Succession of biocenotic groupsof small mammals after felling pineforests of eastern fennoscandia

About the authors:

Yuriy P. Kurkhinen, Dr. Biol. Sci., Senior Researcher, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Helsinki University (Finland)
Ernest V. Ivanter, Dr. Biol. Sci., Professor, Dean of Faculty of Ecology and Biology, Petrozavodsk State University, Corresponding Member, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract:

Fennoscandia is among the most reclaimed regions of Eurasian taiga. In this case, the most widespread and intense form of human transformation of taiga forests is forest use (including forest exploitation). The article analyzes the process of succession of small mammals’ communities after forest felling. Secondary succession of small mammals’ communities has been observed for 120 years (from the time of felling pine forests to the stage of formation of mature forests. It has been found that in most cases on the clearances of pine forests of moss type there is a change of predominants concerning the constituents of mouse-like rodents catch in relation to coniferous forest: on the “control” site there is predominance of a species of Clethrionomys genus (for example, red-backed mouse), but on the clearance site — a representative of Microtus genus (field vole). Exceptions from this rule concern primarily successional processes during felling pine forests of other forest types groups.

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