Separating effects of competition, interference and predation in an experimental study system with small mammals

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Interspecific territoriality, aggressiveness, behavioural disturbance and even predation are mechanisms of interference between species, and occur in a wide range of animal communities. Meanwhile, interference received relatively little empirical attention compared to the substantial body of research on indirect resource competition. I will investigate interference, competition and predation in species pairs composed by two vole or by a vole and a shrew species. While two vole species exploit and compete for the same food resources, a shrew and a vole species use different resources, but interfere aggressively in their common underground tunnel system. Additionally, shrews can prey on nestling voles and juveniles. Effects of interference with shrews on life history, on digging, on interactive, and spatial behaviour, and on stress hormone levels of voles will be studied in the laboratory and in outdoor enclosure experiments and will be compared to effects of exploitation competition among voles.