Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Traversing of Water Barriers by Small Mammals in the Forest Zone: Quantitative Characteristics

  • Published:
Biology Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ability of small mammals to overcome water barriers in the forest zone was studied on the western macro slope of the Northern Urals in the upper reaches of Ilych River (which is 80 m wide). In August 2013–2020, counting was performed using traps set on rafts 15–25 m off the bank. In total 100 specimens of small mammals representing ten species were captured. An almost the entire set of small mammals of the region was thus found to reach the rafts, with the exception of a few rare species. Quantitative characteristics of the local populations were obtained and compared with their abundance levels on the open banks and under the forest canopy. The numbers of small mammals on rafts averaged 11.3 individuals per kilometer of the riverbank per day. The numbers of animals that crossed water barriers depended on the general abundance of nonresident animals in the populations. In different species, water avoidance varied, leading to changes in the species compositions on water and on the banks. The risks associated with traversing the water barriers are discussed. Even large rivers are shown to be traversable, and the ability of small mammals to overcome water barriers can support an effective exchange of individuals between the banks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Aars, J., Ims, R.A., Liu, H.P., Mulvey, M., and Smith, M.H., Bank voles in linear habitats show restricted gene flow as revealed by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Mol. Ecol., 1998, vol. 7, no. 10, pp. 1383–1389.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bohdal, T., Navratil, J., and Sedláček, F., Small terrestrial mammals living along streams acting as natural landscape barriers, Ekologia (Bratislava), 2016, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 191–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bowler, D.E. and Benton, T.G., Causes and consequences of animal dispersal strategies: relating individual behaviour to spatial dynamics, Biol. Rev., 2005, vol. 80, pp. 205–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Brehme, C.S., Tracey, J.A., McClenaghan, L.R., and Fisher, R.N., Permeability of roads to movement of scrubland lizards and small mammals, Conserv. Biol., 2013, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 710–720.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brunke, J., Radespiel, U., Russo, I., Bruford, M., and Goossens, B., Messing about on the river: the role of geographic barriers in shaping the genetic structure of Bornean small mammals in a fragmented landscape, Conserv. Genet., 2019, vol. 20, pp. 691–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Clobert, J., Galliard, L., Cote, J., Meylan, S., and Massot, M., Informed dispersal, heterogeneity in animal dispersal syndromes and the dynamics of spatially structured populations, Ecol. Lett., 2009, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 197–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ćosić, N., Říčanová, Š., Bryja, J., Penezić, A., and Ćirović, D., Do rivers and human-induced habitat fragmentation affect genetic diversity and population structure of the European ground squirrel at the edge of its Pannonian range?, Conserv. Genet., 2013, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 345–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cote, J., Bestion, E., Jacob, S., Travis, J., Legrand, D., and Baguette, M., Evolution of dispersal strategies and dispersal syndromes in fragmented landscapes, Ecography, 2017, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 56–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Fedyk, S., Pavlova, S.V., Chetnicki, W., and Searle, J.B., Chromosomal hybrid zones, in Shrews, Chromosomes and Speciation, Cambridge: Cambr. Univ. Press, 2019, pp. 271–311.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Formozov, A.N., Zveri, ptitsy i ikh vzaimosvyazi so sredoi obitaniya (Animals, Birds, and Their Relationship with the Environment), Moscow: Nauka, 1976.

