Steppe rodents at the edge of their range: A case study of Spalax microphthalmus in the north of Ukraine

Based on results obtained during 2000–2018 by field research, polls of colleagues, and OSINT analysis, features of distribution of the greater mole rat Spalax microphthalmus in the eastern forest steppe of Ukraine were considered. The studied part of the species’ range is unique and represents the northern range edge of the entire Spalacidae family and of European steppe faunal assemblages in general. In total, data on 146 record localities were amassed, including 13 localities in the fragmented and 133 in the continuous part of the range. The offshoots of the Central Russian Upland in the valley of the Psel river (east of Sumy Oblast) are the sites with the highest density of settlements, while the species’ type biotopes are steppe balka slopes. The abundance of the greater mole rat decreased from the east to the west, and its colonies are the most fragmented along the Dnipro River. The species occurs in steppe and meadow habitats of an area of at least 20–50 ha. Analysis of the current and former distribution of the greater mole rat revealed that the species range contracts from the west; earlier it was a common species in different regions of the Middle Dnipro Area (including Kyiv city), but the current range edge runs along the line connecting Buryn – Nedryhailiv – Lokhvytsia – Myrhorod – Hadiach – Zinkiv – Zaliznychne. Isolated settlements exist in adjacent territories, particularly in Ichnia Raion of Chernihiv Oblast, and Lubny, Khorol, and Kobeliaky Raions of Poltava Oblast. The study showed that the species’ range contracted by two times to 35,000 km2 for the last 100 years, which includes only 430,000 ha of suitable habitats (15% of the range), allowing the existence here of 86,000–215,000 individuals. In fact, the species remained only in habitats that have been minimally affected by arable farming and other forms of active agricultural use. Besides, the species shows a clear confinement to habitats located near human settlements such as untilled lands, pastures with moderate grazing, waste and neglected lands, which constitute a separate group of transformed and semi-natural habitats. Formally, this allows the greater mole rat to be considered as a synanthropic species, because its inhabited biotopes, beside the zone of offshoots of the Central Russian Upland, have remained only near villages and along roads. The species also has an important biocoenotic role due to its burrowing activity and as prey of predatory birds (e.g., of the long-legged buzzard and Eurasian eagle owl) and mammals. The feeding period of the offspring of these predators generally coincides with the aboveground activity of mole rats, which lasts during May–July with a peak in June. Aboveground activity is mainly related to the resettlement of mole rats to new sites and dispersal of the young, due to which they became victims of predators

Late Pleistocene and Holocene pikas (Mammalia, Lagomorpha) from Europe and the validity of Ochotona spelaea: New insights based on mtDNA analysis

Pikas were among small mammals that inhabited mammoth steppes during the last glacial. The evolutionary history of ochotonids in Europe is relatively well studied, although the taxonomic status of many described forms remains ambiguous, and the majority of extant species of the genus Ochotona are poorly represented in the fossil record. The present study aims to analyse the taxonomic relationships of a sample of Late Pleistocene–Holocene pikas based on mtDNA data and to clarify the status of the species described from Europe. A phylogenetic analysis has revealed that pikas form two large clades: one includes O. pusilla and the other includes the extant Asian and North American species. The study of haplotypes has shown similar results. The anal ysis supports the view that in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene O. pusilla was distrib uted throughout Europe, and its geographic range has contracted to the east until reaching its modern limits. The analysis of samples provided evidence that O. pusilla had survived in Eastern Europe until relatively recently and disappeared only about 150 years ago. The molecular data inferred from mtDNA do not support the species status of O. spelaea, despite morphological differences possibly related to the particu lar ecology of the Late Pleistocen

Small mammals of Uzhanskyi National Park (Ukrainian Carpathians) and its vicinities: a preliminary analysis

