0000000000280057
AUTHOR
Adrià Viñals
Diet of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus Linnaeus 1766) in orange groves: seasonal variation and use of available resources
Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the feeding habits of the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus in orange groves of eastern Spain. The study area was an extensive orange grove near Sagunto (Valencia, Spain). This study combines two different non-invasive methods, the study of food store remains and the macroscopic analysis of feces. A total of 527 feces and the food remains of 172 food stores were recollected from nest boxes. Each feces was classified into five categories according to its characteristics: arthropods, gastropods, oranges, plants, and others. Throughout the year, the garden dormouse consumed all these types of food. The most consumed prey in summer and autumn were …
Communal nesting in the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)
Communal nesting has been described in many rodents including some dormouse species. In this study, we report the existence of this reproductive strategy in the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus. Data was recorded by checking natural nests and nest-boxes from 2003 to 2013 in SE Spain. Pups and adults dormice found in nests were captured and marked. Overall, 198 nests were found: 161 (81.31%) were singular nests and 37 (18.69%) were communal nests. Communal nests were composed by different combinations of one up to three females together with one up to three different size litters. The number of communal nests varied from year to year in accordance with the number of singular nests and no se…