Meadow vole

Reproduction

In years of average population sizes, typical eastern meadow vole population density is about 15 to 45 eastern meadow voles per acre in old-field habitat. In peak years, their population densities may reach 150 per acre in marsh habitat (more favorable for eastern meadow voles than old fields). Peak eastern meadow vole abundance can exceed 1,482 eastern meadow voles per hectare (600/acre) in northern prairie wetlands. Eastern meadow voles in optimal habitats in Virginia (old fields with dense vegetation) reached densities of 983/ha (398/ac); populations declined to 67/ha (27/ac) at the lowest point in the cycle. Different factors influencing population density have been assigned primary importance by different authors. Reich listed the following factors as having been suggested by different authors: food quality, predation, climatic events, density-related physiological stress, and the presence of genetically determined behavioral variants among dispersing individuals.