Metapopulations and Feeding Selectivity of Montane and Long-Tailed Voles Microtus montanus and M. Longicaudus, and Hantavirus in the Jackson Hole Small Mammal Community

Abstract

The purposes of the long-term research on metapopulations of voles begun in 1971 are to enumerate patterns in survivorship and reproduction across the sections of the metapopulations, and concomitant variation in morphology. The study sites for Microtus montanus were chosen to represent primary and secondary habitat, and proximate and isolated habitat patches. The purpose of the research begun in 1989 is to ascertain how selectively Microtus montanus and M. longicaudus feed, and to assess vegetation as a factor in demographic processes of the two species. The purpose of the research on hantavirus begun in 1994 is to ascertain the extent of hantavirus among as many species of small mammals as possible, to identify the strain(s), to understand the presence of hantavirus across species and among the metapopulations of voles, and to assess the potential for human contact.