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comparative analysis by chromosome painting of the sex chromosomes in arvicolid rodents.sex chromosome evolution in mammals has been extensively investigated through chromosome-painting analyses. in some rodent species from the subfamily arvicolinae the sex chromosomes contain remarkable features such as giant size, a consequence of heterochromatic enlargement, or asynaptic behaviour during male meiosis. here, we have made a comparative study of the sex chromosomes in 6 arvicolid species using different probes from the x and y chromosomes of 3 species, in order to gain knowledge ab ...201120689262
non-human primates in outdoor enclosures: risk for infection with rodent-borne hantaviruses.different species of non-human primates have been exploited as animal disease models for human hantavirus infections. to study the potential risk of natural hantavirus infection of non-human primates, we investigated serum samples from non-human primates of three species living in outdoor enclosures of the german primate center (gpc), göttingen, located in a hantavirus endemic region of central germany. for that purpose we used serological assays based on recombinant antigens of the bank vole (m ...201120727685
trench fever: the field vole a possible origin. 191620768293
the analysis of immunological profiles in wild animals: a case study on immunodynamics in the field vole, microtus agrestis.a revolutionary advance in ecological immunology is that postgenomic technologies now allow molecular mediators defined in laboratory models to be measured at the mrna level in field studies of many naturally occurring species. here, we demonstrate the application of such an approach to generate meaningful immunological profiles for wild mammals. we sampled a natural field vole population across the year (n = 307) and developed a battery of cellular assays in which functionally different pro- an ...201121059128
tick-borne encephalitis virus in wild rodents in winter, finland, 2008-2009.rodents might maintain tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) in nature through latent persistent infections. during 2 subsequent winters, 2008 and 2009, in finland, we detected rna of european and siberian subtypes of tbev in microtus agrestis and myodes glareolus voles, respectively. persistence in rodent reservoirs may contribute to virus overwintering.201121192857
effects of abundance on infection in natural populations: field voles and cowpox virus.detailed results on the dynamics of cowpox virus infection in four natural populations of the field vole, microtus agrestis, are presented. populations were sampled every 4 weeks (8 weeks in mid-winter) for 6 years. the purpose was to examine the relationships between overall or susceptible host abundance (n, s) and both the number of infected hosts (i) and the prevalence of infection (i/n). overall, both i and i/n increased with n. however, evidence for a threshold abundance, below which infect ...200921352750
the vicious circle and infection intensity: the case of trypanosoma microti in field vole populations.in natural populations, infection and condition may act synergistically to trigger a vicious circle: poor condition predisposes to host infections, which further reduce condition, and so on. if this vicious circle originates from a reduced resistance to infection, it will not only result in greater proneness to becoming infected of those that are in poorer condition, but it may also cause infections of higher intensity. here, we investigate the temporal relationship between host condition and in ...200921352763
the common shrew (sorex araneus): a neglected host of tick-borne infections?although the importance of rodents as reservoirs for a number of tick-borne infections is well established, comparatively little is known about the potential role of shrews, despite them occupying similar habitats. to address this, blood and tick samples were collected from common shrews (sorex araneus) and field voles (microtus agrestis), a known reservoir of various tick-borne infections, from sites located within a plantation forest in northern england over a 2-year period. of 647 blood sampl ...201121453011
natal conditions alter age-specific reproduction but not survival or senescence in a long-lived bird of prey.1. natal conditions and senescence are two major factors shaping life-history traits of wild animals. however, such factors have rarely been investigated together, and it remains largely unknown whether they interact to affect age-specific performance. 2. we used 27 years of longitudinal data collected on tawny owls with estimates of prey density (field voles) from kielder forest (uk) to investigate how prey density at birth affects ageing patterns in reproduction and survival. 3. natal conditio ...201121466554
post-glacial partitioning of mitochondrial genetic variation in the field vole.genetic markers are often used to examine population history. there is considerable debate about the behaviour of molecular clock rates around the population-species transition. nevertheless, appropriate calibration is critical to any inference regarding the absolute timing and scale of demographic changes. here, we use a mitochondrial cytochrome b gene genealogy, based entirely on modern sequences and calibrated from recent geophysical events, to date the post-glacial expansion of the eurasian ...201121508032
rodents as sentinels for the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus.abstract introduction: tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) causes one of the most important flavivirus infections of the central nervous system, affecting humans in europe and asia. it is mainly transmitted by the bite of an infected tick and circulates among them and their vertebrate hosts. until now, tbe risk analysis in germany has been based on the incidence of human cases. because of an increasing vaccination rate, this approach might be misleading, especially in regions of low virus circu ...201121548766
breeding state and season affect interspecific interaction types: indirect resource competition and direct interference.indirect resource competition and interference are widely occurring mechanisms of interspecific interactions. we have studied the seasonal expression of these two interaction types within a two-species, boreal small mammal system. seasons differ by resource availability, individual breeding state and intraspecific social system. live-trapping methods were used to monitor space use and reproduction in 14 experimental populations of bank voles myodes glareolus in large outdoor enclosures with and ...201121597944
xenobiotic metabolism of bank vole (myodes glareolus) exposed to pcdds.previous studies in bank vole (myodes glareolus) and field vole (microtus agrestis) living at the old sawmill area contaminated by chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (pcdd/fs) showed that these two relatively close species have a significant difference in their body burden of pcdd/fs, bank voles having significantly higher concentrations. the aim of this study was to clarify more comprehensively the basic xenobiotic metabolism in wild bank voles and examine whether pcdd exposure would aff ...201021787577
