Association of small mammal’s spatial distribution and vegetation cover structure (on the example of Pustyn closed wood, Nizhny Novgorod Region)

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Abstract

The following paper deals with the problem of spatial distribution of mouse-like rodents in connection with a vegetable cover character. Small mammals are studied as components of the whole system - biocenosis. The investigation was carried out during the summer of 2016 in the landscape protected area Pustyn located in the province of Nizhny Novgorod, Volga Upland. 6 sample plots were set up in different forest types. Micromammalia were trapped using a traditional method, over standard sample plots (20 × 20 m) in a random order. 226 animals were caught, they turned out to belong to 2 genera and 3 species: Cletrionomys glareolus Schreber, Apodemus flavicollis Melchior, Apodemus uralensis Pallas. Statistical analysis was fulfilled using Statistica 6.0 software suite. We used a nonparametric Spearman method for calculation of correlations. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for detection of groups of similar objects, to reduce the number of dimensions and for visualization of the results. Positive and negative correlation dependences between the number of micromammalia and abundance of separate species of plants are revealed. The PCA analysis has shown that there is a significant factor for spatial distribution of small mammals, which is positively connected with nitrogen-loving plants. Rodents generally prefer places where projective cover degree of vegetation makes about 60%. This value is possibly optimum for movement and holes digging; the shortage of food is possible when the covering indicators are smaller and the density of animal’s population is big. The bank vole shows ecological plasticity in the choice of habitats more than mice. Based on results of our research, it is possible to conclude that heterogeneity of a vegetation cover has an influence on spatial structure of micromammalia communities.

About the authors

Elena Evgenievna Boryakova

National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod

Author for correspondence.
Email: boryakova@mail.ru

candidate of biological sciences, associate professor of Botany and Zoology Department

Russian Federation, Nizhni Novgorod

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Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
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2. Figure 1 - The ratio of the number of small mammals by species in the sample plots 1-6

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3. Figure 2 - Scatter diagram for Apodemus flavicollis relative to the vegetation cover on sample plots 1–6

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4. Figure 3 - Scatter diagram for Apodemus uralensis relative to the vegetation cover on sample plots 1–6

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5. Figure 4 - Scatter diagram for Clethrionomys glareolus relative to the vegetation cover on sample plots 1–6

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6. Figure 5 - Scatter diagram for small mammals under the conditions of different plant associations (Dubrava of the Botanical Garden of the UNN)

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Copyright (c) 2019 Boryakova E.E.

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