Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A removal experiment with sympatric populations of Apodemus sylvaticus (L.) and A. flavicollis (Melchior) (Rodentia: Muridae)

  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

This study examines the role of competition in the relationship between sympatric populations of Apodemus sylvaticus and A. flavicollis at Woodchester Park, Gloucestershire, England. Three grids were trapped for twelve months to monitor changes in population size, survival, reproduction, body weight, spatial segregation and microhabitat associations. The A. flavicollis was removed from one grid, A. sylvaticus from another while the rodent community on the third was left intact as a control. Subsequent changes in ecological parameters were observed over a further period of 7 months. Isolated populations of both species entered reproductive condition earlier than on the control grid. This resulted in a rapid increase of the A. flavicollis population but the dynamics of A. sylvaticus were unaffected. In the absence of their congener both species made greater use of areas of woodland once frequented by the absent species. However specific microhabitat associations observed in two species communities remained after experimental manipulation. It is concluded that although A. sylvaticus and A. flavicollis do compete for space, this is a comparatively weak interaction which does not lead to habitat exclusion. Competition is probably ameliorated by intrinsic differences in the biology of these Apodemus species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adamczewska KA (1961) Intensity of reproduction of the Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834) during the period 1954–59. Acta theriol 5:1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker JR (1930) The breeding scason in British wild mice. Proc Zool Soc Lond 1930:113–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Bobek B (1973) Net production of small rodents in a deciduous forest. Acta theriol 18:403–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Bovet J (1972) On the social behaviour in a stable group of long-tailed field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). 2 Its relation with the distribution of daily activity. Behaviour 41:55–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Brant DH (1962) Measures of the movements and population densities of small rodents. Univ Clif Publ Zool 62:105–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown LN (1964) Ecology of three species of Peromyscus from southern Missouri. J Mammal 45:189–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Chitty D, Phipps E (1966) Seasonal changes in survival in mixed populations of two species of vole. J Anim Ecol 35:313–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Christian JJ (1971) Population density and reproductive efficiency. Biol of Repord 4:248–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbet GB (1966) The terrestrial mammals of western Europe. London: G. T. Foulis and Co. Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corke D (1974) The comparative ecology of the two British species of the genus Apodemus (Rodentia: Murida). Unpubl PhD thesis Univ of London

  • Drozdz A (1966) Food habits and food supply of rodents in the beech forest. Acta theriol 11:363–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Flowerdew JR (1973) The effects of natural and artificial changes in food supply on breeding in woodland mice and voles. J Reprod Fert (Suppl) 19:259–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullagar PJ (1967) Moult in field mice and the variation in the chest markings of Apodemus sylvaticus (Linne, 1758) and A. flavicollis (Melchior, 1834). Saugetierk Mitt 11:315–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullagar PJ, Jewell PA (1965) Marking small rodents and the difficulties of using leg rings. J Zool, Lond 147:224–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Garson PJ (1975) Social interactions of Woodmice (Apodemus sylvaticus) studied by direct observation in the wild. J Zool, Lond 177:496–500

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant PR (1969) Experimental studies of competitive interaction in a two species system. I Microtus and Clethrionomys species in enclosures. Can J Zool 47:1059–1082

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant PR (1971) Experimental studies of competitive interaction in a two species system. III Microtus and Peromyscus species in enclosures. J Anim Ecol 40:323–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant Pr (1972) Interspecific competition among rodents. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 3:79–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurnell J (1976) Studies on the effects of bait and sampling intensity on trapping and estimating Wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus J Zool. Lond 178:91–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamar M, Simonescu U, Theiss F (1966) Biometrische und zoogeographische Untersuchungen der Gattung Apodemus (Kaup, 1829) in der Sozialistischen Republik Rumanien. Acta theriol 11:1–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Haitlinger R (1969) Morphological variability of the Wroclaw population of Apodemus sylvaticus (Linnaeus, 1758). Acta theriol 14:285–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayne DW (1949). Two methods for estimating population from trapping records. J Mammal 30:399–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmeyer I (1973) Interaction and habitat selection in the mice Apodemus flavicollis and A. sylvaticus. Oikos 24:108–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmeyer I, Hansson L (1974) Variability in number and distribution of Apodemus flavicollis (Melch.) and A. sylvaticus (L.) in southern Sweden. Z Saugetierk 39:15–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Holisova V, Obrtel R (1980) Food resource partitioning among four myo-morph rodent populations coexisting in a spruce forest. Folia Zool Brno 29:193–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurlbert SH (1969) A coefficient of interspecific association. Ecology 50:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RS (1954) Food habits of the Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus (Linne, 1758), and the Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780), in Wytham Woods, Berkshire. Saugetierk Mitt 2:109–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RS (1958) A study of a wood mouse population in Wytham Woods, Berkshire. J Mammal 39:477–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery WI (1977) Studies on the ecology of two sympatric species of Apodemus (Rodentia: Muridae). Unpubl PhD thesis, University of Manchester