how predation and landscape fragmentation affect vole population dynamics.microtine species in fennoscandia display a distinct north-south gradient from regular cycles to stable populations. the gradient has often been attributed to changes in the interactions between microtines and their predators. although the spatial structure of the environment is known to influence predator-prey dynamics of a wide range of species, it has scarcely been considered in relation to the fennoscandian gradient. furthermore, the length of microtine breeding season also displays a north- ...201121829528
genetic diversity in cytokines associated with immune variation and resistance to multiple pathogens in a natural rodent population.pathogens are believed to drive genetic diversity at host loci involved in immunity to infectious disease. to date, studies exploring the genetic basis of pathogen resistance in the wild have focussed almost exclusively on genes of the major histocompatibility complex (mhc); the role of genetic variation elsewhere in the genome as a basis for variation in pathogen resistance has rarely been explored in natural populations. cytokines are signalling molecules with a role in many immunological and ...201122039363
asymmetric and differential gene introgression at a contact zone between two highly divergent lineages of field voles (microtus agrestis).secondary contact zones have the potential to shed light on the mode and rate at which reproductive isolation accumulates during allopatric speciation. we investigated the population genetics of a contact zone between two highly divergent lineages of field voles (microtus agrestis) in the swiss jura mountains. to shed light on the processes underlying introgression, we used maternally, paternally, and bi-parentally inherited markers. though the two lineages maintained a strong genetic structure, ...201222150868
natal dispersal in relation to population density and sex ratio in the field vole, microtus agrestis.in a sample of 240 juvenile field voles 8% of the males and 22% of the females reached sexual maturity within their natal home range. among individuals retrapped as adults, 58% of males and 23% of females had dispersed, i.e. had moved more than one home range diameter. the mean distance moved for males (58.5 m) exceeded that for females (28.6 m). male movement distances were negatively associated with total density, and with density of adult females, but not with male density. female movements w ...199022160104
guild composition and habitat use of voles in 2 forest landscapes in south-eastern norway.it is widely believed that intensive forestry has influenced small mammal population dynamics, and thereby the entire mammalian community in fennoscandian boreal forests. the nature of these impacts on the different species is subject to debate. we live-trapped voles between 2006 and 2009 in 2 commercially harvested forests in south-eastern norway. we investigated the variation in vole abundance among habitat types (e.g. mature forest and clear-cut) and the hypothesis that graminivorous species ...201122182322
significant interspecies differences in induction profiles of hepatic cyp enzymes by tcdd in bank and field voles.the gene expression and induction of cytochrome p450 (cyp)-enzymes following 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (tcdd) peroral administration was studied in livers of two wild vole species-the bank vole (myodes glareolus) and the field vole (microtus agrestis). dioxin-sensitive c57bl/6 mouse was used as a reference. doses of 0.05, 0.5, 5.0, and 50 µg/kg were applied to ascertain a dose-response relationship, and the dose of 50 µg/kg was applied to study time course for up to 96 h. the cytochrom ...201122213473
spatio-temporal patterns of habitat use in voles and shrews modified by density, season and predators.1. although the intrinsic habitat preferences of a species can be considered to be fixed, the realized habitat use depends on the prevailing abiotic and biotic conditions. often the core habitats are occupied by dense and stable populations, while marginal habitats become occupied only at times of high density. in a community of interacting species, habitat uses of different species become inter-related, for example an increased density of a strong competitor forcing a weaker competitor to use m ...201222325037
a comparative analysis of the mole vole sibling species ellobius tancrei and e. talpinus (cricetidae, rodentia) through chromosome painting and examination of synaptonemal complex structures in hybrids.a comparative genomic analysis was carried out in the mole vole sibling species ellobius tancrei and e. talpinus. performing fluorescent in situ hybridisation (zoo-fish) using chromosome paints from the field vole microtus agrestis showed no differences in the allocation of syntenic groups in the karyotypes of these sibling species. the only difference between their karyotypes was the position of the centromere in one pair of chromosomes, which is assumed to be the result of an inversion. to ver ...201222343488
evidence for selection at cytokine loci in a natural population of field voles (microtus agrestis).individuals in natural populations are frequently exposed to a wide range of pathogens. given the diverse profile of gene products involved in responses to different types of pathogen, this potentially results in complex pathogen-specific selection pressures acting on a broad spectrum of immune system genes in wild animals. thus far, studies into the evolution of immune genes in natural populations have focused almost exclusively on the major histocompatibility complex (mhc). however, the mhc re ...201222364125
the interrelationship of mycophagous small mammals and ectomycorrhizal fungi in primeval, disturbed and managed central european mountainous forests.small forest dwelling mammals are considered to be major consumers and vectors of hypogeous ectomycorrhizal (ecm) fungi, which have lost the ability of active spore discharge. fungal spore dispersal by mycophagy is deemed an important process involved in forest regeneration, resilience and vitality, primarily based on evidence from australia and the pacific northwestern usa, but is poorly known for central european mountainous forests thus far. small mammal mycophagy was investigated by live tra ...201222466900
rodent damage to natural and replanted mountain forest regeneration.impact of small rodents on mountain forest regeneration was studied in national nature reserve in the beskydy mountains (czech republic). a considerable amount of bark damage was found on young trees (20%) in spring after the peak abundance of field voles (microtus agrestis) in combination with long winter with heavy snowfall. in contrast, little damage to young trees was noted under high densities of bank voles (myodes glareolus) with a lower snow cover the following winter. the bark of deciduo ...201222666163
[functional features of microbial communities in the digestive tract of field voles (microtus rossiaemeridionalis and clethrionomys glareolus)].the nitrogen-fixating and cellobiohydrolase activity, the nitrogen (n) and carbon (c) contents, and the number of microorganisms in the prestomach, cecum, and colon of two vole species were studied: the southern vole (microtus rossiaemeridionalis) and the bank vole (clethrionomys glareolus), which is characterized by a mixed type of diet. the nitrogen-fixating activity in the cecum was found to be the highest in the voles compared with the mammals studied earlier. the seasonal dynamics of both n ...201622988758
