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Population density does not affect seasonal regulation of reproductive physiology in male water voles

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Poissenot, Kevin | Moussu, Chantal | Brachet, Morgane | Chesneau, Didier | Chemineau, Philippe | Lainé, Anne-Lyse | Migaud, Martine | Charbonnel, Nathalie | Keller, Matthieu

Edité par CCSD ; Royal Society, The -

International audience. Most small rodent species display cyclic fluctuations in their population density. The mechanisms behind these cyclical variations are not yet clearly understood. Density-dependent effects on reproductive function could affect these population variations. The fossorial water vole ecotype, Arvicola terrestris , exhibits multi-year cyclical dynamics with outbreak peaks. Here, we monitored different water vole populations over 3 years, in spring and autumn, to evaluate whether population density is related to male reproductive physiology. Our results show an effect of season and inter-annual factors on testis mass, plasmatic testosterone level, and androgen-dependent seminal vesicle mass. By contrast, population density does not affect any of these parameters, suggesting a lack of modulation of population dynamics by population density.

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