| Authors |
Alexandr A. Dudnikov, Postgraduate student, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya Street, Penza, Russia), E-mail: dudnikov1511@yandex.ru
Andrei S. Kurochkin, Technical assistant of the sub-department of ecology, botany and nature security, Samara National Research University named after S.P. Korolev (34 Moskovskoye highway, Samara, Russia), E-mail: nitidula@mail.ru
Mariya E. Fokina, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, associate professor of the sub-department of ecology, botany and nature security, Samara National Research University named after S.P. Korolev (34 Moskovskoye highway, Samara, Russia), E-mail: mariyafok@mail.ru
Irina V. Sharonova, Candidate of biological sciences, technical assistant of the sub-department of ecology, botany and nature security, Samara National Research University named after S.P. Korolev (34 Moskovskoye highway, Samara, Russia), E-mail: sima50@yandex.ru
|
| Abstract |
Background. The steppe marmot (Marmota bobak Müll.) is an important component of natural steppe communities. The steppe marmot (Marmota bobak Müll.) is an edificator species of natural steppe communities. The burrowing activity of steppe marmot leads to the enrichment, mixing, moistening and aeration of the soil layers, and the making of favorable conditions for other inhabitants of the steppe, both invertebrates and vertebrates. In addition, this species, being herbivorous, is an object of hunting for such predators as red fox, corsac and diurnal birds of prey. Despite the fact that the south of the Samara Region is located in the zone of typical steppes, there are very few areas with well-preserved steppe vegetation, which historically are the habitats of the steppe marmot. In this concern, the study of the flora of the forb-fescue-feather grass steppe of Pestravsky District of the Samara Region and monitoring of the steppe marmot colonies in these territories was carried out. Materials and methods. In June 2018 and 2019, research was conducted in the territory of the Pestravsky District of Samara Region in order to uncover undisturbed steppe sites with the existing colonies of the steppe marmot. The floristic composition of the territory was recorded. The census and location of burrows in the two recorded colonies of the steppe marmot were made using mapping, photo and navigational devices during survey routes. Results. The studied areas of the forb-fescue-feather grass steppe in Pestravsky District of Samara Region are inhabited by the steppe marmot. The basis of the plant cover is formed by the grasses Stipa lessingiana, Festuca valesiaca and Agropyron cristatum; Koeleria cristata and Psathyrostachys juncea are found sporadically. Steppe forbs are dominated by Artemisia austriaca, A. santonica and Galatella villosa. Both colonies of the steppe marmot have a positive reproductive potential, resource endowment and are subject to minimal anthropogenic impact. All family plots are residential, with numerous traces of life activity, fresh faeces and distinct paths between burrows. The estimated number of marmots in the colony 1 is 62, in the colony 2 ‒ 31 individuals. Conclusions. The surveyed areas are characterized by a high degree of preservation of steppe vegetation providing favorable conditions for the stable existence of the steppe marmot. Potentially, up to 49 families per 1 km2 can live in the territory; during field research in the colonies, 16 and 18 families per 1 km2 were recorded, respectively. The potential of these colonies makes it possible to increase the number of the steppe marmot, but the natural mechanisms for maintaining its number are replaced here by artificial measures for its regulation by the gamekeepers, including the shooting of natural enemies of the steppe marmot.
|
| References |
1. Bibikov D.I. Surki = Marmot. Moscow: Agropromizdat, 1989:255. (In Russ.)
2. Kolesnikov V.V. On the question of the relationship between baibak and livestock. Surki v antropogennykh landshaftakh Evrazii: tez. dokl. IX Mezhdunar. soveshchaniya po surkam stran SNG (g. Kemerovo, 31 avgusta – 3 sentyabrya 2006 g.) = Marmots in the anthropogenic landscapes of Eurasia: proceedings of the 9th International conferences on marmots of the CIS countries (Kemerovo, August 31 – September 3, 2006). Kemerovo: Grafika, 2006:31,32. (In Russ.)
3. Kolesnikov V.V., Brandler O.V., Badmaev B.B., Ad"yaa Ya. Assessment of the current state of marmot (Marmota, Sciuridae, Rodentia) resources in Mongolia. Byulleten' Moskovskogo obshchestva ispytateley prirody. Otdel biologicheskiy = Bulletin of the Moscow Society of Naturalists. Biological department. 2010;115(5):3‒12. (In Russ.)
4. Kolesnikov V.V. Resources and population management of the steppe (Marmota bobak), gray (M. baibacina) and Mongolian (M. sibirica) marmots. PhD abstract. Kirov: VNIIOKhZ, 2011:43. (In Russ.)