identification of a new species of digenean notocotylus malhamensis n. sp. (digenea: notocotylidae) from the bank vole (myodes glareolus) and the field vole (microtus agrestis).notocotylus malhamensis n. sp. is described from the caecum of the bank vole (myodes glareolus) and the field vole (microtus agrestis) from malham tarn nature reserve in north yorkshire, uk. in total, 581 specimens were collected from rodents trapped at a wetland site (tarn fen) between july 2010 and october 2011 with a prevalence of 66·7% and mean intensity of 94·6 in the bank vole and 50% prevalence and a mean intensity of 4·3 in the field vole. this species appears to be most closely related ...201223036693
post-hoc pattern-oriented testing and tuning of an existing large model: lessons from the field vole.pattern-oriented modeling (pom) is a general strategy for modeling complex systems. in pom, multiple patterns observed at different scales and hierarchical levels are used to optimize model structure, to test and select sub-models of key processes, and for calibration. so far, pom has been used for developing new models and for models of low to moderate complexity. it remains unclear, though, whether the basic idea of pom to utilize multiple patterns, could also be used to test and possibly deve ...201223049882
cryptic speciation in the field vole: a multilocus approach confirms three highly divergent lineages in eurasia.species are generally described from morphological features, but there is growing recognition of sister forms that show substantial genetic differentiation without obvious morphological variation and may therefore be considered 'cryptic species'. here, we investigate the field vole (microtus agrestis), a eurasian mammal with little apparent morphological differentiation but which, on the basis of previous sex-linked nuclear and mitochondrial dna (mtdna) analyses, is subdivided into a northern an ...201223163319
lysozyme activity in the plasma of rodents infected with their homologous trypanosomes.in this study the concentration of lysozyme in blood plasma of microtus agrestis, clethrinomys glareolus, apodemus sylvaticus, bk rats and outbred white mice before and after infection with culture forms of trypanosoma microti, t, evotomys, t. grosi, t. lewisi and t. musculi respectively was measured.201223323096
seroprevalence of encephalitozoon cuniculi in wild rodents, foxes and domestic cats in three sites in the united kingdom.encephalitozoon cuniculi is an obligate intracellular microsporidian that is the causal agent of encephalitozoonosis, an important and emerging disease in both humans and animals. little is known about its occurrence in wildlife. in this study, serum samples from 793 wild rodents [178 bank voles (bv), 312 field voles (fv) and 303 wood mice (wm)], 96 foxes and 27 domestic cats from three study areas in the uk were tested for the presence of antibodies to e. cuniculi using a direct agglutination t ...201523607769
ljungan virus is endemic in rodents in the uk.ljungan virus is a recently identified member of the family picornaviridae that was isolated from bank voles in sweden. ljv has been associated with [corrected] type 1 diabetes-like symptoms and myocarditis in bank voles (myodes glareolus), and it has been suggested that it has zoonotic potential. here, we show for the first time that ljungan virus is prevalent (20-27 % positive by pcr) in four species of uk rodent (myodes glareolus [bank vole], apodemus sylvaticus [wood mouse], microtus agresti ...201423665770
novel hantavirus in wildlife, united kingdom 201323750506
a small-scale survey of hantavirus in mammals from eastern poland.samples of 30 dead small mammals each were collected on area 'a' located in eastern poland which is exposed to flooding by the vistula river, and on the area 'b', also located in eastern poland but not exposed to flooding. kidneys and livers of the mammals were examined by the pcr and nested pcr methods for the presence of hantavirus rna. out of 7 species of small mammals examined, the presence of hantaviruses was detected in 4 of them. hantavirus prevalence was low in apodemus agrarius (2.6%), ...201323772576
deleterious consequences of antioxidant supplementation on lifespan in a wild-derived mammal.while oxidative damage owing to reactive oxygen species (ros) often increases with advancing age and is associated with many age-related diseases, its causative role in ageing is controversial. in particular, studies that have attempted to modulate ros-induced damage, either upwards or downwards, using antioxidant or genetic approaches, generally do not show a predictable effect on lifespan. here, we investigated whether dietary supplementation with either vitamin e (α-tocopherol) or vitamin c ( ...201323825087
gene flow and population structure of a common agricultural wild species (microtus agrestis) under different land management regimes.the impact of landscape structure and land management on dispersal of populations of wild species inhabiting the agricultural landscape was investigated focusing on the field vole (microtus agrestis) in three different areas in denmark using molecular genetic markers. the main hypotheses were the following: (i) organic farms act as genetic sources and diversity reservoirs for species living in agricultural areas and (ii) gene flow and genetic structure in the agricultural landscape are influence ...201323900396
differential behavioural and endocrine responses of common voles (microtus arvalis) to nest predators and resource competitors.adaptive behavioural strategies promoting co-occurrence of competing species are known to result from a sympatric evolutionary past. strategies should be different for indirect resource competition (exploitation, e.g., foraging and avoidance behaviour) than for direct interspecific interference (e.g., aggression, vigilance, and nest guarding). we studied the effects of resource competition and nest predation in sympatric small mammal species using semi-fossorial voles and shrews, which prey on v ...201324010574
differences in vole preference, secondary chemistry and nutrient levels between naturally regenerated and planted norway spruce seedlings.field voles (microtus agrestis) cause severe damage to young norway spruce (picea abies) plantations during wintertime in fennoscandia. we experimentally investigated vole preference for winter-dormant, naturally regenerated seedlings; spring-planted seedlings; or autumn-planted seedlings; and how preference corresponds with seedling chemistry. voles showed the highest preference for autumn-planted seedlings and the second highest for spring-planted seedlings, while naturally regenerated seedlin ...201324105602
invasion and genome reproduction of the trophoblast cells of placenta junctional zone in the field vole, microtus rossiaemeridionalis.in the field vole microtus rossiaemeridionalis, like in other rodents, invasive secondary giant trophoblast cells (sgtc) form a continuous layer at the foeto-maternal interface in the beginning of placentation. however, in the field vole, at midgestation, clusters of junctional zone (jz) trophoblast non-giant cells interrupt sgtc layer and progressively replace sgtc at the border of decidua basalis. as a result, 'border' cells form a continuous stratum of cytokeratin-positive glycogen-rich cells ...201424155276
