOSKELA ◽  
T. MAPPES ◽  
T. SOVERI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
The Body ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Vole Population ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Bank Voles

This study, based on correlative data, tests the hypothesis that infections withEimeriaspp. parasites exert a significant loss of fitness of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) reflected in lower reproductive success and survival, declining host population densities and are associated positively with population size. The study was conducted in 20 mainland and 27 island populations in central Finland during May–September in 1999. Faecal samples showed that 28% of 767 individuals were infected withEimeriaspp. The presence ofEimeriaparasites was higher in dense mainland populations than in sparsely populated islands. Eimerian infections increased during the course of the breeding season, probably as a result of the high infection rate of young individuals. Accordingly, the body masses of bank voles were negatively related to the presence ofEimeriaspp. Reproductive output, as measured by the breeding probability of females and litter size, was not associated with the presence of eimerian infection. Interestingly, the body condition of the infected mothers appeared to be low. Moreover, mother's body condition was the single most important variable studied that showed a positive correlation to pup's body condition at birth. On small islands ([les ]3·2 ha) that were comprehensively trapped, the mean number ofEimeriaspp. in the bank vole population was negatively related to density changes of the bank vole population during the study. Our data are consistent with the idea that infection with coccidian parasites may be one of the factors responsible for declining host populations in small, isolated populations.

scholarly journals Nephropathia epidemica in Norway: antigen and antibodies in rodent reservoirs and antibodies in selected human populations

1984 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Traavik ◽  
Ann-Inger Sommer ◽  
R. Mehl ◽  
B. P. Berdal ◽  
K. Stavem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Nephropathia Epidemica ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Distribution Area ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody Technique ◽  
Antibody Technique ◽  
Bank Voles

SUMMARYNephropathia epidemica (NE) antigen was detected by IFAT (indirect fluorescent antibody technique) in the lungs of 14 of 97 bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) collected in three endemic areas. The distribution of antigen positive voles within an endemic location was scattered. Antibodies to Korean hemorrhagic fever (KHF) virus antigens were detected by IFAT in 12 of 14 NE antigen positive bank voles and in 15 of 83 that were antigen negative. NE antigen positive voles exhibited higher antibody titres. Antibodies to KHF were demonstrated in sera from C. rutilus and C. rufocanus collected more than 200 km north of the distribution area for C. glareolus. It appears likely that these vole species can serve as virus vectors for NE cases occurring north of the bank vole area. NE antibodies cross-reacting with KHF virus seem to diminish with time after infection in some NE patients, while for others such cross-reacting antibodies were detected up to 12 years after the disease. Antibodies to KHF were detected in eight of 106 healthy forestry workers with no clinical history of NE. No serological cross-reactions were detected between NE/KHF antigens and representative Bunyaviridae present in Norway. NE/KHF-like viruses appear widespread in Norway, both within and outside of the distribution area of the bank vole.

Consistency and change in bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) home ranges across a decade

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1329-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Fredric Karlsson ◽  
Eugene R Potapov
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Snow Depth ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Partial Explanation ◽  
Mating Period ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Significant Difference

Minimum distance moved (MDM) and home-range sizes were studied in overwintering bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) during March and April in 1985, 1986, and 1996 near Uppsala, Sweden. In 1985 and 1986, the average snow depth was 50 and 35 cm in March and 7 and 18 cm in April, respectively. In 1996 the snow depth was only 16 cm in March and 2 cm in April. Bank voles were found to have winter nests at exactly the same grid coordinates in 1985, 1986, and 1996. Among females there was a high degree of consistency in home-range sizes, both between months and between years. Daily MDM of females was shorter in March 1996 than in 1985 and 1986, while no significant difference occurred during April. Males' home-range sizes, on the other hand, increased significantly from March to April in all 3 years, i.e., at the onset of the mating period. There was no significant difference in males' home-range sizes in March across years, but in April, home ranges were significantly larger 1985 and 1986 than in 1996. Males' average home-range sizes in April showed a positive correlation with snow depth. MDM of males in both March and April was also significantly higher during the snowy years of 1985 and 1986 than in 1996, when there was much less snow. These observations suggest that adequate snow cover is a favourable factor, allowing the males to expand their home ranges, while lack of snow or a thin, patchy snow cover prevents them from travelling longer distances during the mating period and consequently from visiting a large number of potential mates. These differences in the behaviour of male bank voles between snow-rich and snow-poor years may offer a partial explanation of the hypothetical connection between the less severe winter conditions during the past decade and the decline in population density and cyclicity in boreal bank vole populations.

scholarly journals Long-term fitness benefits of polyandry in a small mammal, the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus

2008 ◽  
Vol 275 (1638) ◽  
pp. 1095-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Klemme ◽  
Hannu Ylönen ◽  
Jana Anja Eccard
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Adaptive Function ◽  
Single Male ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Fitness Traits ◽  
Fitness Benefits

Polyandry, i.e. mating with multiple males within one reproductive event, is a common female mating strategy but its adaptive function is often unclear. We tested whether polyandrous females gain genetic benefits by comparing fitness traits of monandrous (mated twice with a single male) and polyandrous (mated twice with two different males) female bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus . We raised the offspring in the laboratory until adulthood and measured their body size, before releasing them to outdoor enclosures to overwinter. At the onset of the breeding season in the following spring, we found that offspring of polyandrous females performed significantly better at reproduction than those of monandrous females. This was mainly due to sons of polyandrous females producing significantly more offspring than those of monandrous females. No significant differences were found for offspring body mass or winter survival between the two treatments. Our results appear to provide evidence that bank vole females gain long-term benefits from polyandry.

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