How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat
Three rodent species with similar characteristics coexist in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula (Wood mouse <i>Apodemus sylvaticus</i>, Algerian mouse <i>Mus spretus</i> and Common vole <i>Microtus arvalis)</i>. This study examines if habitat segregation exists b...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1874 |
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| author | Sergio Del Arco Jose María Del Arco |
| author_facet | Sergio Del Arco Jose María Del Arco |
| author_sort | Sergio Del Arco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Three rodent species with similar characteristics coexist in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula (Wood mouse <i>Apodemus sylvaticus</i>, Algerian mouse <i>Mus spretus</i> and Common vole <i>Microtus arvalis)</i>. This study examines if habitat segregation exists between the species, as a means of preventing the intense competition that may exclude any of these species. One of the three species recently arrived in the area. The other two have been consuming resources for a long time. Our aim is to check whether adaptations have been acquired during this time. To do this, we placed the three rodent species in semi-wild enclosures consisting of three different habitats and fed them acorns from the two most abundant oak species of the area for one week. We estimated the number of acorns and the mass per acorn that each species consumed in each habitat. It was found that each species prefers different habitats. The two species that were first installed in the area participated in acorn dissemination through transport and storage. They also conserved the embryos of the acorns consumed. The newly arrived species did not transport acorns and destroys them during consumption, behaving as a true predator species. The three species segregate their habitats to avoid competition. The two species that have been in the area for a longer time exhibit a relationship with the oaks that is akin to mutualism. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef07e4ee083e4f54b5cd420e8e3ee8e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef07e4ee083e4f54b5cd420e8e3ee8e72025-08-20T03:28:32ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-06-011513187410.3390/ani15131874How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their HabitatSergio Del Arco0Jose María Del Arco1Faculty of Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Agroforestry Sciences, Higher Technical School of Agrarian Engineering of Palencia, 34004 Palencia, SpainThree rodent species with similar characteristics coexist in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula (Wood mouse <i>Apodemus sylvaticus</i>, Algerian mouse <i>Mus spretus</i> and Common vole <i>Microtus arvalis)</i>. This study examines if habitat segregation exists between the species, as a means of preventing the intense competition that may exclude any of these species. One of the three species recently arrived in the area. The other two have been consuming resources for a long time. Our aim is to check whether adaptations have been acquired during this time. To do this, we placed the three rodent species in semi-wild enclosures consisting of three different habitats and fed them acorns from the two most abundant oak species of the area for one week. We estimated the number of acorns and the mass per acorn that each species consumed in each habitat. It was found that each species prefers different habitats. The two species that were first installed in the area participated in acorn dissemination through transport and storage. They also conserved the embryos of the acorns consumed. The newly arrived species did not transport acorns and destroys them during consumption, behaving as a true predator species. The three species segregate their habitats to avoid competition. The two species that have been in the area for a longer time exhibit a relationship with the oaks that is akin to mutualism.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1874acornsdispersalrodentsscatter-hoardingpartial consumptionhabitats |
| spellingShingle | Sergio Del Arco Jose María Del Arco How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat Animals acorns dispersal rodents scatter-hoarding partial consumption habitats |
| title | How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat |
| title_full | How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat |
| title_fullStr | How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat |
| title_short | How Rodent Species Adapt to the Food Resources of Their Habitat |
| title_sort | how rodent species adapt to the food resources of their habitat |
| topic | acorns dispersal rodents scatter-hoarding partial consumption habitats |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/13/1874 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sergiodelarco howrodentspeciesadapttothefoodresourcesoftheirhabitat AT josemariadelarco howrodentspeciesadapttothefoodresourcesoftheirhabitat |