Razmnožavanje puha orašara (Muscardinus avellanarius L.) u Litvi

Data on the breeding of M. avellanarius were gathered from two sites in Lithuania in 1981-1993 by regular checking of nestboxes and marking the dormice captured. During the study 374 breeding females were captured and 319 litters found. In Lithuania the breeding season occupies nearly the whole summer period, and adult females may have two litters per season. Mean litter size was 3.9 +- 0.1 juveniles (n = 319) and it depends upon the age of females. The largest litters were detected in May, the smallest in July.Data on the breeding of M. avellanarius were gathered from two sites in Lithuania in 1981-1993 by regular checking of nestboxes and marking the dormice captured. During the study 374 breeding females were captured and 319 litters found. In Lithuania the breeding season occupies nearly the whole summer period, and adult females may have two litters per season. Mean litter size was 3.9 +- 0.1 juveniles (n = 319) and it depends upon the age of females. The largest litters were detected in May, the smallest in July

Razmnožavanje puha orašara (Muscardinus avellanarius L.) u Litvi

Data on the breeding of M. avellanarius were gathered from two sites in Lithuania in 1981-1993 by regular checking of nestboxes and marking the dormice captured. During the study 374 breeding females were captured and 319 litters found. In Lithuania the breeding season occupies nearly the whole summer period, and adult females may have two litters per season. Mean litter size was 3.9 +- 0.1 juveniles (n = 319) and it depends upon the age of females. The largest litters were detected in May, the smallest in July.Data on the breeding of M. avellanarius were gathered from two sites in Lithuania in 1981-1993 by regular checking of nestboxes and marking the dormice captured. During the study 374 breeding females were captured and 319 litters found. In Lithuania the breeding season occupies nearly the whole summer period, and adult females may have two litters per season. Mean litter size was 3.9 +- 0.1 juveniles (n = 319) and it depends upon the age of females. The largest litters were detected in May, the smallest in July

Korištenje kućica od strane puha orašara (Muscardinus avellanarius L.) u Litvi

Data on the use of nestboxes by Muscardinus avellanarius were gathered in 1971-1996 during all seasons of the year including winter. More than 20000 nestbox checks were made, finding about 5000 dormice. The numbers of dormice and their demographic composition markedly changed as the annual season progressed. The number of dormice in reached the maximum in September: the dormice occupying 30-40% of all nestboxes. There was a positive relationship between the occupancy of nestboxes and density of undergrowth. Dormice preferred nestboxes established at the height of 4m. Preference was also given to wooden nestboxes. The dormice compete with birds, the yellow-necked mouse, fat dormouse and social insects.Data on the use of nestboxes by Muscardinus avellanarius were gathered in 1971-1996 during all seasons of the year including winter. More than 20000 nestbox checks were made, finding about 5000 dormice. The numbers of dormice and their demographic composition markedly changed as the annual season progressed. The number of dormice in reached the maximum in September: the dormice occupying 30-40% of all nestboxes. There was a positive relationship between the occupancy of nestboxes and density of undergrowth. Dormice preferred nestboxes established at the height of 4m. Preference was also given to wooden nestboxes. The dormice compete with birds, the yellow-necked mouse, fat dormouse and social insects

Temperature synchronizes temporal variation in laying dates across European hole-nesting passerines

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.Identifying the environmental drivers of variation in fitness-related traits is a central objective in ecology and evolutionary biology. Temporal fluctuations of these environmental drivers are often synchronized at large spatial scales. Yet, whether synchronous environmental conditions can generate spatial synchrony in fitness-related trait values (i.e., correlated temporal trait fluctuations across populations) is poorly understood. Using data from long-term monitored populations of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus, n = 31), great tits (Parus major, n = 35), and pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca, n = 20) across Europe, we assessed the influence of two local climatic variables (mean temperature and mean precipitation in February–May) on spatial synchrony in three fitness-related traits: laying date, clutch size, and fledgling number. We found a high degree of spatial synchrony in laying date but a lower degree in clutch size and fledgling number for each species. Temperature strongly influenced spatial synchrony in laying date for resident blue tits and great tits but not for migratory pied flycatchers. This is a relevant finding in the context of environmental impacts on populations because spatial synchrony in fitness-related trait values among populations may influence fluctuations in vital rates or population abundances. If environmentally induced spatial synchrony in fitness-related traits increases the spatial synchrony in vital rates or population abundances, this will ultimately increase the risk of extinction for populations and species. Assessing how environmental conditions influence spatiotemporal variation in trait values improves our mechanistic understanding of environmental impacts on populations.Peer reviewe

Effects of interspecific coexistence on laying date and clutch size in two closely related species of hole-nesting birds

