Holarctic Marmots as a factor of Biodiversity.
Rumiantsev V.Yu;, Nikol'skii A.A. & Brandler O.V. eds.,
Abstracts, 3d Conference on Marmots (Cheboksary, Russia, 25-30 August 1997),
Moscow ABF 1997, 216p., 57-58 (Russian), 161-162 (English).


DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN (MARMOTA BOBAC BOBAC MULL., 1776) AND KAZAKHSTAN (M. B. SCHAGANENSIS BACHANOV, 1930) SUBSPECIES OF BOBAC IN GULLY AND STEPPE SETTLEMENTS


V.V. Kolesnikov

Prof. Zhitkov' VNIIOZ, Kirov, Russia


In the European part of the area steppe marmots are distributed as a rule in settlements of a gully (belt) type; in the Asian part they are spread more evenly and form settlements of a steppe (diffuse) type. Due to a landscape heterogeneity the portion of the settlement types mentioned in those regions is different.

The sizes of family sites were determined by the method of mapping. Maps represent the location of marmot home holes, approximate borders of family sites and the results of marmot vital activity (trails, signal holes, food holes, relief patterns) at a 1:5000, 1:10000 or 1:15000 scale. The borders of family sites were determined and then redetermined more precisely by visual observations of animal movements using a 12X field binoculars. The area of family sites was measured in the field or by means of maps. The colonies occupying virgin territories were not taken for comparison. Outlying family sites were not taken into account.

The data on a settlement density and a family size were obtained by generally used methods (Mashkin, Chelentsev, 1989) during the census of 1989-1993 in Tselinograd, Kharkov, Lugansk and Voronezh regions taken by the author together with V.I. Mashkin and B.Ye. Zarubin.

The materials obtained show that the average area indices of family sites in the settlements of the same type but in various geographical populations are very similar (Table) in spite of the fact that European bobac is larger (Kolesnikov et al., 1996) and its families are more numerous (Table). Perhaps, the size of a family site depends not only on food needs, but also on physical abilities of marmots to protect their family territories.

The data on a settlement density show that Kazakhstan bobacs live in colonies located more densely. It is apparently the result of the fact that many west populations are sparse and may widen the areas of their habitats while in the east in the overwhelming majority of cases the lack of the sites suitable for making holes is observed and family densities here are close to optimum corresponding to a carrying food capacity.


Table.
Indices of Bobac Distribution in Steppe and Gully Settlements
(above the line - an average value, under the line - the limits)

Geographical populationNumber of sitesSize of family site, haNumber of settlementsSettlement density, falily/km2Number of familiesFamily size, individuals
Gully type of settlements
Veliki Burluk*270.97±0.07
0.60-2.10		5619.0±1.2
2.2-44.4		914.910±0.28
2-15
Don*250.83±0.11
0.50-2.55		7124.3±1.6
4.1-66.6		1175.70±0.26
2-16
Tengiz-Ishim181.16±0.19
0.33-3.20		1534.2±2.3
16.6-47.2		293.05±0.46
2-12
Seleta140.95±0.24
0.40-3.33		637.9±2.6
25.9-40.7		243.53±0.64
1-13
Yermentau311.04±0.06
0.80-2.10		735.2±3.8
22.3-47.5		313.83±0.62
1-15
Steppe type of settlements
Veliki Burluk*191.98±0.13
0.80-2.90		413.0±2.3
7.7-16.0		155.10±0.85
3-14
Don*212.25±0.16
0.56-3.30		914.2±2.6
9.0-31.0		235.04±0.72
2-15
Tengiz-Ishim212.30±0.15
1.20-3.80		3519.8±1.7
3.0-45.3		542.80±0.33
1-12
Seleta242.00±0.16
1.20-4.20		5323.6±1.2
4.3-43.4		863.80±0.29
1-14
Yermentau481.79±0.11
0.80-4.25		6421.0±1.1
8.3-48.5		913.62±0.32
1-16
Kurgaldzhino312.15±0.16
1.10-4.75		4113.3±1.0
6.0-34.6		422.39±0.39
1-12
*European subspecies of bobac, the rest - kazakhstan ones
*- European subspecies of bobac, the rest - Kazakhstan ones

The family size differs little in various settlement types but is significantly deferent in various subspecies. First of all this is the result of high fecundity and survival of European bobac fingerlings (Mashkin, 1996).


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