@article{ZiegeHermannKriestenetal.2020,
  author    = {Ziege, Madlen and Hermann, Bernd Timo and Kriesten, Stefanie and Merker, Stefan and Ullmann, Wiebke and Streit, Bruno and Wenninger, Sandra and Plath, Martin},
  title     = {Ranging behavior of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in urban and suburban landscapes},
  series = {Mammal research / Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences},
  volume    = {65},
  journal   = {Mammal research / Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {Heidelberg},
  issn      = {2199-2401},
  doi       = {10.1007/s13364-020-00490-2},
  pages     = {607 -- 614},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Various mammals, particularly carnivores, reportedly establish smaller home ranges in urban compared with rural areas. This may be because urban environments provide optimal resources within a small area, negating the requirement to range further, or because habitat fragmentation constrains ranging behavior. Comparable information on urban populations of herbivorous mammalian species (such as European rabbits) is scarce. To fill this knowledge gap, we radio-tracked 13 individuals (seven females and six males) equipped with radio collars in a suburban and an urban study site in the city of Frankfurt am Main in Germany during the reproductive season (March to September) of 2012. The study sites differed in levels of habitat fragmentation. We report the smallest home ranges ever described for this species, with mean 95\% minimum convex polygons (MCPs) covering 0.50 ha, while no consistent differences between sites were uncovered. We occasionally tracked individuals crossing streets underground (in burrows), suggesting that streets may restrict the ranging behavior of rabbits-and possibly other burrowing species-to a much lesser extent than previously thought. We conclude that heterogeneous landscape structures, made up of a diverse mosaic of buildings, parks, and gardens, provide sufficient food and shelter in close proximity to burrows at both study sites. Therefore, our data support the hypothesis that optimal resources constrain ranges in this case rather than habitat fragmentation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZiegeTheodorouJuenglingetal.2020,
  author    = {Ziege, Madlen and Theodorou, Panagiotis and J{\"u}ngling, Hannah and Merker, Stefan and Plath, Martin and Streit, Bruno and Lerp, Hannes},
  title     = {Population genetics of the European rabbit along a rural-to-urban gradient},
  series = {Scientific Reports},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {Scientific Reports},
  publisher = {Nature Publ. Group},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {2045-2322},
  doi       = {10.1038/s41598-020-57962-3},
  pages     = {12},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is declining in large parts of Europe but populations in some German cities remained so far unaffected by this decline. The question arises of how urbanization affects patterns of population genetic variation and differentiation in German rabbit populations, as urban habitat fragmentation may result in altered meta-population dynamics. To address this question, we used microsatellite markers to genotype rabbit populations occurring along a rural-to-urban gradient in and around the city of Frankfurt, Germany. We found no effect of urbanization on allelic richness. However, the observed heterozygosity was significantly higher in urban than rural populations and also the inbreeding coefficients were lower, most likely reflecting the small population sizes and possibly on-going loss of genetic diversity in structurally impoverished rural areas. Global FST and G'ST-values suggest moderate but significant differentiation between populations. Multiple matrix regression with randomization ascribed this differentiation to isolation-by-environment rather than isolation-by-distance. Analyses of migration rates revealed asymmetrical gene flow, which was higher from rural into urban populations than vice versa and may again reflect intensified agricultural land-use practices in rural areas. We discuss that populations inhabiting urban areas will likely play an important role in the future distribution of European rabbits.},
  language  = {en}
}