Abstract
The abundance of moles has been studied in 2007–2010 along the gradient of pollution by emissions from the Middle Ural (Middle Urals) and Karabash (Southern Urals) Copper Smelters. It has been estimated by the routing method with regard to the number of inhabited burrows per 1 km. Not a single mole has been recorded in heavily polluted areas near these copper smelters. Under conditions of moderate pollution, the abundance of moles decreased 1.5–1.8 times. The smallest “mole desert” near the source of emissions extends for 90–100 km2. A dramatic decrease in the abundance of earthworms, which are the main food object of moles, is considered a possible reason for these changes.
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