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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 32(3)

Developing relative abundance techniques (RATs) for monitoring rodent populations

Desley A. Whisson A , Richard M. Engeman B and Kellie Collins A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

B USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 La Porte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA.

Wildlife Research 32(3) 239-244 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR03128
Submitted: 23 December 2003  Accepted: 24 February 2005   Published: 22 June 2005

Abstract

Accurate density estimates of rodents are frequently difficult or cost-prohibitive to determine. Thus, a number of techniques (track plates, monitoring blocks, chew cards/sticks, apple slice index, trapping) are often used to index rodent populations. Theoretically, the sensitivity of these indexing techniques could be improved if they applied continuous measurements rather than simple binary measurements (presence/absence). Development of a relative abundance technique that is simple to apply and sensitive to changes in population density is critical for the operational management of rodent pests. In addition to providing a quantitative measure of abundance with statistical parameters, an indexing technique that does not require handling of animals is important in consideration of potential disease issues (for example, hantavirus, arenavirus, etc.). We investigated track plates, chew cards and monitoring blocks and associated continuous measurement methods for calculating indices of rodent abundance. In laboratory and field settings, we tested their effectiveness in detecting different population densities of California meadow voles (Microtus californicus). Chew cards were poorly accepted by meadow voles in pen and field tests. However, track plates and monitoring blocks may provide useful tools for indexing meadow vole populations, and have application for other rodent species.


Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Vertebrate Pest Control Research Advisory Committee of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. We thank Sara Gillespie for her assistance in conducting the tests.


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