Analysis of biodiversity parameters of shrew communities of the Altai Mountains

Abstract

The communities of insectivorous mammals of the Altai Mountains, each consisting of 4–9 species, are quite similar in species composition and principles of organization. The forest belt of mountains is dominated by the common shrew (Sorex araneus), with the Laxmann’s (Sorex caecutiens), lesser (Sorex minutus), and tundra (Sorex tundrensis) (rarely even-toothed (Sorex isodon)) shrews being codominants. With altitude, the dominants change and some species disappear but no significant changes in the dominance structure of the community occur. Positive correlations between abundance rates recorded in different years and on different plots indicate the stability of communities under study. Analysis of informational indices of diversity reveals four basic possible conditions of communities: a) relatively safe, b) slightly disturbed, c) disturbed, and d) high-altitude slightly evened.