Are Small Mammal Hibernators K-Selected?

Abstract

Within a pattern of multi-annual fluctuations in small rodent abundance observed in New York State's Adirondack Mountains from 1971–1977, three species of hibernators ( Tamias striatus, Zapus hudsonius , and Napaeozapus insignis ) exhibited considerable year-to-year population stability in comparison with similar-sized non-hibernators. The comparative population stability of the hibernators coupled with their lower biotic potentials suggests that these relatively k-selected species should be separated in the r-K selection continuum from the more r-selected nonhibernating small rodents.