Changes in small mammal population connected with industrial development of northern regions by the example of Yakutia

• Main Authors: Volipert, Y.L., Vol’pert, Y.L., Вольперт, Я.Л., Shadrina, E.G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: permafrost; Yakutia
• Online Access: https://ibn.idsi.md/vizualizare_articol/77105

According to the classical views, any animal population is affected by a broad range of abiotic and biotic environmental factors. In the North it is, first of all, the severe pressure of abiotic factors that are in effect limiting factors. This fact is widely-known. Significantly less well-studied is the role of anthropogenic factors. At the same time, presently the state of mammal populations and communities is increasingly often determined by anthropogenic influence. On the territory of Yakutia, as well as the rest of Russiarsquo;s North, the main anthropogenic factor at the moment is the mining industry activity and development of the infrastructure associated with the latter. Open-pit mining is often accompanied by loss of significant areas previously occupied by natural landscapes as well as complete or partial transformation of vast territories. when deforestation takes place, in some cases it leads to aridization; in others, to disruption of permafrost, which in its turn leads to the soil thawing out and turning into swamp. In the zone of industrial development, mammals are affected by a number of factors that can be divided into two groups: direct and indirect influence. Direct influence is, first of all, official and unofficial commercial hunting, as well as death of animals by machinery. It is well enough known that the population density of species having some consumer value is to a rather high degree determined by direct hunting intensity. This fact is well illustrated by the data on surveys of commercial and game mammalian species in Mirninsky raion. with the main commercial fur species, the sable, the difference in abundance depending on the intensity of hunting varies from 2.5 to 5.3 times. with the main commercial meat species, the moose, the difference in abundance levels is 5-6 times. Such significant differences, in our opinion, demonstrate an important part of direct hunting in life of commercial and game species. It is known that on the territory of yakutia Mirninsky raion is characterized ...