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- Title
The burrow system of the common vole ( M. arvalis, Rodentia) in Switzerland.
- Authors
Brügger, Andrea; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Airoldi, Jean-Pierre
- Abstract
Fifty burrow systems of Microtus arvalis were excavated, from October 2006 to August 2007 in wildflower fields and quasi-natural habitats in five areas near Bern, Switzerland. They comprise an aboveground part, which is longer in spring/summer, and a subterranean part, which is longer in autumn/winter. Three main construction types exist: (a) linear burrows, (b) compact and tight networks, and (c) structures containing both a compact network around the nest and linear parts elsewhere. The subterranean length was on average 16.9 m (range: 0.5-70.2 m) and aboveground length 39.4 m (range: 0-95 m). Numbers of intersections, dead ends, and openings correlate significantly with subterranean burrow length. Nests and food caches were located at a maximal depth and mostly in a central position, as revealed by graph theory.
- Subjects
ANIMAL burrowing; MICROTUS arvalis; BURROWING animals; WILD flowers; GRAPH theory
- Publication
Mammalia: International Journal of the Systematics, Biology & Ecology of Mammals, 2010, Vol 74, Issue 3, p311
- ISSN
0025-1461
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/MAMM.2010.035