a coupled hidden markov model for disease interactions.to investigate interactions between parasite species in a host, a population of field voles was studied longitudinally, with presence or absence of six different parasites measured repeatedly. although trapping sessions were regular, a different set of voles was caught at each session, leading to incomplete profiles for all subjects. we use a discrete time hidden markov model for each disease with transition probabilities dependent on covariates via a set of logistic regressions. for each diseas ...201324223436
susceptibility to vole attacks due to bark phenols and terpenes inpinus contorta provenances introduced into sweden.seedlings of north americanpinus contorta introduced to sweden and finland are severely gnawed by voles, e.g.,microtus agrestis. the level of damage varies between provenances. chemical analyses of various phenolic compounds, monoterpenes, and resin acids of different provenances and of damaged and undamaged stems showed that some phenolic substances in the bark increased after damage without deterring the animals, that monoterpene differences between provenances were not related to vole damage, ...198624305834
demonstration of an odorous intramale primer effect in short-tailed vole,microtus agrestis l.anal (proctodeal) glands of malemicrotus agrestis housed in social isolation undergo severe atrophy. their weight and volume is significantly lower than those of the stock control males. the atrophied glands can be revived by subjecting deprived voles to various social odors. atrophied glands of isolated males do not respond to the odors of male and female urine, voided feces of females, and unvoided feces of males. atrophied anal glands of males exposed to voided male feces (which have passed t ...198624306670
contemporary radiation doses to murine rodents inhabiting the most contaminated part of the eurt.the contemporary radiation doses to the organs and tissues of murine rodents inhabiting the most contaminated part of the eurt were estimated. the bones of animals trapped in 2005 at territories with a surface (90)sr contamination of 24-40 mbq/m(2) were used for dose reconstruction. the concentration of (90)sr in the animals' skulls was measured using the nondestructive method of bone radiometry. the dose estimation procedure included application of the published values of absorbed fractions of ...201424333639
mycobacterium microti tuberculosis in its maintenance host, the field vole (microtus agrestis): characterization of the disease and possible routes of transmission.the field vole (microtus agrestis) is a known maintenance host of mycobacterium microti. previous studies have shown that infected animals develop tuberculosis. however, the disease is also known in cats and is sporadically reported from humans and other mammalian species. we examined trapped field voles from an endemic area, using a range of diagnostic approaches. these confirmed that a combination of gross and histological examination with culture is most appropriate to identify the true preva ...201424334995
a small scale survey of leptospira in mammals from eastern poland.samples of 30 dead small mammals each were collected on area 'a' located in eastern poland and exposed to floods by the vistula river, and on area 'b', also located in eastern poland, but not exposed to floods. kidneys and livers of the mammals were examined by the pcr and nested pcr methods for the presence of leptospira dna. from 7 species of small mammals examined, the presence of leptospira dna was detected in 2 of them. the prevalence of positive results was greatest in apodemus agrarius wh ...201324364438
functional responses of the rough-legged buzzard in a multi-prey system.the functional response is a key element of predator-prey interactions. basic functional response theory explains foraging behavior of individual predators, but many empirical studies of free-ranging predators have estimated functional responses by using population-averaged data. we used a novel approach to investigate functional responses of an avian predator (the rough legged-buzzard buteo lagopus pontoppidan, 1763) to intra-annual spatial variation in rodent density in subarctic sweden, using ...201424448699
coxiella burnetii (q-fever) seroprevalence in prey and predators in the united kingdom: evaluation of infection in wild rodents, foxes and domestic cats using a modified elisa.coxiella burnetii, the agent of q-fever, is recognized as a worldwide zoonosis with a wide host range and potentially complex reservoir systems. infected ruminants are the main source of infection for humans, but cats and other mammals, including wild rodents, also represent potential sources of infection. there has been a recent upsurge of reported cases in humans, domestic ruminants and wildlife in many parts of the world, and studies have indicated that wild brown rats may act as true reservo ...201524479951
detection of francisella tularensis in voles in finland.francisella tularensis is a highly virulent intracellular bacterium causing the zoonotic disease tularemia. it recurrently causes human and animal outbreaks in northern europe, including finland. although f. tularensis infects several mammal species, only rodents and lagomorphs seem to have importance in its ecology. peak densities of rodent populations may trigger tularemia outbreaks in humans; however, it is still unclear to which extent rodents or other small mammals maintain f. tularensis in ...201424575824
host-parasite biology in the real world: the field voles of kielder.research on the interactions between the field voles (microtus agrestis) of kielder forest and their natural parasites dates back to the 1930s. these early studies were primarily concerned with understanding how parasites shape the characteristic cyclic population dynamics of their hosts. however, since the early 2000s, research on the kielder field voles has expanded considerably and the system has now been utilized for the study of host-parasite biology across many levels, including genetics, ...201424612619
diet quality limits summer growth of field vole populations.marked variation occurs in both seasonal and multiannual population density peaks of northern european small mammal species, including voles. the availability of dietary proteins is a key factor limiting the population growth of herbivore species. the objective of this study is to investigate the degree to which protein availability influences the growth of increasing vole populations. we hypothesise that the summer growth of folivorous vole populations is positively associated with dietary prot ...201424621513
dampening prey cycle overrides the impact of climate change on predator population dynamics: a long-term demographic study on tawny owls.predicting the dynamics of animal populations with different life histories requires careful understanding of demographic responses to multifaceted aspects of global changes, such as climate and trophic interactions. continent-scale dampening of vole population cycles, keystone herbivores in many ecosystems, has been recently documented across europe. however, its impact on guilds of vole-eating predators remains unknown. to quantify this impact, we used a 27-year study of an avian predator (taw ...201424634279