5. Komonova A.A., Fokina M.E. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the steppe marmot (Marmota bobak) settlement on the territory of the natural monument “Levashovskaya steppe” (Samara region, Shingorsky district). Problemy antropogennoy transformatsii prirodnoy sredy: materialy Mezhdunar. konf. pamyati N.F. Reymersa i F.R. Shtil'marka (g. Perm', 14–15 noyabrya 2019 g.) = Issues of anthropogenic transformation of the natural environment: proceedings of the International conference commemorating N.F. Reimers and F.R. Shtilmark (Perm, November 14–15, 2019). Perm, 2019:84–86. (In Russ.)
6. Lavrenko E.M. Steppes and agricultural lands in place of the steppes. Rastitel'nyy pokrov SSSR: Poyasnitel'nyy tekst k «Geobotanicheskoy karte SSSR»: v 2 t. = Vegetation cover of the USSR: explanatory text to the “Geobotanical map of the USSR”: in 2 volumes. Moscow; Leningrad: Izd-vo AN SSSR, 1956;2:595–730. (In Russ.)
7. Rikhter G.D., Mil'kova F.N. (eds.). Lesostep' i step' Russkoy ravniny = Forest-steppe and steppe of the Russian Plain. Moscow: Izd-vo AN SSSR, 1956:296. (In Russ.)
8. Mashkin V.I. Evropeyskiy baybak: ekologiya, sokhranenie i ispol'zovanie = European boba: ecology, conservation and use. Kirov: VNIIOKhZ, 1997:160. (In Russ.)
9. Mashkin V.I. Marmot habitat capacity. Surki Evrazii: ekologiya i prakticheskoe znachenie: materialy XI Mezhdunar. soveshchaniya po surkam spetsialistov stran byvshego Sovetskogo Soyuza (pos. Rodniki, Ramenskiy rayon, Moskovskaya oblast', Rossiya, 11‒15 marta 2015 g.) = Marmots of Eurasia: ecology and practical significance: proceedings of the 11th International conference on marmots of USSR specialists (Rodniki, Ramensky district, Moscow region, Russia, March 11–15, 2015). Moscow, 2015:85‒89. (In Russ.)
10. Naumov R.V. Current state of the steppe marmot (Marmota Bobak Müll.) in the Middle Volga region: metapopulation structure of the range, ecological, population and genetic features of the settlements. PhD abstract. Penza: Izd-vo PGU, 2019:22. (In Russ.)
11. Naumov R.V., Kuz'min A.A., Titov S.V. Cadastre of modern sites of finds of settlements of the steppe marmot (Marmota bobak Müller, 1776) in Samara region. XXI vek: itogi proshlogo i problemy nastoyashchego plyus = The 21st century: the results of the past and the problems of the present plus. 2014;(1):27–32. (In Russ.)
12. Ognev S.I. Zveri SSSR i prilezhashchikh stran (Zveri Vostochnoy Evropy i Severnoy Azii). Gryzuny (prodolzhenie) = Animals of the USSR and adjacent countries (Animals of Eastern Europe and North Asia). Rodents (continued). Moscow; Leningrad: Izd-vo AN SSSR, 1947;V:810. (In Russ.)
13. Titov S.V., Kuz'min A.A., Naumov R.V. [et al.]. Dinamika arealov i sovremennoe sostoyanie poseleniy nazemnykh belich'ikh v pravoberezhnykh rayonakh Povolzh'ya = Range dynamics and the current state of terrestrial squirrel settlements in the rightbank regions of the Volga region. Penza: Izd-vo PGU, 2015:124. (In Russ.)
14. Samarskaya oblast': atlas = Samara region: atlas. Ekaterinburg: Uralaerogeodeziya, 2009:148. (In Russ.)
15. Fokina M.E., Dudnikov A.A. Preliminary data on the settlements of the steppe marmot (Marmota bobak Müller, 1776) in Shingorsk district in Samara region. Vestnik Tambovskogo universiteta. Ser.: Estestvennye i tekhnicheskie nauki = Bulletin of Tambov University. Series: Natural and engineering sciences. 2017;22(5):1007–1010. (In Russ.). doi:10.20310/1810-0198-2017-22-5-1007-1010
16. Roskov Y., Ower G., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., van Nieukerken E.J., Penev L. (eds.). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. 2020. Available at: https://www.catalogueoflife.org (accessed 15.03.2021).
|