Coexistence between great tits Parus major and blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus, but also other hole‐nesting taxa, constitutes a classic example of species co‐occurrence resulting in potential interference and exploitation competition for food and for breeding and roosting sites. However, the spatial and temporal variations in coexistence and its consequences for competition remain poorly understood. We used an extensive database on reproduction in nest boxes by great and blue tits based on 87 study plots across Europe and Northern Africa during 1957–2012 for a total of 19,075 great tit and 16,729 blue tit clutches to assess correlative evidence for a relationship between laying date and clutch size, respectively, and density consistent with effects of intraspecific and interspecific competition.In an initial set of analyses, we statistically controlled for a suite of site‐specific variables. We found evidence for an effect of intraspecific competition on blue tit laying date (later laying at higher density) and clutch size (smaller clutch size at higher density), but no evidence of significant effects of intraspecific competition in great tits, nor effects of interspecific competition for either species.To further control for site‐specific variation caused by a range of potentially confounding variables, we compared means and variances in laying date and clutch size of great and blue tits among three categories of difference in density between the two species. We exploited the fact that means and variances are generally positively correlated. If interspecific competition occurs, we predicted a reduction in mean and an increase in variance in clutch size in great tit and blue tit when density of heterospecifics is higher than the density of conspecifics, and for intraspecific competition, this reduction would occur when density of conspecifics is higher than the density of heterospecifics. Such comparisons of temporal patterns of means and variances revealed evidence, for both species, consistent with intraspecific competition and to a smaller extent with interspecific competition.These findings suggest that competition associated with reproductive behaviour between blue and great tits is widespread, but also varies across large spatial and temporal scales.</div

Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities

AimComprehensive, global information on species' occurrences is an essential biodiversity variable and central to a range of applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation. Expert range maps often represent a species' only available distributional information and play an increasing role in conservation assessments and macroecology. We provide global range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species harmonised to the taxonomy of the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) mobilised from two sources, the Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) and the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (CMW).LocationGlobal.TaxonAll extant mammal species.MethodsRange maps were digitally interpreted, georeferenced, error-checked and subsequently taxonomically aligned between the HMW (6253 species), the CMW (6431 species) and the MDD taxonomies (6362 species).ResultsRange maps can be evaluated and visualised in an online map browser at Map of Life (mol.org) and accessed for individual or batch download for non-commercial use.Main conclusionExpert maps of species' global distributions are limited in their spatial detail and temporal specificity, but form a useful basis for broad-scale characterizations and model-based integration with other data. We provide georeferenced range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species as shapefiles, with species-level metadata and source information packaged together in geodatabase format. Across the three taxonomic sources our maps entail, there are 1784 taxonomic name differences compared to the maps currently available on the IUCN Red List website. The expert maps provided here are harmonised to the MDD taxonomic authority and linked to a community of online tools that will enable transparent future updates and version control

Use of nestboxes by the common dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius L.) in Lithuania

Data on the use of nestboxes by Muscardinus avellanarius were gathered in 1971-1996 during all seasons of the year including winter. More than 20000 nestbox checks were made, finding about 5000 dormice. The numbers of dormice and their demographic composition markedly changed as the annual season progressed. The number of dormice in reached the maximum in September: the dormice occupying 30-40% of all nestboxes. There was a positive relationship between the occupancy of nestboxes and density of undergrowth. Dormice preferred nestboxes established at the height of 4m. Preference was also given to wooden nestboxes. The dormice compete with birds, the yellow-necked mouse, fat dormouse and social insects

Is nesting in closed nestboxes advantageous for the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)?

Background The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is eurytopic in its choice of nest site, which can be either half-open or closed, and situated either on the ground or at a height of several meters. On occasion, robins also nest in closed nestboxes, though generally only solitary such cases are documented, albeit that dozens of such events can be recorded during the course of some long-term studies. However, until now, nobody has summarised the peculiarities of robins nesting in closed nestboxes. Methods In the period 1978-2020, wooden tit and starling nestboxes were inspected regularly at five study sites in Lithuania, this totaling more than 18,000 nestbox-seasons. During these inspections, 90 cases of robins nesting in the nestboxes were recorded. Publications on this topic from the entire robin distribution range were reviewed. Results Robins prefer to nest in old large-sized fairly shallow nestboxes with wide entrance holes, for example starling nestboxes or tit nestboxes with enlarged entrance holes. Increased numbers of nestboxes being occupied by robins were recorded for 3-8 years in row. In Lithuania, nesting success in nestboxes is not higher than compared with nesting on the ground. Tree climbing mammals, Pine Martens (Martes martes), Hazel Dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius), Edible Dormice (Glis glis) and Forest Dormice (Dryomys nitedula), are the main predators of robin nests in nestboxes. Conclusions Some geographic variation was found in the occurrence of robins nesting in nestboxes with more such cases recorded in central and southern parts of the range. Possibly robins are more philopatric in these parts of the range, with the same females or their offspring nesting in nestboxes for several years in row. In areas inhabited by dormice, nesting in closed nestboxes is not advantageous for robins

Dormice (Gliridae) in the diets of predators in Europe: A review broadening understanding of dormouse ecology

This study aimed to evaluate the significance of dormice in the diets of predators in Europe and, as a result, expand the knowledge about dormouse ecology. A total of 535 sources containing information on dormice in the diets of predators were analysed. Countries of Southern and Central Europe stand out with the largest numbers of target sources. Dormice were recorded in the diets of 54 predator species: 23 mammals, 11 owls, 16 diurnal birds and 4 reptiles. Owls hunting in forests, particularly the tawny owl Strix aluco, are the main dormouse predators. The role of dormice in the diets of predators depends on dormouse abundance, and the highest proportion was recorded in the Mediterranean region, where edible dormice Glis glis are abundant. In particular periods, dormice may be an alternative prey for owls and some other predators. Dormice were seldom recorded in the winter diets of predators, especially in mammals, contrary to what was previously thought. Records of dormice in the winter diets of owls confirm that dormice leave their hibernacula during arousals in the thaw periods. The presence of dormice in the diets of diurnal birds suggests that nocturnal dormice may also be active in the daytime