serological survey of rodent-borne viruses in finnish field voles.in northern europe, rodent populations display cyclic density fluctuations that can be correlated with the human incidence of zoonotic diseases they spread. during density peaks, field voles (microtus agrestis) become one of the most abundant rodent species in northern europe, yet little is known of the viruses they host. we screened 709 field voles, trapped from 14 sites over 3 years, for antibodies against four rodent-borne, potentially zoonotic viruses or virus groups-hantaviruses, lymphocyti ...201424689532
identification of novel anelloviruses with broad diversity in uk rodents.anelloviruses are a family of small circular ssdna viruses with a vast genetic diversity. human infections with the prototype anellovirus, torque teno virus (ttv), are ubiquitous and related viruses have been described in a number of other mammalian hosts. despite over 15 years of investigation, there is still little known about the pathogenesis and possible disease associations of anellovirus infections, arising in part due to the lack of a robust cell culture system for viral replication or tr ...201424744300
an immunological marker of tolerance to infection in wild rodents.hosts are likely to respond to parasitic infections by a combination of resistance (expulsion of pathogens) and tolerance (active mitigation of pathology). of these strategies, the basis of tolerance in animal hosts is relatively poorly understood, with especially little known about how tolerance is manifested in natural populations. we monitored a natural population of field voles using longitudinal and cross-sectional sampling modes and taking measurements on body condition, infection, immune ...201425004450
leptospira spp. in rodents and shrews in germany.leptospirosis is an acute, febrile disease occurring in humans and animals worldwide. leptospira spp. are usually transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the urine of infected reservoir animals. among wildlife species, rodents act as the most important reservoir for both human and animal infection. to gain a better understanding of the occurrence and distribution of pathogenic leptospires in rodent and shrew populations in germany, kidney specimens of 2973 animals from 11 of the 16 f ...201425062275
land-bridge calibration of molecular clocks and the post-glacial colonization of scandinavia by the eurasian field vole microtus agrestis.phylogeography interprets molecular genetic variation in a spatial and temporal context. molecular clocks are frequently used to calibrate phylogeographic analyses, however there is mounting evidence that molecular rates decay over the relevant timescales. it is therefore essential that an appropriate rate is determined, consistent with the temporal scale of the specific analysis. this can be achieved by using temporally spaced data such as ancient dna or by relating the divergence of lineages d ...201425111840
experimental infection of voles with francisella tularensis indicates their amplification role in tularemia outbreaks.tularemia outbreaks in humans have been linked to fluctuations in rodent population density, but the mode of bacterial maintenance in nature is unclear. here we report on an experiment to investigate the pathogenesis of francisella tularensis infection in wild rodents, and thereby assess their potential to spread the bacterium. we infected 20 field voles (microtus agrestis) and 12 bank voles (myodes glareolus) with a strain of f. tularensis ssp. holarctica isolated from a human patient. upon eut ...201425271640
silicon, endophytes and secondary metabolites as grass defenses against mammalian herbivores.grasses have been considered to primarily employ tolerance in lieu of defense in mitigating damage caused by herbivory. yet a number of mechanisms have been identified in grasses, which may deter feeding by grazers. these include enhanced silicon uptake, hosting of toxin-producing endophytic fungi and induction of secondary metabolites. while these mechanisms have been individually studied, their synergistic responses to grazing, as well as their effects on grazers, are poorly known. a field exp ...201425278951
spatial analyses of wildlife contact networks.datasets from which wildlife contact networks of epidemiological importance can be inferred are becoming increasingly common. a largely unexplored facet of these data is finding evidence of spatial constraints on who has contact with whom, despite theoretical epidemiologists having long realized spatial constraints can play a critical role in infectious disease dynamics. a graph dissimilarity measure is proposed to quantify how close an observed contact network is to being purely spatial whereby ...201525411407
epigenetic modifications in sex heterochromatin of vole rodents.the genome of some vole rodents contains large blocks of heterochromatin coupled to the sex chromosomes. while the dna content of these heterochromatic blocks has been extensively analyzed, little is known about the epigenetic modifications controlling their structure and dynamics. to better understand its organization and functions within the nucleus, we have compared the distribution pattern of several epigenetic marks in cells from two species, microtus agrestis and microtus cabrerae. we firs ...201525527445
echinococcus multilocularis infection in the field vole (microtus agrestis): an ecological model for studies on transmission dynamics.we propose a model involving the oral inoculation of echinococcus multilocularis eggs in a vole species and examine the infection dynamics in a dose-response experiment. defined doses, 100 (n = 8), 500 (n = 5) and 1000 (n = 5) of e. multilocularis eggs were used to inoculate microtus agrestis. four female c57bl/6j mice were inoculated with 1000 eggs as positive controls. the groups inoculated with 100 and 500 eggs exhibited significantly higher lesion numbers, and relatively smaller lesion size ...201525663069
an example of population-level risk assessments for small mammals using individual-based population models.this article presents a case study demonstrating the application of 3 individual-based, spatially explicit population models (ibms, also known as agent-based models) in ecological risk assessments to predict long-term effects of a pesticide to populations of small mammals. the 3 ibms each used a hypothetical fungicide (fungicidex) in different scenarios: spraying in cereals (common vole, microtus arvalis), spraying in orchards (field vole, microtus agrestis), and cereal seed treatment (wood mous ...201625891765
molecular examinations of babesia microti in rodents and rodent-attached ticks from urban and sylvatic habitats in germany.small mammals serve as reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens, especially for those which are not transmitted transovarially in ticks - such as babesia microti. molecular investigations on the prevalence of b. microti in wild small mammals and on attached ticks from differently structured areas may provide information on the circulation of b. microti in different ecological niches. in 2012 and 2013, 622 rodents (396 myodes glareolus, 178 apodemus flavicollis, 36 apodemus sylvaticus, 4 apodemus ...201525922232
