Jacob, Jens

Jakob, Gerhard

Plekat, Alexandra

Schlötelburg, Annika

Wolff, Christian

English

JKI Open Journal Systems (Julius Kühn-Institut)

10th Young Scientists Meeting, Siebeldingen, Germany, November 08-10, 2017 Schlötelburg et al. Sustainable management of common voles (Microtus arvalis) Annika Schlötelburg1, Alexandra Plekat2, Christian Wolff2, Gerhard Jakob3 and Jens Jacob1 1Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Münster 2LLG Saxony-Anhalt, Department for Plant Protection, Bernburg 3Detia Freyberg GmbH, Laudenbach E-mail of corresponding author: annika.schloetelburg@julius-kuehn.deThe common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the most abundant mammal in Europe-an agrarian landscapes. Its population dynamics can vary spatially and season-ally. Every two to five years outbreaks can occur and population densities can reach 1000 individuals per hectare. Es-pecially during these outbreaks, com-mon voles migrate to farmland and damage crops like grain cereals or rape-seed with monetary damage amounting to several million Euros. Farmers often use rodenticides as management meth-od of choice. Its efficacy can decrease if voles emigrate from their primary grass-land habitats or if a better food source is available. Furthermore, there may be risks for non-target species and chemical rodenticides are no option for organic farmers. An ecologically based manage-ment including expert knowledge of the target species and combining different methods could help organic farmers to protect their crops.  In our BMEL funded project we pursue the idea of inhibiting migration of com-mon voles to farmland by a barrier sys-tem. A furrow at the field margin is combined with repelling odorous sub-stances or traps emptied by predators. If a vole wants to reach secondary farm-land habitat, it comes across a furrow designed to lead the vole towards a trap. Avian and terrestrial predators learn to patrol these traps and to remove voles. We observed with camera traps if a vole was removed within 12 hours and which predators visited the traps. We could also confirm that rodents of the family Muridae were able to jump out of the trap avoiding non-target captures. But because of its opening the trap is quite light and voles often prefer darker sur-roundings. Increasing trappability can be accomplished by an attractive bait. In the laboratory, we screened natural substances, selected a suitable grain base and created three new bait types. Under semi-natural conditions we tested trappability in four populations with these new baits.  The second approach follows the idea of repellent natural substances placed in the furrow. In T-maze trials we screened different odors. Three essential oils sig-nificantly reduced residence time in the treated box of a T-maze. These oils were tested further in enclosures with eight vole populations. One combination of oils significantly reduced oat consump-tion and may have potential as common vole repellent.  We present our results of three years research in sustainable common vole management.  Berichte aus dem Julius Kühn-Institut 192 69

Sustainable management of common voles (Microtus arvalis)

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Sustainable management of common voles (Microtus arvalis)

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