: They produce 2–13 young per litter after a roughly 23-day gestation period. A single female can produce multiple litters per year.
: They are strictly herbivorous, consuming up to several times their body weight in fresh plant material each day. Their diet shifts from fresh grasses and sedges in summer to frozen green plant material and moss shoots in winter. The Population "Cycle" brown lemmi~g
: They average about 150 mm (5.9 inches) in length and weigh between 45 and 130 grams. Males are typically 5–10% larger than females. : They produce 2–13 young per litter after
The ( Lemmus trimucronatus ), also known as the Canadian lemming, is a vital keystone species of the Arctic tundra. This small, stocky rodent is famous for its extreme population fluctuations—often called "cycles"—which act as a primary "engine" for the entire northern ecosystem. Physical Characteristics Their diet shifts from fresh grasses and sedges
Brown lemmings are among the most rapid breeders of any vertebrate:
: The crash is often driven by a combination of over-foraging (depleting their own food supply), intense predation, and weather conditions that affect snow quality. Reproduction