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Population regulation in the Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus (L.)
Author(s) -
WILSON W. L.,
MONTGOMERY W. I.,
ELWOOD R. W.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
mammal review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.574
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2907
pISSN - 0305-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2907.1993.tb00418.x
Subject(s) - apodemus , wood mouse , biology , juvenile , population , allee effect , zoology , sex ratio , competition (biology) , ecology , demography , sociology
Watts 1969 described the population cycle of the Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus as a decline in numbers in spring, a stable period in summer and an increase phase in autumn. Aggression by adult males was considered an important aspect of population regulation limiting male survival in spring and juvenile recruitment in summer. However, recent studies of range behaviour and experimental investigations suggest that male A. sylvaticus are not relevant in population regulation and that the principal regulating factors act on female reproductive success. Female reproductive activity is determined by spatial interactions which, in turn, are determined primarily by the density of females and the proportion of female immigrants in the population. The only impact adult males may have on population size is through infanticide and competition with the females for food.