genome-wide comparative chromosome maps of arvicola amphibius, dicrostonyx torquatus, and myodes rutilus.the subfamily arvicolinae consists of a great number of species with highly diversified karyotypes. in spite of the wide use of arvicolines in biological and medicine studies, the data on their karyotype structures are limited. here, we made a set of painting probes from flow-sorted chromosomes of a male palearctic collared lemming (dicrostonyx torquatus, dto). together with the sets of painting probes made previously from the field vole (microtus agrestis, mag) and golden hamster (mesocricetus ...201626611440
analysis on population level reveals trappability of wild rodents is determined by previous trap occupant.live trapping is central to the study of small mammals. thus, any bias needs to be understood and accounted for in subsequent analyses to ensure accurate population estimates. one rarely considered bias is the behavioural response of individuals to the trap, in particular the olfactory cues left behind by previous occupants (po). we used a data set of 8,115 trap nights spanning 17 separate trapping sessions between august 2002 and november 2013 in wytham woods, oxfordshire, uk to examine if the ...201526689683
molecular survey of zoonotic agents in rodents and other small mammals in croatia.croatia is a focus for many rodent-borne zoonosis. here, we report a survey of 242 rodents and small mammals, including 43 myodes glareolus, 131 apodemus flavicollis, 53 apodemus agrarius, three apodemus sylvaticus, six sorex araneus, four microtus arvalis, one microtus agrestis, and one muscardinus avellanarius, collected at eight sites in croatia over an 8-year period. multiplex masstag polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was used for detection of borrelia, rickettsia, bartonella, babesia, ehrlich ...201626711522
high genetic structuring of tula hantavirus.tula virus (tulv) is a vole-associated hantavirus with low or no pathogenicity to humans. in the present study, 686 common voles (microtus arvalis), 249 field voles (microtus agrestis) and 30 water voles (arvicola spec.) were collected at 79 sites in germany, luxembourg and france and screened by rt-pcr and tulv-igg elisa. tulv-specific rna and/or antibodies were detected at 43 of the sites, demonstrating a geographically widespread distribution of the virus in the studied area. the tulv prevale ...201626831932
food availability and predation risk, rather than intrinsic attributes, are the main factors shaping the reproductive decisions of a long-lived predator.deciphering the causes of variation in reproductive success is a fundamental issue in ecology, as the number of offspring produced is an important driver of individual fitness and population dynamics. little is known, however, about how different factors interact to drive variation in reproduction, such as whether an individual's response to extrinsic conditions (e.g. food availability or predation) varies according to its intrinsic attributes (e.g. age, previous allocation of resources towards ...201626990178
identification of hepatozoon erhardovae krampitz, 1964 from bank voles (myodes glareolus) and fleas in southern hungary.in order to investigate the prevalence and life cycle of apicomplexan parasites, small mammals were live-trapped with modified sherman traps in southern hungary between 2010 and 2012. altogether, 528 rodents (apodemus flavicollis melchior, 1834, apodemus agrarius pallas, 1771, myodes glareolus schreber, 1780, microtus agrestis linnaeus, 1761, mus musculus linnaeus, 1758 and micromys minutus pallas, 1771) were collected and four shrews (sorex spp.) were by-catched. captured animals belonging to n ...201627003406
first identification of echinococcus multilocularis in rodent intermediate hosts in sweden.echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic tapeworm with a sylvatic lifecycle and an expanding range in europe. monitoring efforts following its first identification in 2011 in sweden have focused on the parasite's definitive host, the red fox (vulpes vulpes). however, identifying rodent intermediate hosts is important to recognize opportunities for parasite transmission. during 2013-2015, livers from a total of 1566 rodents from four regions in sweden were examined for e. multilocularis metacest ...201627054089
discovery of novel alphacoronaviruses in european rodents and shrews.eight hundred and thirteen european rodents and shrews encompassing seven different species were screened for alphacoronaviruses using pcr detection. novel alphacoronaviruses were detected in the species rattus norvegicus, microtus agrestis, sorex araneus and myodes glareolus. these, together with the recently described lucheng virus found in china, form a distinct rodent/shrew-specific clade within the coronavirus phylogeny. across a highly conserved region of the viral polymerase gene, the new ...201627102167
establishment of superovulation procedure in japanese field vole, microtus montebelli.japanese field vole (microtus montebelli) is a wild-derived rodent and have unique characteristic. thus, these species have been expected as model animal. this study was performed to develop novel superovulation procedure for japanese field vole. first, when 30 iu pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (pmsg) and 30 iu human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) were administrated 48 hours apart, females showed higher response to hcg compared with three concentrations of pmsg. second, to effectively induce o ...201627118387
long-term population patterns of rodents and associated damage in german forestry.several rodent species can damage forest trees, especially at young tree age in afforestation. population outbreaks of field voles (microtus agrestis l.) and bank voles (myodes glareolus schreber) in particular can cause losses.201727233231
anesthetic effects of a combination of medetomidine, midazolam and butorphanol on the production of offspring in japanese field vole, microtus montebelli.pentobarbital sodium (somnopentyl) can induce surgical anesthesia with a strong hypnotic effect that causes loss of consciousness. animals have been known to die during experimental surgery under anesthesia with somnopentyl, causing it to be declared inadequate as a general anesthetic for single treatment. an anesthetic combination of 0.3 mg/kg medetomidine, 4.0 mg/kg midazolam and 5.0 mg/kg butorphanol (m/m/b:0.3/4/5) was reported to induce anesthesia for a duration of around 40 min in icr mice ...201627238159
declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect.the "dilution effect" implies that where species vary in susceptibility to infection by a pathogen, higher diversity often leads to lower infection prevalence in hosts. for directly transmitted pathogens, non-host species may "dilute" infection directly (1) and indirectly (2). competitors and predators may (1) alter host behavior to reduce pathogen transmission or (2) reduce host density. in a well-studied system, we tested the dilution of the zoonotic puumala hantavirus (puuv) in bank voles (my ...201627499001
tooth wear as a means to quantify intra-specific variations in diet and chewing movements.in mammals, tooth function, and its efficiency, depends both on the mechanical properties of the food and on chewing dynamics. these aspects have rarely been studied in combination and/or at the intra-specific level. here we applied 3d dental surface texture analysis to a sample of field voles (microtus agrestis) trapped from finnish lapland at different seasons and localities to test for inter-population variations. we also explored intra-individual variation in chewing dynamics by analysing tw ...201627658531
