Biological control by inducing wild owls in apple orcherd and food preferences of voles

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12253
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64040:Social-ecological systems-related
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: AZUMA Nobuyuki 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 教授 (40262977)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐藤 淳 福山大学, 生命工学部, 教授 (80399162) ; 笠原 里恵 信州大学, 学術研究院理学系, 助教 (80791821)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: フクロウ / ハタネズミ / 捕食―被食 / 積雪 / 果樹

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pest control in agriculture needs to shift to integrated pest management that economically suppresses damage while reducing the environmental burden. Focusing on voles, which cause tremendous damage, this study examines the effectiveness of predator in controlling their populations and clarifies the mechanism of increase　 of voles, especially during the winter season.
As a result, we found that (1) unlike the characteristics previously reported for non-snowy areas, winter snow cover reduces predation pressure as a result, leading to an increase in population in winter, and (2) the broadleaf docks Rumex obtusifolius, are important as a food resource under snow. These results suggest that the ongoing warming will reveal different ecosystem responses and develop a new phase of pest management.

Free Research Field

自然共生システム

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、野生生物の捕食―被食関係にもとづく個体群の動態の解明に貢献している。それに加え、果樹を中心とした農業地域の深刻な害獣となっているハタネズミの生態的特性を解明するとともに、農業被害の低減を総合的害獣管理（IPM：Integrated Pest Management）)として推進することに関し有益な情報を提供している。また積雪地におけるハタネズミの特徴的な冬期の増加に関して新しい知見を見出し、今後の気候変動による生態系変化予測に貢献する成果を得た。