Social organization of the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
Abstract
In microtine rodents, formation of communal groups often is associated with environmental stresses of winter or high population density. Social organization of the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) consisted of communal groups formed by addition of philopatric young and unrelated adults to an original male-female pair or single-female breeding unit. Owing to high juvenile mortality during spring-early autumn, most social groups remained as male-female pairs or single females. Male-female pairs displayed behavioral traits associated with monogamy, including sharing a common nest and home range, mate guarding, dissolution of pairs by mortality, and low incidence of remating. Male-female pairs rarely involved related animals. Single-female breeding units were survivors of male-female pairs that had not formed a new pair; prevalence of single-female breeding units was not related to availability of unpaired males. When juvenile survival increased in late autumn, communal groups became the predominant social group. Formation of communal groups was unrelated to low temperatures and was not contingent upon the nonreproductive status of members. Although present at low population density, communal groups were the most common type of social group at high densities. We conclude that increased survival of juveniles in late autumn leads to the formation of communal groups and increases in population density.
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Many male prairie voles (~35-45%) assume a "wandering" tactic where they acquire large home ranges that overlap territories of one or more "resident" pairs.
“In addition, though most male prairie voles display a “resident” strategy where they form a pair bond with a female, defend a territory and assist females in the rearing of offspring, many males (~35–45%) assume a “wandering” tactic where they acquire large home ranges that overlap territories of one or more “resident” pairs [57, 58].”
From The prairie vole: An emerging model organism for understanding the social brain (2010) · cites this paper as [57]
"Wanderer" male prairie voles typically only sire offspring via extra-pair fertilizations and provide no care for their young.
““Wanderer” males typically only sire offspring via extra-pair fertilizations and provide no care for their young.”
From The prairie vole: An emerging model organism for understanding the social brain (2010) · cites this paper as [57]
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- Authors
- Getz, L. L., McGuire, B., Pizzuto, T., Hofmann, J. E., & Frase, B.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (US)
- Clemson University (US)
- Illinois Natural History Survey (US)
- Bradley University (US)
- ORCID
- McGuire, B.
- Venue
- Journal of Mammalogy
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1993-02-19
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 44-58
- ISSN
- 0022-2372 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-1542
- OpenAlex
- W2312678340
- Cited by
- 350
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 10.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Mammalogy (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Keywords
- Microtus ochrogaster, social organization, monogamy, pair bond, juvenile survival, population density, mate guarding, home range, nest sharing, remating, philopatry, microtine rodents
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