generalist predator, cyclic voles and cavity nests: testing the alternative prey hypothesis.the alternative prey hypothesis (aph) states that when the density of the main prey declines, generalist predators switch to alternative prey and vice versa, meaning that predation pressure on the alternative prey should be negatively correlated with the density of the main prey. we tested the aph in a system comprising one generalist predator (pine marten, martes martes), cyclic main prey (microtine voles, microtus agrestis and myodes glareolus) and alternative prey (cavity nests of common gold ...201627665542
food limitation constrains host immune responses to nematode infections.trade-offs in the allocation of finite-energy resources among immunological defences and other physiological processes are believed to influence infection risk and disease severity in food-limited wildlife populations. however, this prediction has received little experimental investigation. here we test the hypothesis that food limitation impairs the ability of wild field voles (microtus agrestis) to mount an immune response against parasite infections. we conducted a replicated experiment on vo ...201627677814
metagenomic evaluation of bacteria from voles.voles (arvicolinae, rodentia) are known carriers of zoonotic bacteria such as bartonella spp. and francisella tularensis. however, apart from f. tularensis, the bacterial microbiome of voles has not previously been determined in finland and rarely elsewhere. therefore, we studied liver samples from 61 voles using 16s ribosomal rna gene pcr analysis, followed by sanger sequencing. twenty-three of these samples were also studied with tag-encoded pyrosequencing. the samples originated from 21 field ...201727854567
support for targeted sampling of red fox (vulpes vulpes) feces in sweden: a method to improve the probability of finding echinococcus multilocularis.localized concentrations of echinococcus multilocularis eggs from feces of infected red fox (vulpes vulpes) can create areas of higher transmission risk for rodent hosts and possibly also for humans; therefore, identification of these areas is important. however, in a low prevalence environment, such as sweden, these areas could be easily overlooked. as part of a project investigating the role of different rodents in the epidemiology of e. multilocularis in sweden, fox feces were collected seaso ...201627899131
rapid karyotype evolution in lasiopodomys involved at least two autosome - sex chromosome translocations.the generic status of lasiopodomys and its division into subgenera lasiopodomys (l. mandarinus, l. brandtii) and stenocranius (l. gregalis, l. raddei) are not generally accepted because of contradictions between the morphological and molecular data. to obtain cytogenetic evidence for the lasiopodomys genus and its subgenera and to test the autosome to sex chromosome translocation hypothesis of sex chromosome complex origin in l. mandarinus proposed previously, we hybridized chromosome painting p ...201627936177
prevalence, genetic identity and vertical transmission of babesia microti in three naturally infected species of vole, microtus spp. (cricetidae).vertical transmission is one of the transmission routes for babesia microti, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease, babesiosis. congenital babesia invasions have been recorded in laboratory mice, dogs and humans. the aim of our study was to determine if vertical transmission of b. microti occurs in naturally-infected reservoir hosts of the genus microtus.201728166832
transmission ecology of taeniid larval cestodes in rodents in sweden, a low endemic area for echinococcus multilocularis.although local prevalence of echinococcus multilocularis may be high, this zoonotic parasite has an overall low prevalence in foxes and rodents in sweden. to better understand opportunities for e. multilocularis transmission in the swedish environment, the aim of this study was to investigate other taeniid cestodes and to relate observed patterns to e. multilocularis. cestode parasites were examined in fox feces and rodents caught in different habitats from four regions of sweden. arvicola amphi ...201728274289
the enzootic life-cycle of borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and tick-borne rickettsiae: an epidemiological study on wild-living small mammals and their ticks from saxony, germany.borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and rickettsiae of the spotted fever group are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens. while small mammals are confirmed reservoirs for certain borrelia spp., little is known about the reservoirs for tick-borne rickettsiae. between 2012 and 2014, ticks were collected from the vegetation and small mammals which were trapped in saxony, germany. dna extracted from ticks and the small mammals' skin was analyzed for the presence of rickettsia spp. and b. burgdorferi (s.l.) by ...201728285593
[an integrated theory of natural control of animal populations].since the twenties of our century, at least 15 theories worth discussing have been developped which intend to explain the causes of natural control of animal populations (for details see schwerdtfeger, 1968). an attempt is made to integrate the different-partly contrary-ideas and new results into a general theory. the basis to start from is the cybernetic principle of feed-back mechanism introduced into population dynamics by wilbert (1962): an actual value (e.g. the inside temperature of a refr ...196828306898
population growth and habitat distribution in cyclic small rodents: to expand or to change?habitat selection determined by intraspecific interactions (social behaviour), being either free or despotic, should result in the largest densities in the most favourable habitat at least in late increase and decline phases of cyclic populations. habitat distribution determined by interspecific effects such as herbivore-plant or predator-prey interactions may result in higher densities in inferior habitats at late peaks and/or declines due to overgrazing of preferred habitats, or invasion of su ...199728307483
does avian predation risk depress reproduction of voles?reproductive output and the growth of captive voles were quantified under high and low avian predation risk in a semi-natural experiment. voles were exposed to eurasian kestrels (falco tinnunculus), the main avian predator of vole species studied (clethrionomys glareolus, microtus agrestis and m. rossiaemeridionalis). vole pairs were housed in cages settled under nest-boxes occupied by breeding kestrels or in control cages settled under empty nest-boxes for 2 weeks. the experiment was conducted ...199828308445
effect of the odour of weasels (mustela nivalis l.) on trapped samples of their prey.the presence of weasel anal gland secretion on rodent live traps substantially depresses population estimate by greatly reducing the catch of microtus agrestis. the catch of apodemus sylvaticus remains almost unaffected.197628308904
short-term and circadian rhythms in the behaviour of the vole, microtus agrestis (l.).the activity behaviour of the vole, microtus agrestis, has been recorded in order to investigate the relationship between short-term rhythm and circadian rhythm. a simple device was developed, allowing separate monitoring of the time spent in or outside the nest, wheel-running, eating and drinking. under natural light conditions during summer, a distinct differentiation between a short term rhythm of eating and drinking during the day-time and a circadian rhythm of wheel-running during the night ...197628308925
