Food availability in spring influences reproductive output in the seed-preying edible dormouse (Glis glis).

Edible dormice (Glis glis (L., 1766)) display strong annual variation in their reproductive output that is closely related to resource availability, commonly measured through the quantity of seeds produced by their most important food provider, the European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Dormouse mating takes place several weeks before beech seeds ripen, and to the present day it remains unclear how dormice achieve optimized reproductive output in reflection of the quantity of food available in the future. The first aim of this field study carried out over 13 years was thus to investigate the relationship between beech masting and reproductive performance in edible dormice in Germany. If food availability in spring influenced litter size, this would partially explain observed natural variability in offspring numbers. We thus chose an experimental approach and provided supplemental food to edible dormice in the field. Our results showed that numbers and proportions of reproductively active females, as well as...