A preliminary analysis of species composition, abundance and habitat preferences of small mammals in the territory of Uzhansky National Nature Park and its vicinities was conducted. Since the creation of the park in 1999, detailed studies on small mammals have not been conducted in the area. Thus, the present research is a first attempt to clarify the species composition and some ecological features of small mammals in the region. In September–October 2017, trappings of small mammals were conducted by traditional methods using Hero traps and live traps. Five key habitats were investigated: ‘mixed forest’, ‘forest edge’, ‘windfall’, ‘meadow’, and ‘shrubs’. The total number of trap days was 705 during which 101 specimens of 7 species were collected. One species — M. agrestis — was recorded first in Uzhansky National Park. The part of females in the general sample was higher than the part of males (58.4 % vs. 41.6 %, respectively). Among the studied habitats, the highest species richness was revealed in ‘meadow’, where all 7 species occurred. The most abundant but, at the same time, the poorest habitats were ‘mixed forest’ (34.4 specimens / 100 trap-days, 2 species) and ‘forest edge’ (20.0 specimens, 2 species). Among the 7 species revealed in the park and its vicinities, only one is considered abundant (S. tauricus). According to Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, the highest species diversity was revealed in ‘meadow’ (H = 0.746, D = 4.741), ‘windfall’ (H = 0.436, D = 2.579), and ‘shrubs’ (H = 0.430, D = 2.528), while ‘mixed forest’ and ‘forest edge’ showed the lowest diversity. By the level of habitat preference, the most eurytopic species were S. tauricus and M. glareolus. The yellow-necked field mouse preferred ‘mixed forest’ the most (Fij = 0.57) and clearly avoided ‘meadow’ and waterside ‘shrubs’. The shrews (Sorex) and voles (Microtus) under conditions of Uzhansky Park were stenotopic species occurring only in ‘meadow’ (Fij = 1.00). Habitats having the highest level of species diversity deserve special conservation attention. The current revised taxonomic list of orders Soriciformes and Muriformes includes 14 species. The presence of 2 species previously mentioned for the region have not been confirmed yet by actual records.Проведено первинний аналіз складу, чисельності та біотопної приуроченості дрібних ссавців Ужанського національного природного парку та прилеглих територій. Із часу створення Парку у 1999 р. детальне вивчення мікротеріофауни не проводили, тому наше дослідження є першою спробою з’ясувати видовий склад та деякі екологічні характеристики мікротеріофауни цього регіону. У вересні-жовтні 2017 р. здійснено відлови дрібних ссавців традиційними методами із застосуванням пасток Геро та живопасток. Дослідженням було охоплено 5 типових біотопів: «мішаний ліс», «узлісся», «вітровал», «лука» та «чагарник». Усього відпрацьовано 705 пастко-діб і зловлено 101 особину, що належать до 7 видів дрібних ссавців. Один вид — M. agrestis — в Ужанському парку виявлено вперше. Частка самок у загальній вибірці помітно перевищує частку самців (58,4 % проти 41,6 %). Серед досліджених біотопів найбільше видове багатство характерне для біотопу «лука», де трапляються усі 7 видів. Найбільш чисельними, але водночас і найбіднішими за кількістю видів є біотопи «мішаний ліс» (34,4 ос., 2 види) та «узлісся» (20,0 ос., 2 види). Із семи виявлених в межах Парку та його околиць видів лише один має статус фонового (S. tauricus). За індексами Шеннона і Сімпсона найбільше видове різноманіття характерне для біотопів «лука» (H = 0,746, D = 4,741), «вітровал» (H = 0,436, D = 2,579) та «чагарник» (H = 0,430, D = 2,528). Найменше різноманіття характеризує «мішаний ліс» та «узлісся», де трапляються ті самі два види — S. tauricus та M. glareolus. За ступенем біотопної приуроченості найбільш евритопними видами на дослідженій території є S. tauricus та M. glareolus. З них мишак жовтогрудий найбільш приурочений до мішаного лісу (Fij = 0,57) і явно уникає луки та коловодні чагарники. Явними стенотопами в умовах Ужанського парку є мідиці (Sorex) та сірі полівки (Microtus), що трапляються виключно в лучних біотопах (Fij = 1,00). Біотопи з найбільшим рівнем видового різноманіття заслуговують на особливу увагу та потребують охорони. Поточний таксономічний список рядів Soriciformes та Muriformes включає 14 видів. Присутність 2 видів, що раніше згадували для фауни регіону, не підтверджено фактичними знахідками

Living on the edge: distribution patterns of steppe mammals in Transcar­pathia (Ukraine)

We analysed the composition of the steppe assemblage in the mammal fauna of Transcarpathia (Ukraine), which is represented by three rodent species such as the European ground squirrel Spermophilus citellus, the common hamster Cricetus cricetus, and the steppe mouse Mus spicilegus. These species have not been considered in the composition of the local fauna or they were mentioned only in general checklists, or even with obvious mistakes in descriptions of both key characters and record localities. Here we present detailed descriptions of distribution of each steppe species based on actual record localities as well as ecological and biogeographic features. In total, we have generalized data on 13 record localities of Spermophilus citellus, 7 of Cricetus cricetus, and 8 of Mus spicilegus. We also revealed and described general trends in the distribution of these species: all of them occur in the lowland part of Transcarpathia between the valleys of the Tisza and Latorica rivers and adjacent areas. Generally, steppe species in Transcarpathia are related to anthropogenically transformed biotopes: the European ground squirrel mainly occurs along banks of dammed rivers in zones of floods, while the common hamster and the steppe mouse are both related to agricultural lands. The absence of natural populations in indigenous biotopes and, in fact, the absence of typical key steppe habitats suggest that steppe species appeared in Trans­carpathia as the result of expansion from their main geographic range as suitable habitats gradually appeared at the range periphery. The closest centre of distribution of each species is located beyond the studied region, namely in the Great Hungarian Plain, and the records described here are marginal: they are instable and attributed to the zones of range pulsation, which depends on climatic factors and current landscape features of the lowland part of Transcarpathia. The state and dynamics of range-edge populations of steppe species in Transcarpathia might be largely affected by the hydrological regi­me, wintering conditions, human activity, etc., as well as by “edge effects” that usually take place in fragmented populations. The influence of such processes probably could explain the low abundance and rarity of steppe species in the region, and, in the same time, makes topical the issue of their conservation. At present, conservation issues especially concern two species, namely the European ground squirrel and the common hamster, which are keystone species in steppe and forest steppe ecosystems

Thermal Study of Inverter Components: Preprint

Thermal histories of inverter components were collected from operating inverters from several manufacturers and three locations. The data were analyzed to determine thermal profiles, the dependence on local conditions, and to assess the effect on inverter reliability. Inverter temperatures were shown to increase with the power dissipation of the inverters, follow diurnal and annual cycles, and have a dependence on wind speed. An accumulated damage model was applied to the temperature profiles and an example of using these data to predict reliability was explored