Relationship between food quality and body size of common vole in different habitats

BACKGROUND: There is a close relationship between habitat, food and demographic parameters of common vole populations. The current study investigates the relationship between the quality of food consumed by adult voles in different habitats and vole body size. Populations of common voles were monitored within a small region under the same weather conditions in both forest and agricultural habitats. The quality of the food consumed was determined using near-infrared spectroscopy. The indicator of food quality was the content of nitrogenous compounds. Other key variables were also considered: sex, reproduction, year and date of capture, and relative vole abundance in each plot. RESULTS: Food quality and body size were dependent on date and habitat. Voles from arable habitats, such as cereals, rape and alfalfa, were larger than those from less managed habitats (set-aside, clearings and forests). Differences in body size did not appear to be directly related to food quality; voles in cereals had lower food quality than voles in clearings, rape, alfalfa and set-aside. Individuals captured in 2008 were smaller than in other years, but the year of capture did not affect food quality. CONCLUSION: Diet quality is a limiting factor for body growth, but body size is influenced by factors other than food nitrogen content alone. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.