Home Range Size and Population Dynamics in the Prairie Vole, Microtus Ochrogaster

Abstract

The relationship between 14 demographic variables and home range size of 3 age classes (adults, subadults and juveniles) was studied in 2 live-trapped populations of M. ochrogaster in eastern Kansas, USA. There was a linear negative association between home range size and density for adult females. There was no correlation between these 2 variables for other age classes. Home range size of adult and subadult males was positively associated with dispersal rate. A stepwise multiple regression and principal component analysis indicated that different demographic variables were important in a statistical sense in explaining variation in home range size for each age class. The interaction between dispersal and home range size is discussed in the context of population regulation of microtine rodents.