Smulkiųjų žinduolių bendrijos pokyčiai Zarasų rajone /

• Main Author: Gudaitė, Aušra
• Other Authors: Balčiauskas, Linas
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: Institutional Repository of Vilnius University 2009
• Subjects: Common vole; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: https://repository.vu.lt/VU:ELABAETD2014872&prefLang=en_US

There are lots of investigations of small mammal communities not only in Lithuania, but in other countries as well. But that is to say, majority of these researches are made in vegetative season of the year and winter data on small mammal communities are lacking. The aim of this investigation was to investigate seasonal changes in small mammal community in non – vegetative season in Zarasai district. Objectives of the research were to analyze published data of similar research from Lithuania and other countries as well, snap-trap and examine small mammals from study area in non-vegetative season, evaluate the abundance of small mammal populations, frequency of detection, the composition of age and sex, to estimate changes in small mammal community structure using Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) and Simpson’s dominance index (c), to analyse the influence of snow cover depth and air temperature on small mammals abundance and to investigate, whether mandibular and maxillary measurements in shrews, mise and voles differ between winter and non-winter periods. In current investigation small mammals were snap-trapped all winter season (from October to the end of April) of 2004–2005 and 2005 – 2006 in the East Lithuania, Zarasai district, near lake Ilgelis, in the former farmstead territories. Total number of the trap-days in 13 (2004/05) and 19 (2005/06) trapping sessions was 3295 and 427 individuals of nine small mammal species were trapped: common shrew (Sorex araneus), pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus), house mouse (Mus musculus), yellow – necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), pygmy field mouse (A. uralensis), striped field mouse (A. agrarius), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), common vole (Microtus arvalis) and root vole (M. oeconomus). Results showed, that the dominant species was bank vole, comprising 54,5% of 2004/05 and 49,4% of 2005/06 of the total catch. Decrease of abundance in most species was observed in March and especially April, except the common vole, which became dominant in spring in both years of ...