Distribution of Four Vole Species through the Barn Owl Tyto alba Diet Spectrum: Pattern Responses to Environmental Gradients in Intensive Agroecosystems of Central Greece.

ABSTRACT: Voles are the most common vertebrate pests in European agriculture. Identifying their distribution and abundance patterns provides valuable information for future management. Barn Owl diet analysis is one of the optimum methods used to record small mammal distribution patterns on large spatial scales. From 2003 to 2005, a total of 10,065 Barn Owl pellets were collected and analyzed from 31 breeding sites in the largest agroecosystem in Greece, the Thessaly plains. A total of 29,061 prey items were identified, offering deep insight into small mammal distribution, specifically voles. Four discrete vole species (Harting's vole Microtus hartingi, East European vole Microtus levis, Thomas's pine vole Microtus thomasi, and Grey dwarf hamster Cricetulus migratorius) co

SUBMITTER: Bontzorlos V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9865515 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature