Spatial segregation of two vole species (Arvicola sapidus and Microtus cabrerae) within habitat patches in a highly fragmented farmland landscape

Abstract

Spatial segregation is one of the common mechanisms allowing the co-existence of similar interacting species in heterogeneous environments. Analysing spatial segregation requires information on individual home-range sizes and their degree of spatial overlap. In this study, we used radio-tracking to report for the first time the home-range and core-area sizes of sympatric Cabrera and water voles and to analyse intra- and inter-specific space sharing within habitat patches in a highly fragmented landscape. Results indicated that both species exhibited strong fine-scale site fidelity and reduced variation in range size across sexes and seasons. Monogamous mating system seemed to prevail for both species, although water voles may also exhibit polygynous breeding strategies. Mean home-range and core-area sizes of water voles (946.3 and 156.6 m2) were about twice that of Cabrera voles (418.2 and 55.1 m2). Within habitat patches, individuals of both species often overlapped their home ranges, particularly during the dry season (May–September), though intra-specific home-range overlap was generally higher than inter-specific overlap. Inter-specific space sharing was restricted to areas outside the centre of activity of animals, as no core-area overlap was ever recorded between Cabrera and water voles. Taken together, results support the view that co-existence of Cabrera and water voles in Mediterranean patchy habitats may in part result from spatial segregation among individuals, which may reflect competitive displacement or small-scale habitat partitioning. Results highlight the need to account for species interactions when designing conservation management strategies for sympatric Cabrera and water voles in fragmented landscapes.