  • Montgomery WI (1978) Intra-and interspecific interactions of Apodemus sylvaticus (L.) and A. flavicollis (Melchior) under laboratory conditions. Anim Behav 26:1247–1254

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery WI (1979a) Seasonal variation in the numbers of Apodemus sylvaticus, A. flavicollis and Clethrionomys glareolus. J Zool Lond 188:283–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery WI (1979b) An examination of interspecific, sexual and individual biases affecting captures in Longworth traps. Acta theriol 24:35–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery WI (1980a) Spatial organisation in sympatric populations of Apodemus sylvaticus (L.) and A. flavicollis (Melchior) (Rodentia: Muridae). J Zool, Lond 192:379–401

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery WI (1980b) Population structure and dynamics of sympatric Apodemus species (Rodentia: Muridae) J Zool, Lond 192:351–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris RD, Grant PR (1971) Experimental studies of competitive interaction in a two species system. IV Microtus and Clethrionomys species in a single enclosure. J Anim Ecol 41:275–290

    Google Scholar 

  • Obrtel R (1974) Comparison of animal food eaten by Apodemus flavicollis and Clethrionomys glareolus in a lowland forest. Zool Listy 23:35–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Obrtel R, Holisova V (1974) Povaha potravy Apodemus flavicollis a Clethrionomys glareolus v luznim lese. Lynx 16:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelikan J (1967) Variability of body weight in three Apodemus species. Zool Listy 16:199–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Randolph SE (1977) Changing spatial relationships in a population of Apodemus sylvaticus with the onset of breeding. J Anim Ecol 46:653–676

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynoldson TB, Bellamy LS (1970) The establishment of interspecific competition in field populations, with an example of competition in action between Polycelis nigra (Mull) and P. tennuis (Ijima) Turbellaria, (Tricladida). Proc. Adv. Study Inst. Dynamics Numbers Popul., (Oosterbeek 1970):292–297

  • Smal CM, Fairley JS (1980) The fruits available as food to small rodents in two woodland ecosystems. Holarctic Ecology 3:10–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1969) Biometry. San Francisco: Freeman

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern HN (1968) Review J Anim Ecol 37:723–724

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern HN (1973) A yardstick for measuring populations of small rodents. Mammal Rev 3:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoecker RE (1972) Competitive relations between sympatric populations of voles (Microtus montanus and Microtus pennsylvannicus). J Anim Ecol 41:311–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Vereschchagin NK (1959) Mammals of the Caucasus. History of the formation of the fauna. Izdakelstvo Akademi Naukladi, SSSR

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts CHS (1968) The foods eaten by Wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and the Bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) in Wytham Woods, Berkshire. J Anim Ecol 37:25–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts CHS (1969) The regulation of Wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) numbers in Wytham Woods, Berkshire. J Anim Ecol 38:285–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Yalden DW (1971) A population of the Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis. J Zool, Lond 164:244–250

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. W. I. Montgomery

    Present address: Department of Zoology, Queen's University of Belfast, Bt7 1NN, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Manchester, England

    W. I. Montgomery

Authors
  1. W. I. Montgomery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Montgomery, W.I. A removal experiment with sympatric populations of Apodemus sylvaticus (L.) and A. flavicollis (Melchior) (Rodentia: Muridae). Oecologia 51, 123–132 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344662

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344662

Keywords

Search

Navigation