In the last few years, the neurochemical basis of monogamy in prairie voles made the news repeatedly. Although some prairie voles do practice monogamy, not all do. The type of group that predominates in a population depends on several factors, including the season and the activity of predators. After monitoring more than 850 free-living groups, Getz and Carter argue that the social organization of prairie voles evolved in response to living in a habitat that offered little food.
Prairie voles build systems of runways and nests in many North American grasslands.
Although a single population of prairie voles usually supports all three family forms, the predominant one depends primarily on the mortality of adult males of pairs and nestlings.