Designers of Nature’s Subterranean Abodes: Insights into the Architecture and Utilization of Burrow Systems of Thomas’ Pine Vole, Microtus thomasi (Rodentia: Arvicolinae)
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Field Work and Measurements
2.2. Map Digitization
2.3. Calculation of Fractal Dimension
2.4. Soil Analyses
2.5. Plant Identification
2.6. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Field Observations—Burrow Systems Features
3.2. Calculation of Fractal Dimension—Map Digitization
3.3. Soil Composition
3.4. Plant Identification
3.5. Statistical Analyses
3.5.1. Tunnel Diameter and Depth
3.5.2. Correlation of Burrow System Attributes with Fractal Dimension and Total Length
4. Discussion
Study Limitations
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Locality | System | Coordinates (Lat/Long) | Altitude (m) |
---|---|---|---|
Argira | 1 | 38.282464, 21.860464 | 489 |
Ano Loussoi | 2 | 38.000889, 22.137148 | 1112 |
Kato Platanovrisi | 3 | 38.139761, 21.734952 | 272 |
Mt. Aroania ski resort | 4 | 38.013551, 22.190700 | 1624 |
Agios Nikolaos | 5 | 38.008342, 22.150155 | 1235 |
Kalamaki | 6 | 38.104195, 21.626795 | 73 |
Mireika | 7 | 38.128207, 21.643241 | 72 |
Akoli | 8 | 38.226368, 22.003262 | 305 |
Measurements | Syst.1 | Syst.2 | Syst.3 | Syst.4 | Syst.5 | Syst.6 | Syst.7 | Syst.8 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Length (m) | 57.16 | 59.83 | 8.76 | 77.64 | 24.49 | 42.61 | 24.13 | 87.49 |
Length of central tunnel (m) | 22.02 | 26.23 | 6.03 | 22.62 | 8.63 | 12.15 | 8.21 | 19.28 |
Average tunnels diameter (cm) | 3.775 ±0.31 | 3.800 ±0.30 | 3.850 ±0.29 | 3.775 ±0.27 | 4.175 ±0.32 | 3.600 ±0.21 | 3.425 ±0.23 | 3.800 ±0.23 |
Average tunnels depth (cm) | 11.625 ±1.19 | 17.050 ±3.33 | 11.300 ±2.29 | 13.150 ±2.36 | 10.325 ±1.80 | 9.950 ±0.65 | 13.025 ±2.59 | 11.075 ±1.33 |
Nests | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Food caches | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 |
Open entrances | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Soil mounds | 23 | 30 | 10 | 49 | 38 | 84 | 38 | 85 |
Dead ends | 24 | 17 | 0 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 32 |
FD | 1.2283 | 1.2735 | 1.1795 | 1.3607 | 1.2677 | 1.3722 | 1.3036 | 1.4787 |
Study Sites | Vegetation Type |
---|---|
System 1 | Fallow field |
System 2 | Fallow field |
System 3 | Fallow field |
System 4 | Abies cephalonica forest openings |
System 5 | Fallow field |
System 6 | Olive grove with dense herbaceous understory of therophytes |
System 7 | Olive grove with removed understory by grass trimmer |
System 8 | Olive grove with removed understory by grass trimmer |
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Rekouti, E.; Avramidis, P.; Giokas, S.; Vougiouklakis, S.; Spanou, S.; Mitsainas, G.P. Designers of Nature’s Subterranean Abodes: Insights into the Architecture and Utilization of Burrow Systems of Thomas’ Pine Vole, Microtus thomasi (Rodentia: Arvicolinae). Life 2023, 13, 2276. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122276
Rekouti E, Avramidis P, Giokas S, Vougiouklakis S, Spanou S, Mitsainas GP. Designers of Nature’s Subterranean Abodes: Insights into the Architecture and Utilization of Burrow Systems of Thomas’ Pine Vole, Microtus thomasi (Rodentia: Arvicolinae). Life. 2023; 13(12):2276. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122276
Chicago/Turabian StyleRekouti, Eleni, Pavlos Avramidis, Sinos Giokas, Stamatis Vougiouklakis, Sofia Spanou, and George P. Mitsainas. 2023. "Designers of Nature’s Subterranean Abodes: Insights into the Architecture and Utilization of Burrow Systems of Thomas’ Pine Vole, Microtus thomasi (Rodentia: Arvicolinae)" Life 13, no. 12: 2276. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122276