Theriologia Ukrainica (Dec 2023)
Rodents of the family Muridae of Ternopil Region (Ukraine): species composition, distribution, and ecology
Abstract
The article is devoted to the ecological and faunal analysis of the family Muridae of Ternopil Region, namely, the study of species composition, relative abundance, landscape distribution, and habitat preferences of the representatives of this group. The species composition of the mammal fauna of all six landscape areas was analysed and the habitat preferences of rodents were determined. The materials were collected during 2017–2020, and 7350 trap-days were processed and 206 specimens of rodents were trapped, representing 7 species. The richest in terms of genus and species composition is the tribe Apodemurini, represented by the genera Apodemus (1 species), Micromys (1), and Sylvaemus (3). The tribe Murini is less rich and is represented by two species of two genera, Mus (1) and Rattus (1). The most abundant and widespread species of the first tribe is the yellow-necked wood mouse (Sylvaemus tauricus), the others are common species (Apodemus agrarius, S. uralensis, S. sylvaticus, and Micromys minutus). The second group includes two alien species that have the status of abundant, particularly in synanthropic habitats: the house mouse (Mus musculus) and the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). The geographical ranges of the identified species are characterised. The described species are common in their natural zones and habitat types. The obtained results support the conclusion of I. V. Zagorodniuk (2008) on the gradation of habitat distribution of representatives of the genus Sylvaemus (S. tauricus, S. uralensis, and S. sylvaticus) by different types of forest biocoenoses. The alien species Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus, preferring urban areas, form exantropic colonies in summer. Ruderal habitats are attractive for Apodemus agrarius and Micromys minutus. The natural habitats of mouse-like rodents in the region are quite heterogeneous, although they are represented by one ecological group, which the authors designate as ‘terrestrial-burrowing’ animals. Distribution maps of each species of the family Muridae in western Podillia are presented. The distribution cadastres were compiled on the basis of spring and summer surveys of typical habitats of mouse-like rodents in six landscape areas of western Podillia. Only the locations of exantropic settlements in the region were included in the Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus cadastres.
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