Abstract
A grassland population of Microtus townsendii was subjected to an alternating sequence of 1 month total removal and 2 months mark and release for 2 years. The demographic performance and aggressive behaviour of voles from this pulsed-removal area were compared with those of voles from an adjacent control population. The population on the pulsed-removal area increased rapidly from immigration at all times of the year, regardless of whether the control population was increasing or declining. Voles that colonized the pulsed-removal area were able to breed and survive as well as, or better than, voles from the control population. Males and females from the pulsed-removal area showed more submissive behaviour when fought in a neutral arena against resident control animals. The subordinate behaviour pattern of pulsed-removal colonists was detectable in voles tested 6–8 weeks after colonization. Thus we have satisfied two necessary conditions to show that spacing behaviour limits the breeding population of this vole: surplus, nonbreeding voles exist in large numbers at all times and can reproduce successfully when the dominant animals are removed.
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