Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)
Zoology
Role of ecotone zone in survival of the species Mus spicilegus Petenyi 1882 (Mundae, Rodentia) Fig. 1: Distribution of mounds on wheat stubble in autumn period Mound location is conditioned by two main factors: the terms of seeds’ ripening and food abundance. The first mounds appear on wheat, barley and other gramineae fields during the harvest. Their construction begins in mid-July and is related to the agro-technical measures carried out on these fields (harvest, plowing etc.). On perennial plants’ lands the first mounds appear in late August. The latest mound building was reported on land with maize and sunflower crops. Mass construction in cereal fields begin in the first half of August, on lands with perennial plants — in the second half of September and in maize and sunflower crops — in October-November. Several individuals (4—14) participate at the construction of mounds with food reserves that are used by the inhabitants in late autumn, in winter and early spring. In autumn period from 114 studied mounds the most numerous were registered on fallow ground (20.18%), in unharvested maize and in sunflower (14.91%), at ecotone fallow ground - wheat (14.04%) and fallow ground - maize (12.27%), and the lowest number (7.02%) of mounds - in alfalfa and wheat stubble (Fig. 2). ■ Wheat ■ Corn ■ Sunflower ■ Unharvested corn ■ Alfalfa ■ Fallow Ecotone fallow-com a Ecotone fallow-wheat Fig. 2: Distribution of mounds in various types of biotopes in autumn 101
