Distribution and dynamic of Castor fiber (Castoridae, Mammalia) population in forest-steppe rivers: a case of the State Nature Reserve Privolzhskaya Lesostep', Penza region, European Russia

Abstract

The work presents the first results of annual monitoring of a beaver population on the territory of Ostrovtsovskaya Lesostep' (State Nature Reserve Privolzhskaya Lesostep', Penza region). In 2014-2017 all water-courses and water-bodies, including the River Khoper, River Selimutka, River Yuzhnaya and several oxbows of the Khoper were investigated twice a year for assessing the beaver abundance using the method of settlements capacity. The mean density of dams was 7.7 dams/km of watercourse, the maximum was on the River Yuzhnaya -10.8 dams/km, and the minimum was on the River Selimutka -5.5 dams/km. During the study period 10 to 13 beaver settlements were observed, the total abundance of beavers tends to decrease (from 42 to 30 animals). The present density of beavers and a lack of food resources limit a further increase of the species abundance.

Floristic Diversity of Watercourses and Temporary Reservoirs of the Ostrovtsovsky Cluster of the Volga Regional Forest-Steppe State Natural Biospheric Reserve Impacted by the European Beaver’s Expansion

“…In the middle reaches there are areas of the floodplain occupied by almost pure thickets Sparganium erectum and Scirpus sylvaticus, interspersed with areas of floodplain, overgrown with Urtica dioica and Filipendula ulmaria, covering large areas from the water's edge to the slope of the shore. The heterogeneity and diversity of phytocenosises formed by herbaceous vascular plants in the floodplain of the Selimutka river are associated with the long-term impact of the construction and feeding activities of the river beaver (Bashinskiy, Osipov, 2018), which affects the course of succession in plant communities.…”

Helminth fauna of Microtus cf. arvalis (Rodentia, Cricetidae) in Russia and adjacent countries

“…Over 40% of all mammalian species are rodents, and they live on all continents except Antarctica (Wilson and Reeder, 2005). They are widespread, often have a significant influence on ecosystems, and can be reservoirs of infection for humans and many different animal species, including domestic animals (Dubrovskii et al 2005;Amundala et al 2018;Bashinskiy and Osipov 2018;Vekhnik and Vekhnik 2018;Lawer et al 2019;Levykh and Panin 2019). Some species in this order are widely distributed across the continents.…”