Impact of technogenic transformation of northern taiga land-scapes on mammalian population

Abstract

Studies of the mammalian population in the area of operation of a large mining enterprise located in the northern taiga subzone of Yakutia have been conducted. A total of 2,334 cone-days and 3,000 trap-days are accumulated, post-hunting censuses of game species are taken. The mammalian fauna in the area affected by Udachninsky GOK is represented by 27 species. The negative impact of the mining enterprise on game species of mammals is manifested as an affected zone, for fur animals its width is 1.5–4.4 km, for the moose it is over 20 km. The study area is crossed by migration routes of the wild reindeer, and the presence of an industrial facility is a permanent threat to the well-being of the Lena-Olenek population of the species. The region is characterized by low abundance levels of small mammals even outside the anthropogenically affected areas. In technogenically transformed biotopes a decrease in capture rate and biodiversity parameters is registered, especially in open biotopes. In the forest stations forest species are being replaced by herbivorous inhabitants of open areas, which results in observable changes in the community structure. On the whole, the impact of the technogenic transformation of landscapes by the mining industry is manifested in redistribution of economically valuable species across the territory and a decrease in abundance and changes in the community structure of small mammals in the affected area.