  11. Gerlach, G. and Musolf, K., Fragmentation of landscape as a cause for genetic subdivision in bank voles, Conserv. Biol., 2000, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 1066–1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Giannoni, S.M., Borghi, C.E., and Martínez-Rica, J.P., Swimming ability of the Mediterranean pine vole Microtus (Terricola) duodecimcostatus, Acta Theriol., 1994, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 257–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gillis, E.A. and Nams, V.O., How red-backed voles find habitat patches, Can. J. Zool., 1998, vol. 76, no. 5, pp. 791–794.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Gliwicz, J., Patterns of dispersal in non-cyclic populations of small rodents, in Animal Dispersal, Springer Netherlands, 1992, pp. 147–159.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Greenwood, P.J., Mating systems, philopatry and dispersal in birds and mammals, Anim. Behav., 1980, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 1140–1162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hanski, I. and Peltonen, A., Island colonization and peninsulas, Oikos, 1988, vol. 51, pp. 105–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hanski, I. and Kuitunen, J., Shrews on small islands: epigenetic variation elucidates population stability, Ecography, 1986, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 193–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hanski, I., Population dynamics of shrews on small islands accord with the equilibrium model, Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 1986, vol. 28, nos. 1–2, pp. 23–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kalinin, A.A., Settled and non-resident component of the abundance of mass species of small mammals according to the data of registration on the lines of live traps, Zool. Zh., 2012, vol. 91, no. 6, pp. 759–768.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kalinin, A.A., The consequences of small mammal censuses by method of irreversible removal, Russ. J. Ecol., 2019, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 262–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kalinin, A.A. and Kupriyanova, I.F., A technique for quantitative estimation of small mammals traversing water obstacles, Biol. Bull. (Moscow), 2016, vol. 43, no. 7, pp. 743–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kalinin, A.A. and Kupriyańova, I.F., Small mammals in the diet of the European grayling (Thymallus thymallus, Thymallidae, Salmoniformes, Zool. Zh., 2016a, vol. 95, no. 6, pp. 712–719.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kozakiewicz, M., Gryczyńska-Siemiatkowska, A., Panagiotopoulou, H., Kozakiewicz, A., Rutkowski, R., Abramowicz, K., and Gortat, T., The spatial genetic structure of bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) populations: the effect of distance and habitat barriers, Anim. Biol., vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 169–187.

  24. Kozakiewicz, M., Migratory tendencies in population of bank voles and description of migrants, Acta Theriol., 1976, vol. 21, no. 24, pp. 321–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Lambin, X., Le Bouille, D., Oliver, M.K., Sutherland, C., Tedesco, E., and Douglas, A., High connectivity despite high fragmentation: iterated dispersal in a vertebrate metapopulation, in Dispersal Ecology and Evolution, Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2012, pp. 405–412.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lidicker, W.Z., Responses of mammals to habitat edges: an overview, Landscape Ecol., 1999, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 333–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Lomolino, M.V., Winter immigration abilities and insular community structure of mammals in temperate archipelagos, in The Biogeography of the Island Region of Western Lake Erie, 1988, pp. 185–196.

  28. Lomolino, M.V., Winter filtering, immigrant selection and species composition of insular mammals of Lake Huron, Ecography, 1993, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 24–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Matthysen, E., Density-dependent dispersal in birds and mammals, Ecography, 2005, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 403–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. McGregor, R.L., Bender, D.J., and Fahrig, L., Do small mammals avoid roads because of the traffic?, J. Appl. Ecol., 2008, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 117–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Moulin, N.L., Wyttenbach, A., Brüunner, H., Goudet, J., and Hausser, J., Study of gene flow through a hybrid zone in the common shrew (Sorex araneus) using microsatellites, Hereditas, 1996, vol. 125, nos. 2–3, pp. 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Narain, Y. and Fredga, K., A hybrid zone between the Hällefors and Uppsala chromosome races of Sorex araneus in Central Sweden, Hereditas, 1996, vol. 125, nos. 2–3, pp. 137–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Naumov, N.P., Studying the mobility and abundance of small mammals using trapping grooves, Vopr. Kraevoi, Obshch. Eksp. Parazitol. Med. Zool., 1955, vol. 9, pp. 179–202.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Peltonen, A. and Hanski, I., Patterns of island occupancy explained by colonization and extinction rates in shrews, Ecology, 1991, vol. 72, no. 5, pp. 1698–1708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Rico, A., Kindlmann, P., and Sedláček, F., Can the barrier effect of highways cause genetic subdivision in small mammals?, Acta Theriol., 2009, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 297–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Savidge, I.R., A stream as a barrier to homing in Peromyscus leucopus, J. Mammal., 1973, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 982–984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Sergeev, V.E., Peculiarities of orientation of shrews on water, Ekologiya, 1973, no. 6, pp. 87–90.

