Seasonal Changes in Burrowing of the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus L., 1758) (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the City

Abstract

The Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) has been intensively colonizing cities during the last decades. Changes in the burrow numbers and their distribution over an area might be important indicators of the population status for the Common hamster in an urban environment. In this study, we consider the character of the burrow distribution on the experimental plot (2.2 ha) situated in the park of Simferopol City, Russian Federation. The brushwood and tree vegetation on this plot had been previously mapped in detail. Hamster burrows were put on the map once a quarter during a year. The peak of burrowing activity is shown to be in November. Interestingly, the ground activity of hamsters continued even in the coldest month (January) of the year but the number of used burrows was very low. The squares where both trees and burrows were present (by average annual indicators) was met significantly more frequently than burrows in the tree-free squares (P = 0.02; χ 2 = 5.2) but this was not the case for the winter and spring seasons. We assume that the connection of burrows with arboreous vegetation facilitates digging, ensures better protection from predators and is a food source. All these factors ensure favorable conditions for the high abundance of the Common hamster in the urban environment.

Higher sediment redistribution rates related to burrowing animals than previously assumed as revealed by time-of-flight-based monitoring

“…None of the most common burrowing animal families were reported to be active from November until February. (Eccard and Herde, 2013;Jimenez et al, 1992;Katzman et al, 2018;Malizia, 1998;Monteverde and Piudo, 2011). This is also in line with our observations because burrowing intensity increased from March until May, reached its peak between May and June, and declined until September (Fig.…”

Mammalian bioturbation amplifies rates of both, hillslope sediment erosion and accumulation, in coastal Chile

“…Also, previous field based studies observed an increased bioturbation activity with higher (Milstead et al, 2007;Meserve, 1981;Tews et al, 2004;Wu et al, 2021;Ferro and Barquez, 2009), but also with lower vegetation cover (Simonetti, 1989;Zhang et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2019;Qin et al, 2021). Furthermore, soil mixing rates are not homogenous throughout the year but depend on the animal phenological cycles (Eccard and Herde, 2013;Jimenez et al, 1992;Katzman et al, 2018;Malizia, 1998;Morgan and Duzant, 2008;Monteverde and Piudo, 2011;Gray et al, 2020;Yu et al, 2017).…”

Influence of landscape transformation and anxiety factor on the distribution of burrows of the Common hamster (Cricetus cricetus L., 1758) (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the conditions of the park zone of the city of Simferopol

“…Древесно-кустарниковая растительность площадки включает элементы регулярно посаженных 50 -60 лет назад аллей и участки с бессистемно расположенными растениями (Katzman et al, 2018). За 6-летний период исследований территория парка претерпела значительные изменения в результате проводимой рекультивации и строительства дополнительных объектов садово-парковой инфраструктуры.…”

“…Это может свидетельствовать о том, что если обыкновенные хомяки поселяются поблизости друг от друга (то есть образуют кластер из норных элементов), то они обычно привязаны к отдельным деревьям. Факты взаимосвязи расположения агрегаций нор обыкновенного хомяка с расположением стволов деревьев в пространстве отмечались при исследовании существования вида в урбоценозах Западной Европы и в нашей предыдущей работе, в которой данная закономерность была установлена другими методами (Katzman et al, 2018). Предполагалось, корневые системы деревьев обеспечивают конструктивную устойчивость систем нор.…”

“…4. Большее количество новых нор регистрировалось в позднелетний и осенний период, что коррелирует с характерной для вида подготовкой нор к зимней спячки (Katzman et al, 2018).…”