Mass Migration of Social Voles (Microtus socialis Pallas, 1773) in the Northwestern Caspian Region

A considerable increase in the social vole population distributed in the northwestern Caspian region (Republic of Kalmykia) in 2014–2016 has been recorded. The average long-term dominance index of the rodent cenosis in 2014–2016 was three times as high as in 2002–2010. The rise in the rodent populat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arid ecosystems 2018-04, Vol.8 (2), p.147-151
Main Authors: Bukreeva, O. M., Lidzhi-Garyaeva, G. V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Applied Problems of Arid Land Development
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Climate effects
Climatic conditions
Damping
Dynamics
Ecology
Fatalities
Females
Fodder
Land use
Life Sciences
Males
Mass
Microtus socialis
Migration
Migrations
Rodents
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Summary:A considerable increase in the social vole population distributed in the northwestern Caspian region (Republic of Kalmykia) in 2014–2016 has been recorded. The average long-term dominance index of the rodent cenosis in 2014–2016 was three times as high as in 2002–2010. The rise in the rodent population was caused by an increase in the reproduction rate due to adequate fodder supplies under favorable climatic conditions. In May 2016, social vole mass migration and deaths were registered; it is a rare phenomenon arising in rodents that may be caused by overdensity of their population. All of the males were first involved in the migration process because of increased intraspecific competition, higher aggression levels, and weaker attachment to the habitats as compared to the females. The mass migration and deaths of social voles in the northwestern Caspian region may reflect the unstable equilibrium dynamics caused by changes in the anthropogenic pressure and land-use system, which interacts with the damping effects in the climate.
ISSN:2079-0961
2079-0988
DOI:10.1134/S2079096118020038