The influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on rodents distribution in the mountains conditions of Sikhote-Alin (Russian Far East)

The purpose of our study was the analysis of the changes in the population of rodents due to natural and anthropogenic transformation of the environment in various landscape and vegetation zones of Sikhote-Alin (Russian Far East). The study is based on field investigations of the author and fund materials of Laboratory of Biogeography and Ecology, Pacific Institute of Geography, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, collected over the period from 1973 to 2010. The account of rodents was carried out by standard trap-lines. The analysis of changes in altitude and landscape distribution of 4 species of small mam-mals Sikhote-Alin due to natural and anthropogenic transformation of the environment has shown that the distribution of rodents on gradient heights in the main plant formations is individual and reflects spe-cific response of each species to the same envi-ronment factors. For Korean field mouse the trans-formation of vegetation turned unfavorable. Fires took place in fir-tree forests with birch stone grow-ing on watersheds provided active penetration of Korean field mouse here. For striped field mouse are optimal foothill oak and broadleaved forests, the destruction of which leads to the increase in the abundance of small mammals. Individual speci-mens were found in mountain ecosystems to 1200-1400 m above sea level. The transformation of vegetation cover reduces the amount of red-backed voles, especially above 1000 m above sea level, among the larch forests it is at different altitudes. For grey red-backed voles the main negative im-pact of anthropogenic factors was noted in foothill broadleaf and oak forests at altitudes up to 300 m above sea level.