EDP Foz-Tua: Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae) - Ecological Monitoring Program Baseline Studies [2011-2017]

Study Extent

The data were collected within a 2-km buffer around the Tua lower valley (Northeast Portugal), up to 45 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Carrazeda de Ansiães, Vila Flor, Murça and Mirandela.

Sampling

Sampling was designed to cover all the potential habitats of the Cabrera vole (fallows, bushes, riverine habitats with low vegetation) in a buffer of 2 km around the lower Tua valley affected by the Foz Tua dam. All areas surveyed during the previous phases of the project (Environmental Impact Assessement and Baseline Studies) were included, and new potential places were added, using aerial photos and other cartographic means, followed by a visit to the area. The search for new potential areas was kept along the duration of the study period. This evaluation furnished a total of 55 areas of known, or presumed, colonies of Microtus cabrera (and other Microtidae). Within these areas, a total of 216 sampling plots was surveyed for signs of the presence of Microtidae (number of tracks, faeces, latrines and heaps of grass clippings) in spring/summer (April-May) and autumn (October-December) of 2012-2017. In each known or potential area surveyed, a detailed description of all the relevant biotopes was performed. This description included (a) the type of biotope, (b) the height of vegetation, (c) the characteristics of the landscape surrounding the demarked areas, namely in relation to the land-use and disturbance. Any changes in these parameters observed between sampling periods were recorded. In the first visit to a colony (or in the subsequent visits, if no faces were found) a feacal sample was collected and sent to laboratory to confirm the presence of the species through molecular analysis. This was performed using the PCR-chain reaction method with specific primers (MiKa1 and MiKa2) that amplify a control region (d loop) fragment of mitochondrial DNA to differentiate samples of Microtus cabrerae droppings from other species of the Arvicolidae family. The sequence detection was performed in the automatic sequencer ABIPRISM® 3730-XL DNA Analyzer from Applied BiosystemsTM, with the above mentioned primers

Quality Control

All identifications were performed by qualified technicians

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 1 class, 1 order, 1 family, 1 genus and 2 species.

1. Rodentia
   rank: order
2. Cricetidae
   rank: family

The data were collected within a 5-km buffer around the valley of the River Tua (Northeast Portugal), up to 45 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Carrazeda de Ansiães, Murça, Vila Flor and Mirandela.