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. : 199.
ABOUT COMBINATION OF STEPPE MARMOT' AREA
OF KHARKOV AND LOUGANSK POPULATIONS
V.A. Tokarsky*, O.V. Brandler**
* Kharkov State University, Kharkov, Ukraine
** Institute of Biological Development, Moscow, Russia
The powerful "Donskaya" population of steppe marmot formed in a number of 238.2 thousand individuals on the junction of Lougansk, Rostov, Voronezh, Belgorod and Kharkov regions (Bibikov, 1989; Mashkin, 1996; Rumiantsev, 1997 a.o.).
The area of steppe marmot in the Ukraine is represented by two populations in kharkov and Lougansk regions which extended on 15-20 km for every following 20 years for the last decades.
The area and the number grew in hundreds times in comparisom with 1920-30 years in Kharkov region and at present time marmots are met in Dvurechansk, Kupyansk, Shevchenkovo, Chuguev and Volchansk districts besides Velikoburluk district where it survived in the period of maximum depression.
The number of population is about 53 thousands individuals which increased from some tens individuals in the first decades of this century to tens of thousands nowdays, stabilized and lowered in some central zones and extention of the area continues.
The main reserves of steppe marmot localized between Oskol and Severskiy Donets rivers nowdays. On the left bank of Oskol only single settlements of the marmot which formed in natural way in the end of 1980 years - in the beginning of 1990 years. At present time in the Ukraine only the administrative district left unpopulated between two radical populations.
Such splash of the number and increasing of the area were observed and in Lougansk region. To the present time steppe marmots settled the whole Markovskiy, Belovodskiy, Starobelskiy, a part of Novopskovskiy, Novoaydarskiy and Stanichny districts besides Melovskoy one where some hundreds of marmots inhabited in the beginning of the century. The number of steppe marmots reashes 61900 individuals in Lougansk region. The reserves of such kind form about 115 000 individuals in all the Ukraine.
The researches which were held in May, 1996 in Lougansk, Kharkov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions showed that important extention of the steppe marmot's area was for the last decade (Tokarsky et al., 1997). So the west border of the marmot's area passes on Adyar river in Lougansk region nowdays. On the right bank of Adyar we fixed settlement of marmot only in region of village Nescheretovo in Belokurakskiy district which consists of 4 families. The first marmots appeared here in 1993 (Brandler, Tokarsky, 1996).
Marmots spreaded from Lougansk region to Rostov, Voronezh and Belgorod regions of Russia in the end of 60 years - in the beginning of 70 years. Nowdays marmots settled evenly Chertkovo district of Rostov region and spreaded on the territory of Millerovo district.
The north border of marmot's spreading passes in Olkhovatsk and Rossoshansk districts of Voronezh region.
The first marmots appeared in the environs of village Bull in Kantemirov district of Voronezh region which borders on Lougansk region. at present time this district is populated with marmots evenly with high density. Neighbouring Rossoshan district is populated with marmots only in the south part.
Marmots passes from two populations: Lougansk and Kharkov which kept in the Ukraine into Belgorod region.
Marmot's spreading from Lougansk population into Belgorod region occures from Rossoshansk and Olkhovat districts of Voronezh region on the territory of Rovensky district. In the end of 60 years marmots passed into Valuiskiy district of Belgorod region from Velikoburluk district of Kharkov region (Tokarsky, Shakhov, 1997).