Diet differentiation between European arvicoline and murine rodents

FR2116International audienceSmall European muroid rodents are generally divided into species which feed on seeds and/or invertebrates and species which feed on green plant material; however, there is considerable plasticity in feeding behavior among species. Here, we analyze diets of 14 low-latitude rodent species from Western Europe based on published studies. The 77 studies were submitted to principal component analysis in order to compare diet plasticity within and between the 14 species. We observed variations in food composition of arvicoline and murine rodents which are associated with differences in morphology and habitat use. Most arvicoline rodents eat mainly green matter of the herbaceous layers of open habitats whereas most murine species are able to use a greater diversity of high energetic plant tissues from denser habitats, where they can exploit the different vegetation layers. Despite its phylogenetic position among arvicoline rodents, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) shows morpho-physiological and ecological traits which tend to be more similar to murine species. These intermediate evolutionary characters seem consistent with the fact that bank voles are able to exploit a wide spectrum of trophic resources from low energetic lignified tissues to high calorific invertebrate prey. This results in a very diverse diet, which is intermediate between true herbivorous arvicolines and typical seed- and invertebrate eating murine species. More investigations on genetic affiliation and ecological driving forces will help understand this intermediate position of bank vole diet, and further investigations among other arvicoline species will help determine if bank voles and other Myodes species are unique

Factors driving small rodents assemblages from field boundaries in agricultural landscapes of Western France.

In this study, we investigated the factors driving diversity and abundance of small rodent species inhabiting permanent linear habitat patches within high-intensified agricultural landscapes of western France. Multivariate (co-inertia) analysis was used to analyse relationships of habitat and landscape descriptive variables with rodent records. Two main ecological gradients were recognized according to statistical analysis. Relationships of species occurrence with environmental factors were interpreted according to their main life traits. The first ecological gradient clearly differentiated communities from hedges to those of grass-dominated linear banks. This first gradient was associated with the prevalence of forest versus grassland rodent species. This partitioning seems to reflect rather ecological requirements of species than competitive interactions. Small rodents diversity and abundance were inversely evolving along this gradient. The second factor influencing species assemblages was associated to landscape heterogeneity surrounding the permanent habitats. According to this second gradient, species seemed to be selected in relation to their ability to disperse and to use cultivated fields. Maximum diversity was generally observed in heterogeneous permanent habitats with mixed vegetation structure but hedges are important to produce biomass for predators

Bocage et néobocage. Production de bois et durabilité écologique

POSTERInternational audienc

Effects of catchment disturbance on stream invertebrates : comparison of different habitats (vegetation, benthic and interstitial) using bio-ecological groups.

International audienc

Biodiversité aquatique et composition du paysage : paramètres environnementaux et structure des communautés.

05-08/07/200

Effects of catchment disturbance on stream invertebrates : comparison of different habitats (vegetation, benthic and interstitial) using bio-ecological groups.

International audienc

Interactions habitat prédation. Exemple de la Perdrix grise en grande plaine céréalière

Communication oral