Hello Bioacoustics-L,
The following article is available at
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmitchel/Bioacoustics.html.
Blake,
Barbara H. 2012. Ultrasonic calling in 2 species of voles,
Microtus pinetorum and M. pennsylvanicus, with different social
systems. Journal of Mammalogy 93(4): 1051-1060.
Abstract:
When isolated, pups of muroid rodents emit ultrasonic vocalizations,
an indication that they are stressed by being alone and exposed to
cooling temperatures. Rate of vocalizations is greatest at the end
of their 1st week and beginning of the 2nd week, declines in the 2nd
week as eyes open and thermoregulation becomes fully established,
and ceases in the 3rd week. Young of 1 vole species, the prairie
vole (Microtus ochrogaster), vocalize significantly more than those
of other species, which has been attributed to the social structure
of the species, because they have monogamous mating behavior and
high level of biparental care. To determine whether this vocalizing
behavior is typical of vole species with monogamous social systems,
I examined calling behavior in another monogamous species with
biparental care, the pine (or woodland) vole (M. pinetorum), and I
compared it to that of a polygynous species that has only maternal
care, the meadow vole (M. pennsylvanicus). Pups were isolated for 20
min at 22 C +/- 2 C and the number of ultrasonic calls they emitted
was monitored. Pine vole pups vocalized at high rates, similar to
prairie voles, emitting a mean of 47 calls/min at the ages when
calling was greatest (8–16 days). In contrast, meadow vole pups
vocalized significantly less, emitting a mean of 9 calls/min at the
age of greatest calling (5–9 days). Pine voles continued vocalizing
to 23 days, like prairie voles but different from other vole
species, including meadow voles, which cease calling earlier. I
conclude that young voles of monogamous species, which are highly
affiliative and have paternal as well as maternal care, respond to
the stress of isolation more strongly than do other vole species and
emit more ultrasonic vocalizations than species that are less social
and have less parental care.
Brian Mitchell
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