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

Zoology

Alina LARION, Victoria NISTREANU, Veaceslav SÍTNIC, Vlad POSTOLACHI

Fig. 5: Mounds with germinated seeds on wheat field in spring

In order to establish the distribution and period of mound preservation in spring 65 mounds were investigated in different biotypes: corn stubble, alfalfa, fallow, at ecotone orchard — fallow, fallow-corn and strip between agrocenoses (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6: Distribution of mounds in various biotopes in spring

Most of the mounds were found on fallow (26.15%), at the ecotone fallow-corn (21.54%) and corn stubble (20%) and the least — at ecotone fallow-orchard (9, 2. 3%). On wheat stubble mounds were not found, because in autumn these fields have been plowed. On some land in the places of mounds built in autumn some rather large patches have been found with diameter of 1—2 m, where the wheat was taller and has a darker color. Around these patches holes were found, probably, the soil was plowed not to deep and after wheat sowing the mice were able to reconstruct the galleries and restore some of the food supply (Fig. 7).

The possibility of rebuilding the destroyed mounds is an adaptation of mound-building mouse to the conditions of agrocoenoses. If climatic conditions are favorable, the duration of mound rebuilding is low (3-4 days), but if it is cold and/or raining, then the duration of the rebuild is longer.

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