Population of Small Mammals in the Vicinity of the Torey Lakes (Southeast Transbaikalia) during the Dry Climatic Phase: Dynamics and Connection with Precipitation

Abstract

The population and number dynamics of small mammals in the vicinity of the Torey lakes (Southeast Transbaikalia, Russia) were characterized between 2008 and 2017. The monitoring was carried out against the backdrop of the complete drying out of these largest lakes in the region. The stability of the fauna of small mammals was revealed over an 80-year period, although the structure of communities has changed significantly as a result of changes in moistening of the territory. Xerophilous species of mammals had an advantage in the period of studies in the dry climate phase. Correlation analysis showed a possible link between the population dynamics of some common species of small mammals with the precipitation amount of the current and previous years or with the precipitation amount of some spring (in one case, winter) months.