Intensive forest cutting influence on small mammals’ population in Eastern Fennoscandia

As a result of intensive forest exploitation, significant changes in the structure and numerical strength of small mammals inhabiting the territory of Eastern Fennoscandia were registered. The data were obtained in the course of the extended research conducted in 1958-2015. The effect of forest cuttings on the structure, numerical strength, and territorial distribution of the small mammals’ population was studied. Ecological characteristics of 11 small mammal species of the region were analyzed. It was established that the general effect of concentrated forest cuttings led to the decrease in mammal population, transfer to the negative trends in population dynamics and species’ settlements, deprecation in reproductive activity.