Water flux and energy use in wild house mice (Mus domesticus) and the impact of seasonal aridity on breeding and population levels

Summary

Water turnover rate (WTR), urine concentration and field metabolic rate (FMR) were examined in house mice, Mus domesticus, permanently inhabiting roadside verge areas and seasonally invading crops in semi-arid wheatlands in South Australia. FMR was approximately proportional to body mass^0.5 and mean values varied from 4.8 ml CO₂ g⁻¹h⁻¹ (2.9 kJ g⁻¹d⁻¹) in autumn and winter, to 7.0 ml CO₂ g⁻¹h⁻¹ (4.2 kJ g⁻¹d⁻¹) in maturing crops during spring. WTR was independent of body mass, indicating that larger mice were selecting a diet containing moister foods. WTR was low in summer and high in winter, and in mice from crops varied from 165 ml l⁻¹ body water d⁻¹ (122 ml kg⁻¹d⁻¹) to 1000 ml l⁻¹d⁻¹ (725 ml kg⁻¹d⁻¹). Seasonal changes in WTR were less extreme on the roadside, where a greater diversity of food was available. In the crops, breeding occurred throughout summer during two of three years, but the population increased only in the one summer when mice had marginally higher WTR. On the roadside breeding and population growth were continuous during summer, except in a drought year. Avcrage urine concentration was inversely related to WTR, and varied from 2.0 to 4.8 Osm l⁻¹. The data indicate that the water conserving abilities of mice equal those of many desert rodents. The water conserving abilities of mice living in crops during summer were fully extended, and in some years aridity limited breeding success and population levels. The degree of moisture stress to which mice are exposed during summer appears to depend not only on rainfall but also on other factors such as availability of food and shelter, and the level of weed infestation in crops.