Predation risk and reproduction in the bank vole
Lenka Trebatická A D , Paula Suortti A B , Janne Sundell A C and Hannu Ylönen A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Konnevesi Research Station, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, PO Box 35, FI-40014, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
B Department of Biosciences, PO Box 65, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
C Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, 16900 Lammi, Finland.
D Corresponding author. Email: trebatickalenka@yahoo.com
Wildlife Research 39(5) 463-468 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR12012
Submitted: 19 January 2012 Accepted: 12 May 2012 Published: 26 June 2012
Abstract
Context: Life-history strategies are the means that organisms use to achieve successful reproduction in environments that vary in time and space. Individual animals maximise life-time reproductive success (LRS) through optimal timing of reproduction and investment in offspring. A crucial factor affecting LRS is predation risk in a highly seasonal environment. According to the breeding-suppression hypothesis (BSH), females should delay breeding under short periods of high predation risk. Delayed breeding under risk is suggested to have substantial consequences for females’ fitness.
Aims: We tested the BSH in an iteroparous boreal small rodent, the bank vole, Myodes glareolus.
Methods: We used caged-live weasels and spread weasel scent to simulate increased predation risk in four of eight 0.25-ha outdoor enclosures. We monitored females’ reproduction in three periods (May, July, August), i.e. during the breeding season over the course of summer.
Key results: Contrary to our main prediction, predation risk did not affect timing of mating, pregnancy rate or litter size in any study period.
Conclusions and implications: We conclude that during the short but resource-rich breeding season of boreal summer, postponing breeding does not seem to be an optimal strategy for females, even under high risk of predation. Under favourable summer condition, i.e. in circumstances without any constraining factors such as food or conspecific density, females manage to balance the costs of predation against benefits of resource availability and do not suppress breeding. Although the BSH has been studied widely, also our results reveal the intricacies of this adaptive behaviour.
Additional keywords: breeding suppression, progressing time, weasel.
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