Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)

Zoology

Role of ecotone zone in survival of the species Mus spicilegus Petenyi 1882 (Muridae, Rodentia)

Fig. 7: Distribution of mounds on wheat field in spring

Table 3: Dimensions of mounds depending on biotope and number of individuals in spring

Biotope Large diameter, m Small diameter, m Height, m Ni.ind./mound

_______________min, max. mean min, max. mean min. max. mean mean

Corn stubble 0,8 2,4 1,42±0,12 0,8 2,0 1,27±0,08 0,20 0,4 0,29+0,02 8,0±0,82

Alfalfa__________0,8 2,0 1,34±0,13 0,8 1,5 1,19±0,08 0,15 0,3 0,2±0,02 6,4±0,8

Fallow__________0,5 1,5 1,06±0,07 0,5 1,5 1,0±0,06 0,15 0,25 0,19±0,01 5,0±0,45

Ecotonefal- 0,8 2,0 1,25±0,08 0,8 1,5 1,14±0,05 0,1 0,4 0,2±0,02 6,3±0,55

low-corn

Ecotonefal- 0,6 1,5 1,15+0,14 0,6 1,5 1,05+0,14 0,2 0,4 0,3+0,03 6,3+0,49

low-orchard

Strip 1,3 1,8 1,5+0,06 1,0 1,4 1,2+0,05 0,3 0,5 0,36+0,03 ~ 8,3+1,36

In spring the number of individuals that inhabit the mound may not correspond to its size because the survival rate of mound-building mouse in the cold season is 35—67% and varies from year to year depending on climatic conditions. Even spring mound dimensions are smaller. From the moment of mound construction finishing until spring the mounds suffer some changes: in size, especially height, they become smaller under the action of autumn rains, of snow; the seeds from the food supply are less, some rot, others germinate. After analyzing mound sizes various biotopes in spring we found that the largest mounds were at the ecotone between agrocoenoses, on corn stubble, on fallow ground and at the ecotone fallow- corn stubble, while the smallest mounds were on alfalfa field (Tab. 3). By comparing the mound size with the number of individuals it was observed that the highest number of individuals was on maize stubble and at ecotone area of agrocoenoses (strip between agrocenoses).

Thus, at present the mound-building mouse is one of the dominant species in agricultural ecosystems of R. Moldova. Abandoned land, fallow ground and ecotone area between fallows and agrocoenoses plays an important role in the survival of the species. In these biotopes the highest number of mounds was found, they were the largest and the period of preservation was the longest since the agricultural activities are missing.

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