Data from: Macroecological patterns of rodent population dynamics shaped by bioclimatic gradients

Long-term studies of cyclic rodent populations have contributed
fundamentally to the development of population ecology. Pioneering rodent
studies have shown macroecological patterns of population dynamics in
relation to latitude and have inspired similar studies in several other
taxa. Nevertheless, such studies have not been able to disentangle the
role of different environmental variables in shaping the macroecological
patterns. We collected rodent time-series from 26 locations spanning 10
latitudinal degrees in the tundra biome of Fennoscandia and assessed how
population dynamics characteristics of the most prevalent species varied
with latitude and environmental variables. While we found no relationship
between latitude and population cycle peak interval, other characteristics
of population dynamics showed latitudinal patterns. The environmental
predictor variables provided insight into causes of these patterns, as i)
increased proportion of optimal habitat in the landscape led to higher
density amplitudes in all species and ii) mid-winter climate variability
lowered the amplitude in Norwegian lemmings and grey-sided voles. These
results indicate that biome-scale climate and landscape change can be
expected to have profound impacts on rodent population cycles and that the
macro-ecology of such functionally important tundra ecosystem
characteristics is likely to be subjected to transient dynamics.