Small mammals in the mosaic landscape of eastern Lithuania: species composition, distribution and abundance

• Main Author: Mažeikytė, Janina Reda
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Clethrionomys; Microtus; Apodemus; Species diversity; Distribution; Habitat types; Mosaic landscape; Lithuania; Sorex; Abundance; Mammals; small; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://lmavb.lvb.lt/LMAVB:ELABAPDB5154492&prefLang=en_US

In August of 1994-1996, small mammals were investigated in the landscape of hilly morainic uplands (55°09'N 25°20'E) in eastern Lithuania. It has been established that the local community of small mammals is polydominant (c = 0.211, H = 2.558), with prevalence of Clethrionomys glareolus and Microtus arvalis. This community is characteristic of a quite stable trophic chain, consisting of the species from the Sorex, Clethrionomys, Microtus and Apodemus genera. The greatest abundance and diversity of species was registered in lowland meadows, whereas the lowest abundance was found in raised bogs and cultivated pastures. The commonest species were Sorex araneus, C. glareolus and M. arvalis, whereas the rarest ones were Sicista betulina, M. rossiaemeridionalis, Neomys fodiens and Micromys minutus. In addition, we managed to find out indices characterising the communities of these species and the annual and local dynamics of the abundance of their populations. Our studies revealed that fragmentation of a landscape (especially fragmentation of environment and high abundance of small bushy bogs, which are ecologically close to ecotones, small bushy streams and ditches in the landscape of hilly morainic upland) has positive effect on the distribution of small mammal species and the preservation of their diversity in this landscape. However, on the other hand, populations of separate species in them are not numerous.