A 13-year population study of the edible dormouse Glis glis in Britain

• Autorzy: Morris P. A. , Morris M.J.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Edible dormice Glis glis Linnaeus, 1766 were monitored from 1996–2008 inclusive. This has been the first population study of this non-native species since its introduction to Britain in 1902. Dormice were present in nest boxes from May or June until October or November. Numbers recorded varied greatly from year to year, and breeding failure occurred in 6 of the 13 years, apparently in response to environmental cues such as food availability. Litter sizes declined with growth of the young but some of the largest litters resulted from females aggregating their offspring. Males used more nest boxes than females, some of whom showed clear site fidelity from year to year. Survival rates were high and some individual lifespans exceeded 9 years. Longevity, compensating for periodic reproductive failure, and an extremely short active season, make the life history of edible dormice exceptional among small rodents, perhaps unique. Population density, rate of population increase and evidence for local emigration in non-breeding years are discussed, issues of particular significance in populations of recently-established introduced species such as this.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

animal population; edible dormouse; Glis glis; Britain; Gliridae; introduced species; longevity; reproduction; male; female

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2010
• Tom: 55
• Numer: 3
• Opis fizyczny: p.279-288,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Morris P. A.

• West Mains, London Road, Ascot, England SL5 7DG

autor

Morris M.J.

Bibliografia

• BBC TV 1983. The incredible edible dormouse. British Broadcasting Corporation, Bristol.
• Bieber C. 1998. Population dynamics, sexual activity, and reproduction failure in the fat dormouse (Myoxus glis). Journal of Zoology, London 244: 223–229. doi: 10.1017/ S0952836998002076
• Bieber C. and Ruf T. 2009. Summer dormancy in edible dormice (Glis glis) without energetic constraints. Naturwissenschaften 96: 165–171.
• Bright P. W. and Morris P. A. 1996. Why are dormice rare? A case study in conservation biology. Mammal Review 26: 157–187.
• Burgess M., Morris P. A. and Bright P. 2003. Population dynamics of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) in England. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (Supplement 1): 27–31.
• Harris S., Morris P., Wray S. and Yalden D. 1995. A review of British mammals. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough: 1–168. Available at: http://​www.​jncc.​ gov.uk/page-2759
• Hilton G. M. and Packham J. R. 2003. Variation in the masting of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in northern Europe over two centuries (1800–2001). Forestry 76: 319–328.
• Hoodless A. and Morris P. A. 1993. An estimate of population density of the fat dormouse (Glis glis). Journal of Zoology, London 230: 337–340. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998. 1992.tb04468.x
• Jackson J. E. 1994. The edible or fat dormouse (Glis glis) in Britain. Quarterly Journal of Forestry 88: 119–125.
• Jones-Walters L. 1991. Fat dormouse Glis glis [In: The Handbook of British Mammals, 3rd edition. G. B. Corbet and S. Harris, eds]. Blackwell, Oxford: 1–520.
• Jurczyszyn M. 2007. Hibernation cavities used by the edible dormouse Glis glis (Gliridae, Rodentia). Folia Zoologica 56: 162–168.
• Kryštufek B. 2004. Nipples in the edible dormouse Glis glis. Folia Zoologica 53: 107–111.
• Kryštufek B., Pistotnik M. and Casar K. S. 2005. Age determination and age structure in the edible dormouse Glis glis based on incremental bone lines. Mammal Review 35: 210–214. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2005.00056.x
• Lebl K., Kürbisch K., Bieber C. and Ruf T. 2010. Energy or information? The role of seed availability for reproductive decisions in edible dormice. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 180: 447–456.
• Marin G. and Pilastro A. 1994. Communally breeding dormice, Glis glis, are close kin. Animal Behaviour 47: 1485–1487. doi: 0003 — 3472/94/061485+03 $08.00/0
• Morris P. 1997. The edible dormouse (Glis glis). The Mammal Society, London: 1–20.
• Morris P. A. 1984. An estimate of the minimum body weight necessary for hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) to survive hibernation. Journal of Zoology, London 203: 291–294.
• Morris P. A. 1993. A red data book for British mammals. The Mammal Society, London: 1–108.
• Morris P. A. 2003. A review of research on British dormice (Gliridae) and the effect of increasing public and scientific awareness of these animals. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (Supplement 1): 125–130.
• Morris P. A. and Hoodless A. 1992. Movements and hibernaculum site in the fat dormouse (Glis glis). Journal of Zoology, London 228: 685–687. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998. 1992.tb04468.x
• Morris P. A. and Temple R. K. 1998. ‘Nest tubes’ — a potential new method for controlling numbers of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) in plantations. Quarterly Journal of Forestry 92: 201–205.
• Morris P. A., Temple R. K. and Jackson J. E. 1997. Studies of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) in British woodlands — some preliminary results. Quarterly Journal of Forestry 91: 321–326.
• Packham J. R. and Hilton G. M. 2002. Inter- and intra-site variation in the fruiting of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in England over a twenty-two year period (1980–2002). Arboricultural Journal 26: 1–22.
• Pilastro A., Missiaglia E. and Marin G. 1996. Age-related reproductive success in solitary and communally nesting female dormice (Glis glis). Journal of Zoology, London 239: 601–608. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05946.x
• Pilastro A., Tavecchia G. and Marin G. 2003. Long living and reproduction skipping in the fat dormouse. Ecology 84: 1784–1792. doi: 10.1890/0012-9658(2003)084[1784: LLARSI]2.0.CO;2
• Platt F. B. W. and Rowe J. 1964. Damage by the edible dormouse (Glis glis) at Wendover Forest (Chilterns). Quarterly Journal of Forestry 58: 228–233.
• Schlund W., Scharfe F. and Ganzhorn J. U. 2002. Longterm comparison of food availability and reproduction in the edible dormouse (Glis glis). Mammalian Biology 67: 219–232. doi: 10.1078/1616-5047-00033
• SPSS 2009. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, PASW Statistics V17.0, SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois.
• Thompson H. V. 1953. The edible dormouse (Glis glis) in England, 1902–1951. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 122: 1017–1024.