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- Title
Dietary protein content affects the response of meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, to over-marks.
- Authors
Hobbs, Nicholas; Ferkin, Michael
- Abstract
The response to signals, including scent marks, from opposite-sex conspecifics can be affected by the nutritional state of both the sender and receiver of these signals. Protein content of the diet affects how meadow voles ( Microtus pennsylvanicus) respond to single scent marks, but it is unknown how it affects an individual's response to the overlapping scent marks of two donors (an over-mark). In experiment 1, we tested the hypothesis that protein content of the diet affects the amount of time voles spend investigating the marks of the top- and bottom-scent donors of an over-mark. Males and females fed a 22% protein diet spent more time investigating the scent mark of the top-scent donor than that of the bottom-scent donor; voles fed 9% and 13% protein diets spent similar amounts of time investigating the top- and bottom-scent donors. In experiment 2, we tested the hypothesis that protein content of the diet of the top- and bottom-scent donors affects the amount of time conspecifics spend investigating their scent marks. Female voles spent more time investigating the mark of the top-scent male than that of the bottom-scent male, independent of the differences in protein content of the diets of the top- and bottom-scent donors. Male voles, however, spent more time investigating the top-scent female when she was fed a diet higher in protein content than that of the bottom-scent female. Our results are discussed within the context of the natural history of voles.
- Subjects
PROTEINS in animal nutrition; LOW-protein diet; ANIMAL communication; MICROTUS pennsylvanicus; TERRITORIAL marking (Animals); STATISTICAL hypothesis testing; ANIMAL feeding behavior
- Publication
Acta Ethologica, 2011, Vol 14, Issue 2, p57
- ISSN
0873-9749
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10211-011-0090-0