Open AccessReproduction and spacing behaviour of females in a peak density population of Clethrionomys glareolus
Author(s) -
BondrupNielsen Søren,
Ims Rolf Anker
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1986.tb01198.x
Subject(s) - reproduction , litter , biology , sexual maturity , population , population density , ecology , density dependence , zoology , demography , sociology
A peak density population of Clethrionomys glareolus was studied by snap‐trapping to determine by experimentation whether spacing behaviour regulated the breeding density. On control plots onset of reproduction was asynchronous, litter size of overwintered females decreased significantly during the summer and no year‐born animals matured during the reproductive period. A removal experiment in the early summer resulted in sexual maturation of year‐born females. A second removal in late summer indicated an inhibition of maturation in year‐born females despite continued intense reproduction of overwintered females. We conclude that spacing behaviour regulated maturation of females early in the summer but other factors, such as food quality, limited maturation in late summer.