  38. Sergeev, V.E., Impact of spring–summer floods on shrews in the Ob River floodplain, in Suktsessii zhivotnogo naseleniya v biotsenozakh poimy reki Obi (Successions of the Animal Population in the Biocenoses of the Ob River Floodplain), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1981, pp. 125–146.

  39. Shchipanov, N.A., On the ecology of the lesser shrew (Crocidura suaveolens), Zool. Zh., 1986, vol. 66, no. 7, pp. 1051–1060.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Shchipanov, N.A., Quantitative assessment of the value of the non-resident component in local populations of common shrews (Sorex araneus L.), Zool. Zh., 2021, vol. 100, no. 8, pp. 938–946.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Shchipanov, N.A. and Kuptsov, A.V., Non-residency in small mammals and its role in the functioning of the population, Usp. Sovrem. Biol., 2004, no. 1, pp. 28–43.

  42. Shchipanov, N.A., Kuptsov, A.V., Kalinin, A.A., and Oleinichenko, V.Yu., Cones and live traps catch different shrews (Insectivora, Soricidae), Zool. Zh., 2003, vol. 82, no. 10, pp. 1258–1265.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Shchipanov, N.A, Litvinov, Yu.N., and Sheftel, B.I., A rapid method for assessing the local biological diversity of the community of small mammals, Sib. Ekol. Zh., 2008, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 783–791.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Shchipanov, N.A., Kalinin, A.A., Bobretsov, A.V., and Pavlova, S.V., Hybrid zone between the Sok and Serov chromosomal races of the common shrew Sorex araneus (Lipotyphla, Mammalia) in European Russia, Russ. J. Genet., 2019, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 451–463.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Sheftel, B.I., Methods for counting small mammals, Russ. J. Ecosyst. Ecol., 2018, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Skarén, U., The water as a barrier in spreading of shrews, Savon Luonto, 1980, vol. 12, pp. 44–47.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Stenseth, N.C. and Lidicker, W.Z., Jr., The study of dispersal: a conceptual guide, in Animal Dispersal: Small Mammals as a Model, Stenseth, N.C. and Lidicker, W.Z., Eds., London: Chapman and Hall, 1992, pp. 5–20.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  48. Tegelstrom, H. and Hansson, L., Evidence of long distance dispersal in the common shrew (Sorex araneus), Z. Säugetierkunde, 1987, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 52–54.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Teplova, E.N. and Teplov, V.P., Pike feeding in the upper Pechora basin, Vopr. Ikhtiol., 1953, no. 1, pp. 94–103.

  50. Tolkachev, O.V., A study on the migrations of murine rodents in urban environments, Russ. J. Ecol., 2016, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 399–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Whitmee, S. and Orme, C.D.L., Predicting dispersal distance in mammals: a trait-based approach, J. Anim. Ecol., 2013, vol. 82, no. 1, pp. 211–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Wierzbicki, H., Moska, M., Strzała, T., and Macierzyńska, A., Do aquatic barriers reduce male-mediated gene flow in a hybrid zone of the common shrew (Sorex araneus)?, Hereditas, 2011, vol. 148, nos. 4–5, pp. 114–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Zollner, P.A. and Lima, S.L., Landscape-level perceptual abilities in white-footed mice: perceptual range and the detection of forested habitat, Oikos, 1997, vol. 80, no. 1, pp. 51–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Zollner, P.A. and Lima, S.L., Illumination and the perception of remote habitat patches by white-footed mice, Anim. Behav., 1999, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 489–500.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study was conducted under government contract no. АААА-А18-118042490060-1, with financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 19-04-00985.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    A. A. Kalinin

Authors
  1. A. A. Kalinin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. A. Kalinin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

Additional information

Translated by N. Smolina

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kalinin, A.A. The Traversing of Water Barriers by Small Mammals in the Forest Zone: Quantitative Characteristics. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 49, 1543–1551 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022090138

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022090138

Keywords:

Search

Navigation