interindividual influence on diurnal rhythms of activity in cycling and noncycling populations of the field vole, microtus agrestis l.the effects of interaction among individuals with respect to wheelrunning activity has been investigated in two geographically separated populations of the field vole microtus agrestis l. in one of them, a northern cyclically varying population, a strictly nocturnal activity pattern is changed into a more or less short term 24 h pattern under conditions of increased contact among individuals. in the other population, south-swedish, without population cycles, no such effects were observed. this i ...197828309735
cyclic population changes in three mouse species in the same woodland.in two forest areas of west berlin the population-changes in three mouse species have been investigated over 28 years (1952-1979). significant changes in absolute density have been established for the short-tailed vole (microtus agrestis) at 5-year intervals, for the common vole (microtus arvalis) at 4-year intervals, and for the yellow-necked field mouse (apodemus flavicollis) at 3-year intervals. the investigations were based on a total of 43,535 small vertebrates, 90% of which had been found ...198128309926
experiments on habitat selection in voles: implications for the inverse distribution of two common european species.several pairs of species of microtine rodents show inverse distributions or abundance. here i determine if the inverse abundance relationship of the bank vole clethrionomys glareolus (a forest species) and the field vole microtus agrestis (an open field species) could be explained by habitat selection. habitat selection was examined by choice experiments with combinations of soil and vegetation types, and with separate habitat factors. the effects of early experience and social behaviour were al ...198228310515
gradients in density variations of small rodents: the importance of latitude and snow cover.microtine rodents are known to show extreme population variations (cycles) but non-cyclic populations have also been recognized during recent years. the cyclic populations have been widely thought to be regulated by intrinsic mechanisms. however, such predictions for cyclic populations are usually not applicable to non-cyclic ones and extrinsic factors may have to be included in any explanation.a hypothesis that the degree of fluctuations in small rodent numbers is related to the sustainable num ...198528311574
circadian activity patterns, photoperiodic responses and population cycles in voles : i. long-term variations in circadian activity patterns.patterns of above-ground activity were recorded in two free-ranging populations of microtus agrestis (l.) and one population of m. arvalis (pall.) over several years by means of passage counters. long-term variations of the circadian patterns were observed, but did not repeat themselves in a 12-month cycle. variations in all three populations could be described by a sinusoidal function of an 18-month period. maxima and minima of the sine-function were connected to distinct photoperiods (equinoxe ...198728312229
spatial dynamics in fluctuating vole populations.patterns and consistency of distribution, spatial and temporal components, and the extent of spatial density-dependence were compared between semi-cyclic and cyclic populations of the vole species clethrionomys glareolus and microtus agrestis in south-central and north sweden. cyclic populations were less clumped and only c. glareolus showed a consistency in distribution between years. spatial variation contributed little to the distributions in cyclic populations while the spatial and temporal ...199028312557
parental investment related to social systems in microtines.laboratory offspring of wild-caught voles clethrionomys glareolus and microtus agrestis, bred for 1 year under constant conditions, were examined with regard to sex ratios and weights at weaning and at 2 months of age. c. glareolus exhibits female territoriality and m. agrestis male territoriality in summer. the adults die away in late summer-autumn. early-summer young mature in the year of birth but late-summer young do not reach maturity until the following year. c. glareolus young showed a ma ...199228312884
adult philopatry and dispersal in the field vol microtus agrestis.using mark-recapture data, we related the movements of adult field voles to population density, sex ratio and population growth. dispersal movements (defined as distances larger than 1 home range diameter) were few in both sexes; 4 out of 197 (2.0%) in males and 8 of 316 (2.5%) in females. the distance moved between sequential trapping periods was similar for males and females; the mean being 10.2 m and 9.0 m respectively. both males and females moved larger distances during the breeding season ...199128313195
leptospira spp. in small mammals from areas with low and high human hantavirus incidences in south-west germany.leptospirosis is caused by leptospira spp. and is considered the most widespread zoonotic disease worldwide. it mimics nephropathia epidemica in humans, a disease mainly caused by puumala hantavirus (puuv). small mammals are reservoirs for leptospira spp. and puuv. seewis virus (swsv) is a shrew-borne hantavirus with unknown pathogenicity. the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence for leptospira spp. and the frequency of leptospira-hantavirus co-infections in small mammals colle ...201728332927
yersinia spp. in wild rodents and shrews in finland.yersinia enterocolitica and yersinia pseudotuberculosis are important zoonotic bacteria causing human enteric yersiniosis commonly reported in europe. all y. pseudotuberculosis strains are considered pathogenic, while y. enterocolitica include both pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains which can be divided into six biotypes (1a, 1b, and 2-5) and about 30 serotypes. the most common types causing yersiniosis in europe are y. enterocolitica bioserotypes 4/o:3 and 2/o:9. strains belonging to biotype ...201728332937
endemic hantavirus in field voles, northern england.we report a pcr survey of hantavirus infection in an extensive field vole (microtus agrestis) population present in the kielder forest, northern england. a tatenale virus-like lineage was frequently detected (≈17% prevalence) in liver tissue. lineages genetically similar to tatenale virus are likely to be endemic in northern england.201728518021
choice of voles among genotypes of birch seedlings: its relationship with seedling quality and preference of insects.selective feeding by herbivores on establishing seedlings has been suggested to affect genotype frequencies in several plant populations. the existence of genotypes susceptible to herbivores calls for an explanation in such populations. in the present study we assessed the choice of multiple herbivores, field voles (microtus agrestis) and insects, among genotypes of silver birch (betula pendula) representing variation occurring in a naturally regenerated stand. we examined how food choice of vol ...200228547050
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